Mike Zimmer, his coaching staff, and recent promising top draft picks have turned the Minnesota Vikings defense around quickly. The defense was horrible in 2013. Zimmer's unique ability to fix that side of the ball was one of the main reasons the Vikings hired him a few weeks after that sad season came to an end. The defense was much improved in 2014 and inspired hope for even better seasons to come. Zimmer and his coaches are a big reason. So is this front seven:
DE Everson Griffen
DT Sharrif Floyd
DT Linval Joseph
DE Brian Robison
LB Anthony Barr
LB Eric Kendricks
LB Chad Greenway
Outside of another year in Zimmer's defense, the biggest change this year is the addition of rookie Eric Kendricks at middle linebacker and the hopeful return to health of weakside linebacker Chad Greenway. Robison (32) and Greenway (32) are the greybeards and leaders of the group. Floyd, Barr, and Kendricks are top picks from the past three drafts. They are the present and future of the front seven. This is a young, fast, explosive group. Griffen and Floyd will spend a lot of time in the offensive backfield. Robison can still hassle quarterbacks. Joseph will take up blocks, keep the linebackers clean, and provide some push up the middle. The Vikings have a strong tradition of good to great defensive lines. This group has the potential to be great. They did a nice job at getting to the quarterback last year. They should be even better this year. They didn't do so well at stopping the run. That has to improve and another year in Zimmer's system will help. So will the development of the linebackers. In experience and talent. Barr is about an inch away from being a superstar. Kendricks is a question because he's a rookie but he has the natural talent, the work ethic, and the desire to excel. As the younger brother of Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Mychal Kendricks he also has the pedigree. Greenway's presence in the starting front seven is the least assured. Many among the media and fans have written him off. He's obviously much closer to the end of his career than the start but the feeling here is that he can still make plays. He just has to stay healthy. He won't be asked to play every snap. and that should help him stay healthy. Before last season he probably played every defensive snap in the previous eight. He won't have to do that this year. In the Vikings nickel defense, Barr and Kendricks will likely be the only linebackers on the field. In today's NFL, teams are in the nickel more often than not. Even if everything breaks Greenway's way it might not be enough to keep Gerald Hodges off the field. Audie Cole will be in that mix as well. The Vikings have some depth at linebacker as well. That's a pleasant change. It wasn't that long ago that it was a struggle to put a competent starting group on the field. A linebacker trio of Barr, Kendricks, and Hodges is probably the future of the Vikings defense. It would be one of the fastest, most athletic groups in the league. Come September, it might be the Vikings linebacker group of the present but I still like the leadership and experience with Greenway on the field.
This front seven has the talent and potential to be one of the best in franchise history. Perhaps the best. Zimmer's defense and coaching staff helps. The indications so far are that all of the players are buying into this defense and coaching.
The Vikings secondary is also progressing nicely and quickly. Th front and back of the defense will compliment each other well. But, that's another story.
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