For the first time in nearly 40 years the Minnesota Vikings will be using a 3-4 base defense. It’s going to be strange. One of the great traditions of Vikings football has been their four-man fronts. The Purple People Eaters. Jim Marshall, Alan Page, Gary Larsen, and Carl Eller. It started there. The great defenses of the late 1980s were fronted by Chris Doleman, Keith Millard, Henry Thomas, and Al Noga. A fun, destructive front. Just ask Joe Montana. Or any quarterback that had to face them. The 2000s brought Jared Allen, Kevin Williams, Pat Williams, and Ray Edwards/Brian Robison. Offenses couldn’t run on them and quarterbacks had to run for their lives. More recently, the Vikings defense was paced by Everson Griffen, Tom Johnson/Sharrif Floyd/Sheldon Richardson, Linval Joseph, and Danielle Hunter. Vikings franchise history has been peppered with great four-man fronts. Alan Page, Carl Eller, Chris Doleman, and John Randle are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Jared Allen will join them. Kevin Williams should. Jim Marshall has another shot this year. Henry Thomas has a Hall of Fame argument. Dominant four-man fronts have been a franchise tradition. It’s going to be strange to see the defense fronted by a 3-4. Exciting too. Change is exciting.
There’s been a lot of confusion over this switch to a base 3-4. There’s been confusion where each player will be on the field and what position they’ll play. That confusion will continue until we see all of it come together on the field. Fortunately, training camp starts next week. Since the announcement of Ed Donatell as the defensive coordinator and the likely switch to a 3-4, I’ve seen the players involved listed in a variety of ways. I’ve seen Danielle Hunter listed at outside linebacker and defensive end. He’s an outside linebacker in the 3-4. I’ve seen new addition Jonathan Bullard listed as a defensive end and outside linebacker. He’s a defensive end in the 3-4. For what it’s worth, here’s how I see the defensive linemen and outside linebackers in the Vikings new base 3-4.
Defensive Linemen (11)
94 Dalvin Tomlinson
97 Harrison Phillips
98 Armon Watts
92 James Lynch
93 Jaylen Twyman
78 Jullian Taylor
90 Esezi Otomewo
79 Jonathan Bullard
76 T.Y. McGill
50 T.J. Smith
51 Tyarise Stevenson
Edge/Outside Linebacker (9)
99 Danielle Hunter
55 Za’Darius Smith
98 D.J. Wonnum
91 Patrick Jones II
95 Janarius Robinson
43 Luiji Vilain
59 Zach McCloud
47 William Kwenkeu
31 Adrian Mintze
More often that not, I see Dalvin Tomlinson, Harrison Phillips, and Armon Watts as the projected starters in the three-man front. The interesting thing about those three players is their versatility. Each can probably handle the demands of all three defensive line positions. Tomlinson is often penciled in as the the nose tackle. That isn’t surprising. At a listed 320 lbs, he’s closest to the size of a traditional nose tackle. Watts often played on the nose through his first three years in the league. During his introductory press conference, Phillips referred to himself as a nose tackle. In my mind throughout the offseason, I’ve seen Tomlinson and Watts on either side of Phillips in the Vikings starting three-man front. No matter how it plays out, the important thing is the versatility of those three players. They can play all three defensive line positions. The same is true of some of the other defensive linemen. While I think that he’s best as a pass rushing three/five-technique, I think that James Lynch can also play in the middle. Jullian Taylor might be similarly versatile. Versatility. It’s a very good thing. I see Jaylen Twyman, Esezi Otomewo, Jonathan Bullard as ends. A curious player is undrafted rookie Tyarise Stevenson. At a listed 365 lbs, the Vikings have no player on the roster like him.
One of the most exciting things about this year’s Vikings is the outside linebackers. The edge rushers. Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith. Both are coming off injury-thrashed seasons. If both are healthy, and can stay on the field, the Vikings defense will boast one of the pass rushing duos in the league. I can not wait to see these two terrorize quarterbacks and take apart offenses. Smith and Hunter have to stay on the field. Behind them is several raw, toolsy edge players. D.J. Wonnum has done some things in his two years in the league but he must do those things more consistently. Patrick Jones II had a few opportunities as a rookie last season. Janarius Robinson had no opportunities as his rookie season was lost to a preseason injury. The remainder of the edge rushers on the roster are undrafted rookies. This part of the Vikings front is all about Hunter and Smith.
The Vikings last fielded a 3-4 in the early 1980s. About the only thing memorable about that five-year run is that it got Jeff Siemon and Scott Studwell on the field together for a season and introduced us to the pass rushing brilliance of Chris Doleman. We would’ve seen the latter whether he was standing up or had his fist in the turf. The important thing about this new version of the Vikings 3-4 is versatility. I have a feeling that this new defense will be a 3-4 mostly in name. I have a feeling we’ll see a variety of fronts. 3-4, 4-3, 5-2, 2-5, whatever. I have a feeling that rookie linebacker Brian Asamoah will play his way into the front seven conversation. Who knows? Some of the questions might be answered in the coming weeks. More likely, they’ll be answered from September-Febrauary.
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