Top Three Defensive Players of All Time

Aaron Donald’s giant new deal put him in the neighborhood of quarterbacks rather than his defensive peers. It also prompted talk of his place among the greatest defensive players in NFL history. Here are the thoughts among members of NFL Media.

Who are the Top 3 defensive players of all time?

Judy Battista:

1. Lawrence Taylor

2. Reggie White

3. Aaron Donald

Willie McGinest:

1. Lawrence Taylor

2. Bruce Smith

3. Aaron Donald

Jeffri Chadiha:

1. Lawrence Taylor

2. Reggie White

3. Deion Sanders

Marc Ross:

1. Lawrence Taylor

2. Reggie White

3. Joe Greene

Brian Baldinger:

1. Lawrence Taylor

2. Reggie White

3. Bruce Smith

Chad Reuter:

1. Lawrence Taylor

2. Reggie White

3. Dick Butkus

DeAngelo Hall:

1. Lawrence Taylor

2. Reggie White

3. Ray Lewis

Adam Rank:

1. Lawrence Taylor

2. Reggie White

3. Bruce Smith

Maurice Jones-Drew:

1. Deion Sanders

2. Aaron Donald

3. Lawrence Taylor

James Jones:

1. Lawrence Taylor

2. Deion Sanders

3. Reggie White

The player that prompted this discussion appeared on only three lists. Aaron Donald was second on one list and third on two lists. The player that appeared on all ten lists is, of course, Lawrence Taylor. He was first on nine of the ten lists. Contrarian Maurice Jones-Drew had Taylor at #3. There’s that UCLA education. 

After having won a Super Bowl, Donald has spent the offseason hinting at retirement. His big new deal insures that his incredible career will include at least one more year. Donald has been brilliant since his first NFL snap. Remarkably, he’s gotten better with each season. Eight years. Eight Pro Bowls. 7x 1st-team All-Pro. 3x Defensive Player of the Year. He’d have some MVPs if not for the position that he plays. Donald’s career has been ridiculous. Despite all of that, only three of ten from NFL Media have him as one of the three best defensive players in the league’s history. Sometimes it can take a few years after a player’s career to properly appreciate that career. 

A breakdown of the above opinions:

Lawrence Taylor: 10 (9 firsts)

Reggie White: 8

Bruce Smith: 3

Aaron Donald: 3

Deion Sanders: 3 (1 first)

Joe Greene: 1

Dick Butkus: 1

Ray Lewis: 1

In my opinion, there are two defensive players that have wrecked offenses more consistently than any other players in league history. 

Lawrence Taylor

Aaron Donald

Nearly all of the great defensive players of my lifetime seemed to have an occasional quiet game. Taylor and Donald never seemed to have quiet games. They are #1 and #2 on my list. #3? There are a lot of contenders. 

Alan Page

Deacon Jones

Dick Butkus

Joe Schmidt

Gino Marchetti

Bob Lilly

Joe Greene

Jack Ham

Mike Haynes

Deion Sanders

Reggie White

Bruce Smith

Rod Woodson

Ed Reed

I’d love to put Alan Page on my three-player list. If I followed my Minnesota Vikings passion, he’d be on the list. I’d love to put Rod Woodson, Ed Reed, or Mike Haynes for some defensive back representation. Reed, in particular, might be my pick some days. It was so much fun watching him play football. Today isn’t one of those days. Today, my pick is Gino Marchetti. 

My Top 3 Defensive Players of All Time:

1. Lawrence Taylor

2. Aaron Donald

3. Gino Marchetti

J.J. Watt has to be mentioned in this discussion. He was having a run of dominant seasons much like the run that Donald has going. Like Donald, Watt collected three Defensive Player of the Year awards. Injuries derailed Watt’s dominant run and he hasn’t been the same since. If one were to pick the Top 3 defensive players of all time based on their best 4-5 years, the list is probably Taylor, Donald, and J.J. Watt. 

A Minnesota Vikings 53-man Roster Projection

The Minnesota Vikings complete their offseason workouts this week with a Mandatory Mincamp. Judging from the attendance at all previous workouts it would seem that the players have decided that all offseason work has been mandatory. The Mandatory Minicamp runs from Tuesday to Thursday. With offseason workouts winding down and training camp on the distant horizon, here’s a stab at the pointless fan exercise of projecting the 53-man roster. It’s easy to project the top of the roster. The bottom of the roster is all guesses. So, here’s my first attempt at projecting the 53-man roster of the Minnesota Vikings.

Quarterbacks (2)

Kirk Cousins

Kellen Mond

It’s time for Kellen Mond to take on the backup job. It’s time for Sean Mannion to not be the backup.

Running Backs (4)

Dalvin Cook

Alexander Mattison

Kene Nwangwu

Ty Chandler

This group is pretty straightforward. 

Fullback (1)

C.J. Ham

Wide Receivers (5)

Justin Jefferson

Adam Thielen

K.J. Osborn

Ihmir Smith-Marsette 

Jalen Nailor

The first four receivers feel set. If the Vikings keep five receivers, the final spot is wide open. If the Vikings keep six receivers, the final two spots are wide open. I have five here so that I can jam five linebackers on the roster. Punt returns could be Jalen Nailor’s path to the roster. I have him making it in early June for returns and because the Vikings new regime regime picked him in the draft. Veteran Albert Wilson was added to the roster last week. He had some terrific moments in Kansas City and Miami. He’s a speedy little pass catcher. All of the other receivers are in the 6’ and taller range. Maybe his uniqueness and experience gets him to the 53-man roster. The Vikings currently have 12 receivers on the 90-man roster. All of the receivers fighting for the final one or two spots has a shot. This will be one of the most interesting competitions of training camp. 

Tight Ends (3)

Irv Smith Jr.

Johnny Mundt

Nick Muse

The top two tight ends feel set. Right now, I’m going with Nick Muse as the #3 tight end simply because this regime picked him in the draft. They inherited Irv Smith Jr. They picked Johnny Mundt and Muse.

Offensive Line (9)

Christian Darrisaw

Ezra Cleveland

Garrett Bradbury

Ed Ingram

Brian O’Neill

Vederian Lowe

Jesse Davis

Chris Reed

Austin Schlottman

The toughest offensive line decisions were not keeping 2021 third-round pick Wyatt Davis and Vederain Lowe vs Oli Udoh. For this offense, I like Chris Reed over Davis at guard. It’s up to Davis to prove me and pretty much everyone that follows the team wrong. For the same reason that I included Jalen Nailor and Nick Muse, I’m going with Lowe over Udoh. The new Vikings regime picked Lowe. I can still see Udoh making the roster over Jesse Davis. I have Davis in this projection for his position versatility. As solely a backup tackle, I like Udoh over Davis. I don’t ever want to see Udoh again and Davis can play guard. 

Defensive Line/Edge (11)

Danielle Hunter

Za’Darius Smith

Harrison Phillips

Dalvin Tomlinson

Armon Watts

D.J. Wonnum

Patrick Jones II

Janarius Robinson

James Lynch

Esezi Otomewo

Jaylen Twyman

It’s going to take a while to get used to the defensive front breakdown of the Vikings new defense. It’s going to be a base 3-4. That’s the easy part. I suppose it’s understanding the positional separation of the defensive end/tackle tweeners that will be the most challenging. The highlight for this group is the pass rushing duo of Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith. There might not be an aspect of the 2022 Minnesota Vikings that I’m more excited to see than Hunter and Smith terrorizing quarterbacks. Of the backup edge rushers, Janarius Robinson intrigues me the most. Perhaps that’s because he missed all of his rookie season. He’s intriguing as a complete unknown. I’m not sure if D.J. Wonnum, Patrick Jones II, and Robinson all make the roster but I can’t part with any of them in June. Dalvin Tomlinson, Harrison Phillips, and Armon Watts present a stout and sturdy middle. I like James Lynch, Jaylen Twyman, and Esezi Otomewo as interior pass rushers. I really like Lynch as a breakout player. I’m not sure if the Vikings keep 11 edge/defensive linemen but I really like all of the above 11 on the roster. 

Linebackers (5)

Eric Kendricks

Jordan Hicks

Brian Asamoah

Troy Dye

Chazz Surratt

The top three linebackers are set. I want to keep five linebackers because I like the potential of Troy Dye and Chazz Surratt. Blake Lynch will also be in play for a linebacker spot. Perhaps it’s best to keep only one of the two (or three). Surratt had no opportunities on defense as a rookie. He only played linebacker for two years in college. He’s a mystery. An intriguing mystery. If he flames out in training camp and preseason, fine. There’s an extra roster spot for a sixth receiver. Eric Kendricks and Jordan Hicks are firmly in place as the starters. I really think that rookie Brian Asamoah is going to force the coaches to get him on the field. Even if it’s just in sub-packages, he’ll play his way onto the field. 

Cornerbacks (6)

Patrick Peterson

Cam Dantzler

Chandon Sullivan

Andrew Booth Jr.

Akayleb Evans

Kris Boyd

The offseason evolution of the Vikings cornerback position has been remarkable. In March, it was frightening. Only four were on the roster and Cam Dantzler was the only one of starting quality. Now, I see cornerback as a potential strength. The biggest question with the cornerbacks is whether five or six make the roster. With the age of Patrick Peterson and injury concerns with Andrew Booth Jr., I think that it’s six. Hell, I think that it’s six even without those concerns. An NFL team can never have enough cornerbacks. The top five are easy. On paper, in June, the starters are Peterson and Dantzler. Chandon Sullivan is the leading contender for the nickel role. With all due respect to Peterson, Andrew Booth Jr. might be the most talented cornerback on the roster. When fully healthy, he’ll play his way onto the field. I see Dantzler, Booth, and Akayleb Evans as the Vikings cornerback future. Kris Boyd will have to fend off challenges from Nate Hairston, Harrison Hand, Tye Smith, and Parry Nickerson. 

Safeties (4)

Harrison Smith

Lewis Cine

Camryn Bynum

Josh Metellus

Safety ranks with running backs as the easiest group to project. I was so set to see Harrison Smith and Camryn Bynum as the Vikings starting safeties that I never really considered safety early in the draft. Then the Vikings drafted Lewis Cine. I can not wait to see Smith and Cine on the field. It’s going to be a blast. The safety trio of Smith, Cine, and Bynum will be on the field together. Josh Metellus is a special teams standout. Safety is suddenly a team strength. 

Kicker (1)

Gabe Brkic

Punter (1)

Ryan Wright

Long Snapper (1)

Andrew DePaola

For no particular reason, I’m going with the undrafted rookies over the incumbents at kicker and punter. 

Gabe Brkic over Greg Joseph and Ryan Wright over Jordan Berry. 

Minnesota Vikings 90-man Roster w/numbers

The Minnesota Vikings 90-man roster was tweaked again over the past week. Perhaps due to hopefully minor injuries to K.J. Osborn and Ihmir Smith-Marietta, veteran receiver Albert Wilson was signed last week. He’s had a few fine moments in the league. 5’9”, quick, and speedy. He gives the Vikings a receiver that they didn’t have on the roster. He’s probably going to be in the punt return mix as well. Second-year running back A.J. Rose Jr. was waived to make room for Wilson. The Vikings also added veteran defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard. Originally selected by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Bullard gives the Vikings some position versatility along the defensive line. He has experience at end and tackle. In the 3-4 version of the Vikings new defense, he can do some interior work. He can play on the edge in even fronts. To make room for Bullard, the Vikings waived defensive end Kenny Willekes. The release of Willekes is disappointing. A seventh-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, he lost his rookie season to a preseason knee injury. He spent his second season pushing his way into the team’s defensive line rotation. By the end of last season, he may have been the Vikings most effective pass rusher. The switch to a 3-4 front probably didn’t really fit his set of skills. He isn’t quite quick enough or twitchy enough to play as an outside linebacker or big enough to play on the interior of a 3-4. I hoped that he could manage the switch but wasn’t sure if he was a fit. He was waived with an injury designation. After clearing waivers, Willekes reverted to the Vikings injured reserve. Maybe the coaches aren’t through working with him. 

Minnesota Vikings Roster

Offense (43)

Quarterbacks (4)

  8 Kirk Cousins

14 Sean Mannion

11 Kellen Mond

12 Nate Stanley

Running Backs (5)

  4 Dalvin Cook

  2 Alexander Mattison

26 Kene Nwangwu

32 Ty Chandler

38 Bryant Koback

Fullbacks (2)

30 C.J. Ham

36 Jake Bargas

Receivers (12)

19 Adam Thielen

18 Justin Jefferson

17 K.J. Osborn

15 Ihmir Smith-Marsette

25 Albert Wilson

85 Dan Chisena

81 Olabisi Johnson

83 Jalen Nailor

13 Blake Proehl

87 Myron Mitchell

  9 Trishton Jackson

89 Thomas Hennigan

Tight Ends (5)

84 Irv Smith Jr.

86 Johnny Mundt

82 Ben Ellefson

40 Zach Davidson

34 Nick Muse

Tackles (6)

71 Christian Darrisaw

75 Brian O’Neill

74 Oli Udoh

64 Blake Brandel

63 Vederian Lowe

61 Timon Parris

Guards (7)

72 Ezra Cleveland

73 Jesse Davis

62 Chris Reed

52 Wyatt Davis

67 Ed Ingram

68 Kyle Hinton

65 Austin Schlottman

Centers (2)

56 Garrett Bradbury

60 Josh Sokol

Defense (42)

Defensive Linemen (10)

94 Dalvin Tomlinson

97 Harrison Phillips

98 Armon Watts

92 James Lynch

93 Jaylen Twyman

78 Jullian Taylor

90 Esezi Otomeow

76 T.Y. McGill

50 T.J. Smith

51 Tyarise Stevenson

Edge (7)

99 Danielle Hunter

55 Za’Darius Smith

98 D.J. Wonnum

91 Patrick Jones II

95 Janarius Robinson

79 Jonathan Bullard

43 Luiji Vilain

Linebackers (9)

54 Eric Kendricks

58 Jordan Hicks

33 Brian Asamoah

41 Chazz Suratt

48 Blake Lynch

45 Troy Dye

57 Ryan Connelly 

59 Zach McCloud

47 William Kwenkeu

Cornerbacks (10)

  7 Patrick Peterson

  3 Cameron Dantzler

23 Andrew Booth Jr.

21 Akayleb Evans

39 Chandon Sullivan

29 Kris Boyd

27 Nate Hairston

20 Harrison Hand

  5 Tye Smith

35 Parry Nickerson

Safeties (6)

22 Harrison Smith

  6 Lewis Cine

24 Camryn Bynum

44 Josh Metellus

46 Miles Dorn

37 Mike Brown

Special Teams (5)

Kicker (2)

  1 Greg Joseph

49 Gabe Brkic

Punters (2)

16 Jordan Berry

66 Ryan Wright

Long Snapper (1)

42 Andrew DePaola

NFL First Round Signing Tracker

The 2022 NFL Draft is just over a month old and teams have been plowing through the work of getting their draft picks signed. Only three first round picks remain unsigned. 

1.   Jacksonville Jaguars: Travon Walker, Edge, Georgia-Signed

2.   Detroit Lions: Aidan Hutchinson, Edge, Michigan-Signed

3.   Houston Texans: Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU-Signed

4.   New York Jets: Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati-Signed

5.   New York Giants: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Edge, Oregon-Signed

6.   Carolina Panthers: Ikem Ekonwu, OT, North Carolina State-Signed

7.   New York Giants: Evan Neal, OT, Alabama-Signed

8.   Atlanta Falcons: Drake London, WR, USC-Signed

9.   Seattle Seahawks: Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State-Signed

10. New York Jets: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State-Signed

11. New Orleans Saints: Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State-Signed

12. Detroit Lions: Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama-Signed

13. Philadelphia Eagles: Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia-Signed

14. Baltimore Ravens: Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame

15. Houston Texans: Kenyon Green, OG, Texas A&M-Signed

16. Washington Commanders: Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State-Signed

17. Los Angeles Chargers: Zion Johnson, OG, Boston College-Signed

18. Tennessee Titans: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas-Signed

19. New Orleans Saints: Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa-Signed

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh

21. Kansas City Chiefs: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington-Signed

22. Green Bay Packers: Quay Walker, LB, Georgia-Signed

23. Buffalo Bills: Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida-Signed

24. Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa-Signed

25. Baltimore Ravens: Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa-Signed

26. New York Jets: Jermaine Johnson II, Edge, Florida State-Signed

27. Jacksonville Jaguars: Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah-Signed

28. Green Bay Packers: Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia-Signed

29. New England Patriots: Cole Strange, OG, Tennessee-Chattanooga 

30. Kansas City Chiefs: George Karlaftis, Edge, Purdue-Signed

31. Cincinnati Bengals: Daxton Hill, S, Michigan-Signed

32. Minnesota Vikings: Lewis Cine, S, Georgia-Signed

***

29/32 signed. On June 4, only three first round picks remain unsigned. 

Teams are making quick work of signing the first-round picks. 

The Minnesota Vikings had a flurry of signings the days before their rookie mini-camp. Before they stepped on the field for their first professional practice, six of the 10 draft picks had signed their first NFL contracts. This week’s signing of third-round pick Brian Asomoah was the first since that early rookie signing flurry. 

Vikings Rookie Signings:

1. Lewis Cine, S, Georgia-Signed

2. Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson

2. Ed Ingram, G, LSU

3. Brian Asomoah, LB, Oklahoma-Signed

4. Akayleb Evans, CB, Missouri

5. Esezi Otomeco, DL, Minnesota-Signed

5. Ty Chandler, RB, North Carolina-Signed

6. Vederian Lowe, OT, Illinois-Signed

6. Jalen Nailor, WR, Michigan State-Signed

7. Nick Muse, TE, South Carolina-Signed

 

As a big fan of completing things, I’d sure like to see the Vikings soon sign their remaining draft picks. 

100 Greatest Minnesota Vikings Players: 10-1

Finally. The Flea Flicker countdown of the 100 Greatest Minnesota Vikings Players comes to an end with the Top 10 players in franchise history. Well, one person’s view of the greatest players in franchise history. 

100 Greatest Minnesota Vikings Players: 10-1

  10. Jim Marshall, DE

    9. Steve Hutchinson, OG

    8. Carl Eller, DE

    7. John Randle, DT

    6. Fran Tarkenton, QB

    5. Adrian Peterson, RB

    4. Randy Moss, WR

    3. Cris Carter, WR

    2. Randall McDaniel, OG

    1. Alan Page, DT

Jim Marshall is the outlier among the Top 10 Greatest Minnesota Vikings Players. He’s the only one of the ten not honored in Canton (Adrian Peterson will be there five years after he retires). I’m not going to discuss whether Marshall’s Canton absence is right or wrong. I flip back and forth on the topic so frequently that it’s pointless to try. Besides, this is about his place in Vikings history. I have Marshall among the top ten mostly for his importance to the franchise. He was a very good football player but he wasn’t even the best football player on the defensive line. Or the second best. He might be the most important football player in team history. Jim Marshall was the leader of the Vikings throughout the team’s first AND second decade. He played defensive end for twenty years. He never missed a game. He played in a 12-game season, 17 14-game seasons, and two 16-game seasons. I guess that he needs to come back at the age of 84 to experience a 17-game season. I wouldn’t put it past him. Marshall was incredible. He was always there for his team. Through four Super Bowls and the team’s “glory” days, he was the heart and the soul of his team. The players looked up to him. The coaches looked to him. If only the Hall of Fame voters could quantify that. 

The Vikings offensive line has been a problem for so long that it’s a struggle to remember a time when Steve Hutchinson was a part of the line. It’s worth the struggle. Remembering his blocking for the Vikings is pure joy. In 2006, his first in Minnesota, Hutchinson was probably the team’s MVP, certainly the offensive MVP. He was brilliant. That brilliance became his baseline over the next five seasons. The only issue that I have with Hutchinson’s career is that it started in Seattle. And ended in Tennessee. 

When I was discovering football and falling for the Vikings, I was drawn to Alan Page when the defense was on the field. No matter how focused I was on Page I couldn’t ignore the hulking “81” flashing across the screen. Carl Eller looked huge. I was always intrigued by Page. I think that I was scared of Eller. 

John Randle was too small for the NFL. He was too small to hold up in the trenches. He still dominated both. I was at a Vikings-Raiders game in 1996. The Vikings won in overtime. Randle took over the game in the fourth quarter. That was nothing new. He often did that. It was fun to see it in person. He was a fun, entertaining, and great football player. Among Vikings fans of his era, Randle is a universal favorite. 

Any player in the final six could take the top spot. Due to the position that he played, Fran Tarkenton might be #1 on many lists. He was the quarterback of my youth. Due to injuries, bad luck, whatever, the Vikings are still looking for a franchise quarterback to replace him. At the time of his retirement after the 1978 season, Tarkenton held every career passing record. He held those records longer than any quarterback ever has. It took Dan Marino until the mid-1990s to finally chase down those numbers. Every quarterback that came after Tarkenton played a game that favored the pass. Heavily favored the pass. Tarkenton’s era was the last that favored the run. 

In a passing league, Adrian Peterson made it fun to run again. He had games of 224 yards and an NFL-record 296 yards as a rookie in 2007. He was just getting started. The highlight of his brilliant career was his NFL MVP season of 2012. A knee injury ended his 2011 season. He wasn’t supposed to be ready for the start of the next season. He was. 2097 yards. Eight yards short of Eric Dickerson’s season record. Peterson led the league in rushing three times. He could run through and past defenders like no other back that I’ve ever seen. At 37, he’s still looking for a job. 

Randy Moss ranks with Adrian Peterson as the most explosive offensive players in Vikings franchise history. Moss is arguably the most physically gifted receiver to ever play. Before his rookie season, he said that he’d “rip up the NFL.” He sure did. The two-touchdown debut against the Buccaneers. The Monday Night thrashing of the Packers. The three touchdowns against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving. Moss ripped up the NFL as a rookie and kept on ripping all the way to Canton. Moss was a fun, brilliant football player. 

Hands, body control, route-running. Cris Carter was the best I’ve ever seen at the receiver traits I value most. Maybe I’d sprinkle in a bit more speed. Hands. It all starts with Carter’s hands. Best I’ve ever seen. When I think of Carter I often think of the Vikings-49ers Monday Night game I attended in 1995. The defending champion 49ers jumped all over the Vikings. More specifically, Jerry Rice jumped all over the Vikings. It was 21-0 in a blink. Then, it felt like Carter put the team on his back and hauled them back into the game. It turned into a Cris Carter-Jerry Rice duel. If you’re a fan of receivers, it was pass-catching heaven. When the game ended, it was 37-30 49ers. The stadium experience was a much different thing in 1995. Statistics weren’t readily available. The internet wasn’t an arm-length away. If I had to guess the statistics of Carter and Rice while I made my way out of the stadium, I might’ve guessed:

Carter: 10 catches, 150 yards, and two touchdowns

Rice: 10 catches, 200 yard, and three touchdowns

When I checked the paper the next morning I found something very different:

Carter: 12 catches, 88 yards, two touchdowns

Rice: 14 catches, 289 yards, three touchdowns

I knew that Rice had a stat-filled game but I never would’ve guessed that he’d gained two hundred more yards than Carter. I learned that night that statistics don’t tell the whole story. With the 49ers running away with the game, every catch by Carter meant so much. Every catch moved the sticks or scored a touchdown. The Vikings had to have each catch. In terms of game impact, a six-yard catch by Carter was as critical to the Vikings as a 60-yard catch by Rice was gravy to the 49ers. 

Watching the Warren Moon-Cris Carter vs Steve Young-Jerry Rice duel was a beautiful thing. 

As for his place on this list, I simply loved watching Cris Carter catch a football. 

Two guards in the Top 10. It feels odd. It also feels right. Randall McDaniel and Steve Hutchinson are deserving of their place in this Top 10. In my book, McDaniel is right there with John Hannah and Larry Allen as the best guards of my lifetime. I’ve heard many from the analytics community minimize the importance of guards. I guess that they haven’t watched some of Kirk Cousins’ worst games. There’s probably no better way to wreck a quarterback than by allowing immediate pressure up the middle. McDaniel allowed none of that. If I had to pick a former Vikings player to join the current Vikings team, that player would probably be Randall McDaniel. Guard has been the team’s biggest problem since Hutchinson left. The great lack of competent guard play has been devastating. McDaniel would fix the problem as soon as he got into that unique stance. 

When I fell for the Vikings in the early 1970s, I was taken by Alan Page. Maybe he was the reason that this little California kid fell for a team from Minnesota. I can’t remember. I do remember I was immediately taken by player and team. I always hoped that the Vikings would open games on defense. I couldn’t wait to see Page. He was a brilliant defensive tackle. He was the Aaron Donald of his day. Page was so quick. He was often in the backfield before the offensive linemen were out of their stances. He was sometimes penalized for that quickness. Then things really got fun. If Page ever felt wronged by the officials, he took his game to an unimagined, unhinged level. Thinking about #88 wrecking offenses always brings a lasting smile. Alan Page is my #1 player in Vikings franchise history. 

100 Greatest Minnesota Vikings Players: 20-11

The Flea Flicker countdown of the 100 Greatest Minnesota Vikings Players continues with players ranked 20-11. 

100 Greatest Minnesota Vikings Players: 20-11

  20. Kevin Williams, DT

  19. Joey Browner, S

  18. Gary Zimmerman, OT

  17. Harrison Smith, S

  16. Chuck Foreman, RB

  15. Jared Allen, DE

  14. Chris Doleman, DE

  13. Ron Yary, OT

  12. Mick Tingelhoff, C

  11. Paul Krause, S

It’s time for the Hall of Famers. Gary Zimmerman, Chris Doleman, Ron Yary, Mick Tingelhoff, and Paul Krause are in Canton. Jared Allen could make it any year now. If injuries hadn’t cut into their talent and careers, Joey Browner and Chuck Foreman would be there already. Despite their shortened careers, both have a case that they deserve to be there. Kevin Williams had a Hall of Fame caliber career. Harrison Smith is having a Hall of Fame caliber career. 

When I think of Kevin Williams I often think of a play against the Kansas City Chiefs from his rookie season (2003). At the snap, Williams blows through Will Shields, wrecks an attempted block by Tony Richardson, and stops Priest Holmes for a loss. Shields, Richardson, and Holmes made the Pro Bowl that season. They were among the best in the league at their respective positions. Shields is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and rookie Kevin Williams went through him as if he was made of paper. It was an astonishing play. He had a lot of plays like that over his career. I think that he’s a Hall of Fame player. Now it’s up to the Hall voters. Richard Seymour goes in this year. Williams and Seymour were similar players with similar careers. 

Joey Browner is one of a handful of Vikings defensive players that I’ve seen simply take over a game. There was a 1988 playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams in which it felt like there were about six Joey Browners on the field. He had several games like that. He was an incredible football player. I always felt that he was the safety equal of peers Ronnie Lott and Kenny Easley. Those two are in the Hall of Famer. Browner should join them.

I wish that Gary Zimmerman had played his entire NFL career in Minnesota. His defection to Denver was tough. It worked out for him as he won a Super Bowl with the Broncos. He was just so steady. Pass rushers didn’t get past him. I’m not sure if the NFL was easy for him but there sure were times when it looked easy. 

Maybe it’s a recency thing but I have Harrison Smith ahead of Joey Browner mostly for his longevity and durability. Every now and then, I imagine a defensive backfield with both Browner and Smith in it. It’s a beautiful dream. I like them both so much. Smith plays everywhere. He can play deep, in coverage, against the run, rush the passer. A quarterback needs to know where Smith is but he can be anywhere. He’s a smart, instinctive, terrific football player. 

When I first became a Vikings fan, I was so intrigued by their defense. It was Chuck Foreman that hauled my attention to the offense. No back had ever caught passes like he did. At least, none that I’d ever seen. He was such a fun runner. Those spins! Oh my! The Vikings offense was always at it’s best when the ball was in his hands. 

One of the sad facts about the great players in Vikings franchise history is that few played their entire career in Minnesota. Mick Tingelhoff is the team’s only Hall of Fame player that played zero games for another team. Hopefully, Harrison Smith becomes the second. 

Paul Krause’s 81 career interceptions is an NFL record that may never be broken. There were more holes in his game than fellow great Vikings safeties Browner and Smith but 81 interceptions is such a ridiculous number. 

100 Greatest Minnesota Vikings Players: 30-21

The Flea Flicker countdown of the 100 Greatest Minnesota Vikings Players continues with players ranked 30-21. 

100 Greatest Minnesota Vikings Players: 30-21

  30. Bill Brown, FB

  29. Robert Smith, RB

  28. Ahmad Rashad, WR

  27. Kyle Rudolph, TE

  26. Steve Jordan, TE

  25. Keith Millard, DT

  24. Matt Blair, LB

  23. Eric Kendricks, LB

  22. Danielle Hunter, DE

  21. Antoine Winfield, CB

Bill Brown, Ahmad Rashad, Steve Jordan, and Matt Blair are in the Vikings Ring of Honor. Robert Smith, Keith Millard and Antoine Winfield should be. Kyle Rudolph, Eric Kendricks, and Danielle Hunter will be. This block of ten includes the first of the Vikings franchise’s elite players. 

Bill Brown was one of the league’s best fullbacks in the 1960s. George Halas traded him after a single season and always regretted it. Brown’s last few years were my first few years as a Vikings fan. He’s a player that I wished that I had seen in his prime. 

Injuries and nagging health issues (he missed at least one game due to chicken pox!) slowed the start of Robert Smith’s career. Once he got going, he was great. He possessed ridiculous speed. Every time he got past the line I thought that he was gone. He was outstanding on screens. The Vikings schemed and executed screens well but it was his speed that made them work. His sudden retirement after the 2000 season was jolting. 

I’ve always felt that Ahmad Rashad would be in Canton if he’d come to Minnesota a few years earlier. His years with the Vikings were Hall of Fame caliber.

Kyle Rudolph felt like a franchise cornerstone and team leader from the moment he was drafted in 2011. I never thought that his talents were consistently utilized to their fullest. He had a career high of 83 catches in 2016. His next highest catch total was 64 in 2018. Every year should’ve been somewhere between those numbers. Instead, he only averaged about 45 catches a year. Rudolph made the most of his limited opportunities as he was often among the tight end leaders in touchdowns. 

Rudolph and Steve Jordan are the best tight ends in Vikings franchise history. They are 1-2 in all tight end categories. Jordan is the franchise leader in catches and yards. Rudolph is the leader in touchdowns. Jordan went to six Pro Bowls during an era in which tight ends truly started to emerge as impact players and offensive weapons. 

For a handful of years, Keith Millard played the defensive tackle position as well as any player I’ve seen. He simply wrecked offenses. If injuries hadn’t whittled away at his talents, he’d be in Canton.

Matt Blair played his first five seasons during the final seasons of the Purple People Eaters. He was the only defensive star remaining after the greats departed. He continued to play at a high level into the 1980s. It felt like Blair and Rashad were the Vikings only Pro Bowl players for about a decade. In reality, it was only a few seasons in which they were the team’s lone representatives in Hawaii.

Eric Kendricks finally broke through the Luke Kuechly-Bobby Wagner All-Pro barricade a couple years ago. He’s been playing at an All-Pro level pretty from the moment he started as a rookie in 2015. It’s no longer surprising to see Kendricks in single-coverage on someone like Davante Adams. He can play the run and the pass like few linebackers I’ve ever seen. 

If Danielle Hunter can stay on the field and play as he did through his first five seasons, he’ll move much higher than #22. The Vikings have an outstanding defensive line legacy and Hunter was fast approaching the greats. He must return to that pace. 

Antoine Winfield was listed as a cornerback. He was so much more. He was an outside corner. He was an inside corner. He was a linebacker. He was a pass rusher. He was at his best near the line of scrimmage, near the action. Saying that seems to take away from his talents in coverage. Winfield was simply an outstanding football player. All of the football and media honks seemed to agree but he didn’t make his first Pro Bowl until his 10th season. That unlocked another two. He should’ve had more than three Pro Bowls as well as a few All-Pros. Tape of Winfield’s tackling should be mandatory viewing for all players from Pop Warner to the NFL.