Vikings Starters

If one was so inclined as to draw up the Minnesota Vikings starting offense and defense with players that are under contract for the 2016 season it might look like this.

WR  Mike Wallace
  T    Matt Kalil
  G   Brandon Fusco
  C   John Sullivan
  G   T.J. Clemmings
  T    Phil Loadholt
TE   Kyle Rudolph
WR  Stefon Diggs
QB  Teddy Bridgewater
FB   Adrian Peterson

DE  Everson Griffen
DT  Sharrif Floyd
DT  Linval Joseph
DE  Danielle Hunter
LB  Anthony Barr
LB  Eric Kendricks
LB  Edmond Robinson
CB  Xavier Rhodes
CB Trae Waynes
  S  Harrison Smith
  S  Anthony Harris

The Vikings defense could very well look exactly like this. Brian Robsion has been the starter at left defensive end for several years. He's still set to be on the roster but Danielle Hunter's play over the last half of his rookie season shows that he's ready for a bigger role next season. His ceiling is sky high. Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks are set at two of the linebacker spots. The weak-side spot is up for grabs. Veteran Chad Greenway could be brought back. I hope that he's brought back. Edmond Robinson is talented and could be ready for a bigger role soon. The safety spot opposite Harrison Smith is the most undecided spot on the defense. Anthony Harris was an undrafted rookie last season but is bright and talented. He showed that when he finally got on the field at the end of the season. Antone Exum is also in the mix.

The offensive line won't look anything like the above. Matt Kalil is probably the only one of the five that's pretty much assured of his spot but even his spot his far from certain beyond 2016. He's yet to prove that he can be the left tackle for the next decade and the Vikings have to decide whether to make a heavy financial commitment to him real soon. The rest of the line is pretty much up for grabs. It's the area that's in the greatest need of improvement on the team. The five listed above are talented but they have a lot to prove. John Sullivan and Phil Loadholt are getting up there in age and each is coming off of injuries that kept them out for the entire 2015 season. No season-ending injury is a friendly injury but their injuries could be career hampering, if not threatening. Sullivan had two operations on his back. Never good for a center. Loadholt suffered a torn achilles. Never good for a player that weighs about 340 lbs. The offensive has to improve and that improvement could come from an overhaul. The rest of the offense is pretty much set. The only question being the immediate future of Mike Wallace. His contract for 2016 is a big one. About $11 million. That's hard to handle but the Vikings have been known to honor heavy, late-career price tags (Jared Allen). They have also been known to renegotiate heavy, late-career price tags (Chad Greenway).

The Vikings are in good contractual shape heading into the 2016 offseason. Nearly every position is pretty much set. Weak-side linebacker and one safety spot on defense and those spots might be filled by players already on the roster. On offense, the Vikings have a financial decision to make on Wallace. The offensive line is the most fluid area on the team. Most of the players that fill those five positions could be on the roster but it's a near certainty that a couple new players will be added. The offensive line coaching change from Jeff Davidson to Tony Sparano should help. This team is ready to contend for a title but that won't happen if the offensive line doesn't improve.