All-Time Minnesota Vikings Starting Lineup

I’ve seen/heard a few Minnesota Vikings bloggers/podcasters/beat-writers do this recently. I figured that I’d do it as well. 

All-Time Minnesota Vikings Starting Lineup

Offense

Quarterback

Fran Tarkenton

An easy choice.

Running Back

Adrian Peterson

Another easy choice.

Fullback

Bill Brown

Also fairly easy.

Wide Receivers

Cris Carter

Randy Moss

If Justin Jefferson continues at his current pace, he’s going to make this a very difficult choice. I’ll probably just go with a 3-receiver starting lineup.

Tight End

Steve Jordan

It’s a tough choice between Steve Jordan and Kyle Rudolph. For his incredible blocking, Jim Kleinsasser is also a consideration. 

Tackles

Ron Yary

Gary Zimmerman

Hall of Famer bookends. Ron Yary on the right side. Gary Zimmerman on the left side.

Guards

Randall McDaniel

Steve Hutchinson

Another Hall of Fame pair. Both played left guard. Steve Hutchinson would move to right guard.

Center

Mick Tingelhoff

Defense

Defensive Ends

Carl Eller

Chris Doleman

It’s easy to pick two Hall of Famers. Jared Allen should soon join them in Canron. The decision will get even more difficult with each year that Danielle Hunter spends on the field. 

Defensive Tackles

Alan Page

John Randle

Two, small-ish, rush-centric tackles. To add some size, Kevin Williams or Henry Thomas would pair nicely with either. 

Linebackers

Matt Blair

Eric Kendricks

Anthony Barr

This is probably the most contentious position. Roy Winston, Wally Hilgenberg, Lonnie Warwick, Jeff Siemon, Scott Studwell, Ed McDaniel, Chad Greenway, E.J. Henderson, and Ben Leber are all in the discussion at linebacker. He didn’t spend his prime years or enough years in Minnesota but Mike Merriweather was a terrific player. I can see damn near any combination of these players on someone’s all-time Vikings starting lineup. I saw all but Warwick play and I believe that Matt Blair, Eric Kendricks, and Anthony Barr were the three best linebackers in Vikings history. 

Cornerbacks

Antoine Winfield

Xavier Rhodes

Antoine Winfield is an easy choice. I wish that it had lasted longer but peak Xavier Rhodes was better than peak Bobby Bryant and Carl Lee. If he’d played 5-6 years like he’d played his best 2-3 years, Rhodes would have an argument for the Hall of Fame.

Safeties

Joey Browner

Harrison Smith

It’s tough and perhaps stupid to leave Hall of Famer Paul Krause off of this team. He was asked to patrol the back of the Vikings defense. He was fantastic at doing so. He set an unbreakable career interception record. He has a bronze bust in Canton for being the best in league history at what he did. Despite that, Joey Browner and Harrison Smith were more versatile, better all-around safeties.

Special Teams

Kicker

Ryan Longwell

I was never so calm during kicks as I was when Ryan Longwell was kicking them.

Punter

Chris Kluwe

It’s a tough decision between Bobby Walden, Greg Coleman, Mitch Berger, and Chris Kluwe. In the end, the choice was Kluwe.

Long Snapper

Cullen Loeffler

Cullen Loeffler or Mike Morris. 

Holder

Paul Krause

The Hall of Fame safety still makes the starting lineup. 

Kick Returner

Cordarrelle Patterson

It’s a tough choice between Percy Harvin and Cordarrelle Patterson. Both were so much fun. 

Punt Returner

Marcus Sherels

It came down to Leo Lewis, David Palmer, and Marcus Sherels.