The Minnesota Vikings wrapped up the Mankato portion of training camp last week. They packed up camp and moved to their Eden Prairie facilities this week. Since the beginning of camp, every day in opened with reporters and bloggers announcing the players getting first team reps at the following positions:
RG
MLB
S
Every single day, the first tweet of the day was: "RG: Harris, MLB: Cole, S: Blanton"
Mike Harris, Audie Cole, and Robert Blanton. Unless, I missed a tweet that announced something different those three players started every outing as a first-teamer.
The other 19 spots haven't been mostly without question. Phil Loadholt's injury has added right tackle as a position with some indecision. Weak-side linebacker might still be in question but RG, MLB, S have been the positions of concern since that first day of camp. Throughout the Mankato days, right guard never really developed into a battle. Mike Harris seems to have been unchallenged. I think that most people wanted the position to be a battle because they are so surprised that Harris is the starter. The other two spots, MLB and S, have been a battle. It's been a battle even though Cole and Blanton have taken most of the first-team opportunities. There's still about a month to go before the Vikings take the field against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara. A lot can change in that month. Other players might step into the equation but right now the battles at MLB and S look like this:
MLB: Audie Cole vs Eric Kendricks
S: Robert Blanton vs. Antone Exum Jr.
No matter how it shakes out the defense will be better. Competition makes every player better. Cole has been solid in his handful of starts in his three years. At 6'5" and about 250 lbs, he has the size that head coach Mike Zimmer seems to prefer. He's a smart player. He's where he's supposed to be. Coaches like that. The concern for me, and perhaps the coaches, is that he had to be told to play without restraint. He had to be told to believe what he sees. It sounds like he has a tendency to play "too careful." Even as a rookie Kendricks doesn't do that. His instincts are tremendous. He's quick to read a play and he's quick to get there. He's yet to play an NFL game that counts and he already trusts what he sees. He's also 6' and 232 lbs. Cole has the size that can't be coached. Kendricks has the instincts that can't be coached. If Cole and Kendricks could be combined into a single football player there would be no position battle. Personally, I've liked Kendricks at the middle linebacker spot since the Vikings drafted him. As a Cal fan, I saw all that I ever wanted to see from him at UCLA. He's simply a great football player. When he's playing the game you never think him being a bit smaller than those around him. He's just running around making plays. All that being said, Cole is a very good football player. The position is improved over last year if he's playing it. I would feel confident entering the season with Cole in the middle of the Vikings defense. Kendricks will have a prominent role in the nickel defense. He's too good not to have on the field and it's only a matter of time before he's out there for every defensive snap.
Like Audie Cole, Robert Blanton is solid at his position. He was the starter last year until he got hurt in week 13. He had over 100 tackles. He was solid. The Vikings defense would be solid with him as a starter. The Vikings coaches are probably looking for more than solid. Like Eric Kendricks, Antone Exum Jr. might be able to add more than solid. He has the sort of athletic ability that often produces big plays. Blanton didn't have or create many turnovers as a starter last season. In two preseason games this year, Exum has a fumble recovery and an interception. He's also bigger than Balnton and Zimmer seems to like bigger and faster football players. Both Blanton and Exum have college experience at corner so they have nice cover ability. For me, this position battle is much like the one at middle linebacker. Solid play vs. the potential for more. Robert Blanton is a very good football player. Solid. Exum might provide a little more. The Vikings have a do-everything stud at one safety spot in Harrison Smith. It would be nice to have a player that can do something closer to that to pair with him. I see Exum with more potential to do that.
In the eyes of most observers, the Minnesota Vikings opened training camp with three position battles. Right guard never developed into the battle that nearly everyone wanted. Mike Harris has been the man. Audie Cole and Robert Blanton have played most of the first-team snaps at middle linebacker and safety. Eric Kendricks and Antone Exum Jr. have had their opportunities in various situations. I think that Kendricks and Exum are the future at both positions. Whether that future arrives on September 14, I'm not sure. If Cole and/or Blanton do keep their spots on top of the depth chart, I don't think their spot is secure. Both Kendricks and Exum are waiting. And ready. The most important thing is that the team is better as a result of the battles.
No comments:
Post a Comment