2024 NFL Draft First Round Signing Tracker

Here’s a look at the signing progress of the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The signing of the 10th and 17th picks can’t happen soon enough. It’s already been long enough. 

First Round

1. Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams, QB, USC

2. Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU - Signed

3. New England Patriots: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina - Signed

4. Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State - Signed

5. Los Angeles Chargers: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame - Signed

6. New York Giants: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU - Signed

7. Tennessee Titans: JC Latham, OT, Alabama - Signed

8. Atlanta Falcons: Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington - Signed

9. Chicago Bears: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

10. Minnesota Vikings: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

11. New York Jets: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State - Signed

12. Denver Broncos: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon - Signed

13. Las Vegas Raiders: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia - Signed

14. New Orleans Saints: Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State -Signed

15. Indianapolis Colts: Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA -Signed

16. Seattle Seahawks: Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas - Signed

17. Minnesota Vikings: Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama

18. Cincinnati Bengals: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia

19. Los Angeles Rams: Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State - Signed

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Troy Fautanu, OT, Washington - Signed

21. Miami Dolphins: Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State - Signed

22. Philadelphia Eagles: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo - Signed

23. Jacksonville Jaguars: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU - Signed

24. Detroit Lions: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama - Signed

25. Green Bay Packers: Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona - Signed

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Graham Barton, OL, Duke - Signed

27. Arizona Cardinals: Darius Robinson, Edge, Missouri - Signed

28. Kansas City Chiefs: Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas - Signed

29. Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma - Signed

30. Baltimore Ravens: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson - Signed

31. San Francisco 49ers: Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida - Signed

32. Carolina Panthers: Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina - Signed

***

It’s been over two months since the draft. Only five of the 32 first-round picks remain unsigned. Two of those were selected by the Minnesota Vikings. Two were selected by the Chicago Bears. 

For the entire draft, only 7 players remain unsigned. The two unsigned, non-first round picks are the first two picks of the third round:

Third Round

65. New York Jets: Malachi Corley, WR, Western Kentucky

66. Arizona Cardinals: Trey Benson, RB, Florida State

So, two of the seven unsigned picks are picks of the Vikings. 

Top 10 Minnesota Vikings Safeties

Finally, it’s the safeties. Here are some of the best safeties in Minnesota Vikings franchise history. 

Top 10 Minnesota Vikings Safeties

1.   Paul Krause (1968-79)

2.   Harrison Smith (2012-present)

3.   Joey Browner (1983-91)

4.   Karl Kassulke (1963-72)

5.   Robert Griffith (1994-2001)

6.   Orlando Thomas (1995-2001)

7.   Corey Chavous (2002-05)

8.   Anthony Harris (2015-20)

9.   Jeff Wright (1971-77)

10. Tom Hannon (1977-84)

At the very top, it’s a strong group. Paul Krause has a bust in Canton. Harrison Smith is still building on a career that could get him there. If injuries hadn’t whittled away at his talents, Joey Browner would be there.

Paul Krause’s 81 interceptions is one of the league’s unbreakable records. Playing the safety position as a roving centerfield, he did Ed Reed-like things decades before Ed Reed did them. As a kid, I thought that every football that left the opposing quarterback’s hand was destined to end up in the hands of Paul Krause. 

Harrison Smith is the most versatile safety I’ve ever seen. In the box, deep, pressuring the quarterback, defending the run. He does it all. He did it an All-Pro level for years. Entering his 13th season, he’s still doing it a high level. Unfortunately, he’s incredibly underrated. He should’ve been named to the 2010s All-Decade team. He should have a serious Hall of Fame discussion fives after he retires. His play earned at least that. 

At his best, Joey Browner was every bit the player of Hall of Fame safety peers Ronnie Lott and Ken Easley. From 1987-90, he was 1st-team All-Pro three times and 2nd-team All-Pro once. Being considered among the best at his position for multiple years is usually enough for serious Hall of Fame consideration. Browner has yet to receive it. 

For the five years they played together, Karl Kassulke was the hard-hitting enforcer to Paul Krause’s roving center fielder. They were a terrific strong and free safety pair. Kassulke’s career ended when he was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident while on his way to training camp.

Robert Griffith and Orlando Thomas were another very good safety pair. Griffith was very good for longer. Once he broke into the starting lineup in 1996 he became a defensive staple until 2001. With a league-leading nine interceptions as a rookie, Thomas made an immediate on the Vikings defense. Unfortunately, injuries were a career-long constant. Over his seven years in Minnesota, he played in all 16 games twice. When he was on the field, he was excellent. 

The Vikings signed Corey Chavous as a cornerback. It wasn’t until when he was moved to safety that he really started making an impact. He was probably the team’s best player in 2003. It often felt like he made every tackle. 

As and undrafted free agent, it took Anthony Harris a few years to get some traction in the league. Once he broke into the starting lineup, he started a strong, four-year run as Harrison Smith’s partner at the back of the Vikings defense.

Jeff Wright took over after a motorcycle accident ended Karl Kassulke’s career. For about five years, Wright formed a solid safety pair with Paul Krause. 

Tom Hannon had the unfortunate task of following the great Paul Krause. Hannon had a solid Vikings career and is one of the more underrated players in team history. 

After only a handful of seasons, current safeties Camryn Bynum and Josh Metellus are on a fast track to being a part of this list. 

Top 10 Minnesota Vikings Cornerbacks

It’s time for the cornerbacks. Here are some of the best cornerbacks in Minnesota Vikings franchise history. 

Top 10 Minnesota Vikings Cornerbacks

1.   Antoine Winfield (2004-12)

2.   Xavier Rhodes (2013-19)

3.   Carl Lee (1983-93)

4.   Bobby Bryant (1968-80)

5.   Nate Wright (1971-80)

6.   Ed Sharockman (1961-72)

7.   Dewayne Washington (1994-97)

8.   Najee Mustafaa (1987-91)

9.   Audray McMillian (1989-93)

10. Brian Williams (2002-05)

One of the oddities of the Vikings draft history is that a cornerback wasn’t drafted in the first round until Dewayne Washington was selected with the 18th pick in the 1994 NFL Draft. The second first-round corner was Xavier Rhodes in 2013. Adding high-end cornerbacks in the draft wasn’t a focus until Mike Zimmer was named head coach in 2014. From 2014-21, the Vikings selected three cornerbacks in the first round. Washington and Rhodes made this list. None of three more recent first-round corners did. Through the varying draft strategies, the Vikings have a modest cornerback tradition. 

The free agency signing of Antoine Winfield in 2004 is one of the best in Vikings franchise history. From 2004-12, he was brilliant. It’s ridiculous that he received no postseason honors until 2008. He made the Pro Bowl from 2008-10. He should’ve made the first of a slew of Pro Bowls even before he joined the Vikings. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the 1999 NFL Draft and was brilliant as soon as he became a full-time starter in 2000. In his nine years with the Vikings, Winfield had over 90 tackles five times. That’s a big number for any corner. It’s an especially big number for a 5’9” 180lb corner. It was amazing to watch Winfield’s refined tackling in a league with so much sloppy tackling. Too many defensive backs are looking for the big hit. Winfield just wanted to wrap up and get the runner on the ground. It was wonderful to see. He should’ve been an annual All-Pro simply for his tackling. Winfield was an excellent outside corner. He was even better on the inside. With only three Pro Bowls and one 2nd-team All-Pro, Winfield will probably never get the Hall of Fame discussion he deserves. In my opinion, during an era with Ty Law, Champ Bailey, Charles Woodson, Ronde Barber, and Darelle Revis, Antoine Winfield was one of the best corners in the league. He’s an easy choice for the best corner in Vikings franchise history.

From 2015-17, Xavier Rhodes was the best corner in the league. If he’d maintained that level of play for another couple of seasons, he’d challenge Antoine Winfield for #1 on this list and (more importantly) have a strong Hall of Fame argument. He was terrific as he repeatedly shut down the best receivers in the league. He was somewhat rapid fade was sad and shocking to watch. 

Like Xavier Rhodes, Carl Lee had about a three-year stretch during which he was one of the best cover corners in the league. It’s tough to separate the two. Lee was probably better for longer while Rhodes’ best years were better. 

When one looks at the great Vikings defenses of the Super Bowl years, it’s easy to focus on the defensive line. From there, it’s a solid group of linebackers and Paul Krause and his crazy number of interceptions. It’s so easy to overlook skinny, 6’1” corner Bobby Bryant. It felt like opposing offenses routinely overlooked him as all he did was put together a 13-year career filled with big plays. His 51 career interception is second to Krause’s 53 in Vikings franchise history. Many of Bryant’s big plays came in the biggest games. 

For most of the 1970s, Nate Wright was Bobby Bryant’s cornerback partner. Wright’s most memorable moment was probably his most forgettable moment. He was the defender that Dallas Cowboys receiver Drew Pearson shoved to the ground in the 1975 divisional playoffs. The non-flagged OPI cost one of the Vikings most talented teams another shot at the Super Bowl. Wright was much more than that one play. Despite receiving no post-season accolades, he was one of the league’s best cover corners for most of the 1970s. 

Ed Sharockman is at #6 on this list mostly for his 40 career interceptions. He was the Vikings top corner from the frustrating expansion years to the early years of dominance in the late 1960s. 

As the Vikings first first-round corner, Dewayne Washington was an immediate starter as a rookie. He was a solid player for all of his four years with the Vikings. I thought that he was going to be a franchise cornerstone. Instead, he left for the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency. To this day, I can’t believe that the Vikings let him get away. I know that there’s a lot we don’t now about negotiations between player and team but this one will always be a big Vikings mistake for me. 

Perhaps it’s his name change from Reggie Rutland. Maybe it’s because he played only five seasons (three as a starter) for the Vikings. I always thought Najee Mustafaa was a very underrated football player. From 1989-91, he and Carl Lee were an excellent corner pair. 

I’m actually not sure which player is more underrated. Najee Mustafaa or Audray McMillian. McMillian followed Mustafaa as the starter opposite Carl Lee. Due to his eight interceptions and two pick-6s, McMillian was named 1st-team All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl in 1992. 

Perhaps Earsell Mackbee, John Turner, Cedric Griffen, or the ageless Terence Newman might be the better choice for this list than Brian Williams. Like Dewayne Washington, I felt like the Vikings let a very good corner get away in free agency. I really liked the potential of an Antoine Winfield-Brian Williams corner pairing. 

Throwback Thursday: Gus Dorais’ All-Time Football Team

This Flicker was originally posted on 8/8/19. 

In 1952, former Notre Dame quarterback Gus Dorais was asked to name his all-time football team. As a player and coach for most of the first half of the 20th century Dorais had an up-close look at the best football players of the era. He agreed to name his team but he would only name a team of players that he had either seen on the field or whose careers preceded the free substitution rule of the early 1940s:
(the player comments are by Dorais)

Gus Dorais’ All-Time Football Team

Quarterback
Dutch Clark (Colorado College and Detroit Lions)
Nobody could top the Dutchman in football instinct or in ability to run the team. Few topped him in mechanical skill.

Halfback
Jim Thorpe (Carlisle and Canton Bulldogs)
A one-man team.

Halfback
George Gipp (Notre Dame)
Maybe I'm prejudiced having coached the Gipper when I was Rock's assistant, but I'd have to pick him over any other halfback, except Thorpe.

Fullback
Bronko Nagurski (Minnesota and Chicago Bears)
Some prefer Ernie Nevers (Stanford and Duluth Eskimos/Chicago Cardinals), but I thought the Bronk a better all-around man.

Center
Mel Hein (Washington State and New York Giants)
I'd give him an edge over Bulldog Turner (Hardin-Simmons and Chicago Bears).

Guard
Clarence Spears (Dartmouth and Canton Bulldogs)
More than a guard, Doc was half a line in himself.

Guard 
Danny Fortmann (Colgate and Chicago Bears)
The best in the modern pro league.

Tackle
Wilbur Henry (Washington & Jefferson and early Ohio pro teams)
Closest to Doc Spears among the lineman to come under my observation.

Tackle
Ed Healy (Dartmouth and Chicago Bears)
He could do everything.

End
Harold Muller (University of California-Berkeley)
Remembered best for his long passes but outstanding in all other phases, too.

End 
Don Hutson (Alabama and Green Bay Packers)
A pass receiver who drove defensive coaches to distraction. I doubt that we'll ever again see his equal.

Top 10 Minnesota Vikings Linebackers

It’s time for the linebackers. Here are some of the best linebackers in Minnesota Vikings franchise history.

Top 10 Minnesota Vikings Linebackers

1.   Matt Blair (1974-85)

2.   Anthony Barr (2014-21, 2023)

3.   Eric Kendricks (2015-22)

4.   Jeff Siemon (1972-82)

5.   Chad Greenway (2006-16)

6.   Ed McDaniel (1992-2001)

7.   Ben Leber (2006-10)

8.   E.J. Henderson (2003-10)

9.   Roy Winston (1962-76)

10. Lonnie Warwick (1965-72)

The Vikings defensive front is loaded with Hall of Famers, soon-to-be Hall of Famers, and could-be Hall of Famers. The team’s linebacker tradition doesn’t really have any players like that. Most of the above Top-10 can be presented in many ways. 

Matt Blair is the one Vikings linebacker that’s deserving of a Hall of Fame argument. I have doubts that he’ll ever get it. A lot of players were added in the 1970s to eventually take over for the great players that formed the great Purple People Eaters. It was a very tall task for all of those new players. Blair was the one player that was up to the task. While he started a handful of games as a rookie in 1974, he became a full-time starter in 1976. Blair was soon one of the best linebackers in the league. He was named to the Pro Bowl six times and 1st-team All-Pro once. In addition to his outstanding play on defense, he was one of the best kick blockers I have ever seen. 

I don’t think that Anthony Barr ever got enough credit for all that he did in Mike Zimmer’s defense. He was a great blend of speed and power. Zimmer’s team-defense revolved around his talents, physically as well as mentally. He probably would’ve been a bigger star as an edge rusher in a 3-4 but he was great Zimmer’s 4-3. 

From UCLA to the Vikings, Eric Kendricks was Anthony Barr’s long-time defensive partner. Drafted a year apart, they were an outstanding pairing in the middle of the Vikings defense. Despite his modest size, Kendricks could do everything required of an NFL middle linebacker. Blitz, stop the run, and drop in coverage. He was named 1st-team All-Pro and went to his only Pro Bowl in 2019. With only that one season of post-season accolades, Kendricks was wildly underrated. He was one of the best middle linebackers in the game for all of his eight years in Minnesota. 

Jeff Siemon may have been the only Vikings player to have a good game in Super Bowl XI. It felt like he made every tackle that day. The Vikings terrific front four and safety Paul Krause got most of the defensive attention in the 1970s. Siemon was deserving of some of it. He was a very good linebacker. With four Pro Bowl appearances, he did get some recognition for his play.

Chad Greenway lost his rookie season to a torn ACL in his first preseason game. He came back in 2007 like it never happened. He played all of his 11-year career in Minnesota and the fans love him for it. He was a very good, and often great, linebacker for all of those 11 years. 

Ed McDaniel is one of the most underrated players in Vikings history. John Randle got most of the attention on those modest Vikings defenses of the 1990s. McDaniel was deserving of much more than he received. He was named to one Pro Bowl. It should’ve been about five. 

In my opinion, Chad Greenway, E.J. Henderson, and Ben Leber are the best trio of linebackers in Vikings franchise history. Greenway was always so steady. Leber always seemed to be there for the big play when the big play had to be made. Henderson was the heart of the defense. After the brutal broken leg late in the 2009 season, his play and leadership was missed in the playoffs.

The linebacker trio of Greenway, Henderson, and Leber just edges that of Roy Winston, Lonnie Warwick, and Wally Hilgenberg for the best in franchise history. Winston was the Vikings starting left-side linebacker from 1963-73. Warwick was the starting middle linebacker from 1966-70. Hilgenberg was the right-side linebacker from 1969-76. In 1969, the Vikings defense emerged as one of the best the league has ever seen. Most of the attention was focused on the outstanding front four. In terms of accolades, the trio of linebackers that played behind them were mostly anonymous. Despite the lack of attention, the trio was very good and were a big part of the dominant Vikings defense. Consider Hilgenberg a 10b on this ranking. 

Top 10 Minnesota Vikings Defensive Tackles

The Minnesota Vikings have had some excellent defensive ends. Their defensive tackles might be even better. 

Top 10 Minnesota Vikings Defensive Tackles

1.   Alan Page (1967-78)

2.   John Randle (1990-2000)

3.   Kevin Williams (2003-13)

4.   Keith Millard (1985-90)

5.   Henry Thomas (1987-94)

6.   Pat Williams (2005-10)

7.   Gary Larsen (1965-74)

8.   Linval Joseph (2014-19)

9.   Doug Sutherland (1971-80)

10. Tom Johnson (2014-18)

As with the defensive ends, the Vikings defensive tackles are topped by two Hall of Famers and a player that should/will join them. Alan Page and John Randle are two of the best interior pass rushers in league history. 

Alan Page was a great football player. His play was one of the reasons I fell for the Vikings as a California kid in the 1970s. After his unreal 1971 season, Page became the first defensive player to ever be named league MVP. His accolades are many:

MVP

Defensive Player of the Year

5x 1st-team All-Pro

3x 2nd-team All-Pro

9x Pro Bowl

1970s All-Decade

Just as Page ripped up the league in the late 1960s and the 1970s, John Randle ripped up the league in the 1990s. He had eight seasons of double-digit sacks in his 11 years in Minnesota. With his riotous on-field behavior, snap-to-whistle effort, and ridiculous production, Randle was and continues to be a fan favorite. 

Kevin Williams started his Vikings career as a defensive end. He collected 10.5 sacks. He moved to the interior in his second season and was named 1st-team All-Pro and went to the Pro Bowl. Over the next nine years, Williams would be named 1st-team All-Pro four more times and go to five more Pro Bowls. His outstanding play over his 11 years in Minnesota would earn him 2000s All-Decade honors. It should eventually get him into Canton.

If not for the injuries that derailed, and then ended, his brilliant career, Keith Millard would have a bust in Canton. From 1985-89, he played the defensive tackle position as well as anyone I’ve ever seen. He wrecked offenses. In 1988, Millard was runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year. In 1989, he won it. He was also fifth (1988) and third (1989) in voting for league MVP . 

For his first three years, Henry Thomas was Keith Millard’s defensive tackle partner. For his final three years in Minnesota, he was John Randle’s defensive tackle partner. For all of his eight years at the heart of the Vikings defense, Thomas was a steady and often outstanding football player. His best years were the eight years in Minnesota. His entire 14-year career is deserving of a Hall of Fame discussion.

Pat Williams was a very good and fun football player. During his six-year Vikings career, he paired with Kevin Williams to form the “Williams Wall.” For half of those six years, the duo were named to the Pro Bowl. No one ran on the “Williams Wall.” Pat Williams is one of the best free agent signings in Vikings franchise history. 

Gary Larsen was the least acclaimed of the Vikings brilliant Purple People Eaters defensive line. While Alan Page, Carl Eller, and Jim Marshall often met at the quarterback, Larsen was always there to clean up what was left. From 1965-73, Larsen was a steady and productive presence on the Vikings front. That play earned him Pro Bowl honors in 1969 and 1970. 

In Pat Williams and Linval Joseph, the Vikings were successful in finding enormous run-stuffers in free agency. Joseph was often a lot more than just a run-stuffer. There were stretches in which he destroyed offensive line interiors tasked only with slowing him. While Williams had Kevin Williams as an outstanding defensive tackle partner, the Vikings never could find a similar every-down partner for Joseph. When Joseph was at his best, he was unblockable. 

Doug Sutherland took over for Gary Larsen as the least acclaimed member of the Vikings Purple People Eaters. Sutherland started his NFL career as a guard for the New Orleans Saints. The Vikings acquired him in 1971 and immediately moved him to defense. He had a solid and overlooked 10-year career in Minnesota. 

For the final spot on this ranking, I’m going with one of the most underrated Vikings free agent additions. Like Lance Johnstone was for the defensive ends, Tom Johnson was something of a designated pass rusher at defensive tackle. He was a starter in 2017 but he always seemed more productive when his snaps were limited. He was an excellent pass rusher from the interior. Johnson had an interesting, nomadic, 13-year professional football career. 

Indianapolis Colts practice squad (2006-07)

Cologne Centurions (2007) - NFL Europe

Grand Rapids Rampage (2008) - Arena Football League

Philadelphia Soul (2009) - Arena Football League

Calgary Stampeders (2009-10) - Canadian Football League

New Orleans Saints (2011-13)

Minnesota Vikings (2014-17)

Seattle Seahawks (2018)

Minnesota Vikings (2018)

That’s persistence. That persistence was highlighted by his productive and underrated four-plus years with the Vikings. 

Top 10 Minnesota Vikings Defensive Ends

After the tragic events of this weekend, it’s difficult to go on with this time-passing exercise. I guess a return to normalcy is necessary. So, the defense is up next. 

Ever since the Purple People Eaters of the late 1960s and 1970s, the Minnesota Vikings have a very good to great defensive tradition. Starting with the defensive ends, here’s a look at some of the players that make up that tradition.

Top 10 Minnesota Vikings Defensive Ends

1.   Carl Eller (1964-78)

2.   Chris Doleman (1985-93,99)

3.   Jared Allen (2008-13)

4.   Danielle Hunter (2015-23)

5.   Jim Marshall (1961-79)

6.   Everson Griffen (2010-19, 21)

7.   Brian Robison (2007-17)

8.   Doug Martin (1980-89)

9.   Mark Mullaney (1975-86)

10. Lance Johnstone (2001-05)

Carl Eller and Chris Doleman are in the Hall of Fame. Jared Allen should’ve joined them this summer and will probably join them next summer. Danielle Hunter is putting together a Canton-worthy career. Then there’s Jim Marshall. He’s been on the Hall’s wait list for so long that it’s bordering on the ridiculous. 

Speaking of Hall of Fame waits, Carl Eller had about a 20-year wait. You look at his career and accolades and have to wonder, “how can that be?”. 

1970s First-team All-Decade

5x 1st-team All-Pro

6x Pro Bowl

He also made 2nd-team All-Pro in a year he didn’t make the Pro Bowl

3x Top-10 in MVP voting

2nd to teammate Alan Page in the 1971 Defensive Player of the Year voting

A player has a career of that quality today and he’s probably going into the Hall on his first vote. Eller’s 20-year wait is one of the great mysteries of that voting process. 

On a Christmas night in 1989, I had a pretty good idea that Chris Doleman would end up in Canton. That was the night that he ran past and through Cincinnati Bengals all-everything tackle Anthony Munoz. He finished with 21 sacks that season. 

Jared Allen topped Doleman’s 21 sacks with 22 in 2011. The trade for Allen in 2008 was one of the best in Vikings franchise history. He was the final piece to an emerging defense. The defensive line of Allen, Kevin Williams, Pat Williams, and Ray Edwards rivaled that of the Purple People Eaters. 

It was a damn sad day to see Danielle Hunter sign with the Houston Texans this offseason. He had a brilliant eight-year career in Minnesota. He sat behind Brian Robison for a couple seasons. Despite playing limited snaps, he collected 12.5 sacks in his second season. There was no sitting after that. If he hadn’t missed all of the 2020 and most of the 2021 seasons, he would’ve collected over 100 sacks in those eight years. Five years after his career is done, there will be a Hall of Fame argument for Hunter. 

There’s been about a 40-year Hall of Fame argument for Jim Marshall. This is a very sensitive subject for Vikings fans. They see no argument. It’s sensitive because Marshall might be the most important player of the team’s first 20 years. He was the heart, soul, and leader of the great Vikings teams that went to four Super Bowls. He was also a great football player. 

Everson Griffen’s career was interesting. He sat behind Jared Allen for his first four years. And Allen rarely came off the field. Despite playing very limited snaps, everyone could see Griffen’s talent. The Vikings tried him at linebacker one training camp just to get him on the field. He was a gunner on punts. A 275-pound gunner! His first year as a starter was the first year of his second contract. He received a big second contract despite never having been a full-time player. He showed immediately that he deserved the payday. He was one of the league’s best pass rushers for the rest of his career. 

Brian Robison played all of his 11 seasons in Minnesota. Fitting, as he was always and always will be a fan favorite. He was the less heralded member of a 2007 Vikings draft class that included Adrian Peterson and Sidney Rice. Robison’s career would be a lot like his status in that draft class. Initially, he played behind Ray Edwards for four years. Then he played in the shadow of Jared Allen and Everson Griffen. He even played in the shadow of Danielle Hunter while starting ahead of him. Through it all, Robison was a very good and productive football player. 

Doug Martin and Mark Mullaney had the misfortune of being drafted to replace legends. Even though I thought and hoped that Carl Eller and Jim Marshall would play forever, their great Vikings careers were going to eventually end. It was hoped that Martin and Mullaney would simply continue the team’s great defensive tradition. Those are brutal expectations. Martin got off to a decent start. His 11.5 sacks in the strike-shortened 1982 season led the league. He followed that up with 13 sacks in 1983. Sack-wise those were the best of his 10 years in Minnesota. He had a couple nine-sack years later in the decade. Mullaney’s career was a little less productive be he was a strong contributor on the defensive line for all of his 11-year career.

Lance Johnstone edged out Al Noga and Ray Edwards for #10. I decided that he had a greater impact in fewer snaps. Johnstone is one of the Vikings most underrated free agent signings. He played in Minnesota from 2001-05. His only season as a full-time starter was 2002. He was the definition of a designated pass rusher. He collected 41 sacks over those five years. He had 10 sacks 2003 and 11 in 2004. He was an impact pass rusher for the Vikings.