2021 Position Recap: Special Teams

2 pressing questions for 2022

1.Will Minnesota’s three main specialists be back?

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in the Vikings new general manager, and his first priority in finding Minnesota’s next head coach.

Roster construction begins after that, and Joseph, Berry and DePaola will all be in focus.

Joseph is an exclusive rights free agent in 2022, which makes his return more probable than if he was an unrestricted free agent. Berry is scheduled to become a free agent, and DePaola is under contract.

The Vikings have shuffled through these three positions in recent years and could use some stability going forward.

The decision to bring them all back could also hinge on the status of Ficken, who just completed his 15th season with the organization.

2.Can Nwangwu do it again?

Long gone were the days of grabbing a snack during the kickoff, as Nwangwu’s returns became must-see viewing in the second half of the Vikings season.

The speedster broke off two for touchdowns, and was this close to scoring at least two or three other times as a rookie.

Perhaps Nwangwu gets more involved in Minnesota’s offense going forward, but there will certainly be an expectation for him as the kick returner again — if teams are willing to give him the chance.

There were only eight total kickoff returns for scores in 2021 and Nwangwu had a quarter of them. Simply put, he can be a dangerous and special weapon when given the chance.