The Minnesota Vikings report to Training Camp 2016 this Thursday. Their first practice is Friday. Coaches often say that every spot on the roster is up for grabs each season. That's hardly honest as some players have the talent, determination, and dedication that makes their spot on the roster all but assured. But, you never know. Surprises come out of training camps every year. No one thought that Terrell Davis was going to amount to much for the Denver Broncos in 1995. A big hit in a preseason game got him some attention and he took it from there to become one of the best running backs in the league. Position competition makes a team better. Yesterday we took a look at the Vikings training camp competition on the offensive side of the ball. Here's a look at some of the training camp competition on the defensive side of the ball.
Defensive line
This is arguably the deepest position group on the team. The starters are mostly set.
RE Everson Griffen
DT Sharrif Floyd
NT Linval Joseph
LE Brian Robison
Defensive end Danielle Hunter was a pass-rushing, run-stuffing surprise as a rookie last season. The Vikings thought that they were getting a very raw player when they selected him in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He was a quick study and became a defensive force down the stretch last season. He could leapfrog Robison in training camp. No matter how it plays out Hunter will be on the field often. Head coach Mike Zimmer likes to rotate his defensive linemen and the Vikings have the depth to do so. Tom Johnson and Shamar Stephen provide nice depth at defensive tackle. Kenrick Ellis, Toby Johnson, and rookie Thieren Cockran have their work cut out for them to make the 53-man roster. Ellis, at 6'5" and 335 lbs, is the one player currently on the roster that can match Linval Joseph's size in the middle of the line. The most intense training competition on the defensive line should be for the fourth defensive end spot. The top contenders are 2014 third-round pick Scott Crichton, Justin Trattou, Zach Moore, and 2016 seventh-round pick Stephen Weatherly. Any of the four can win the competition.
Linebacker
The Vikings linebacker position starts with the UCLA kids. Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks. Barr at strong-side linebacker. Kendricks at middle linebacker. They are the present and future of the middle of the defense. Barr is approaching surperstar status. He might already be there. With the frequency with which the Vikings are in their nickel defense to cope with the pass-happy offenses of the NFL Barr and Kendricks are often the only linebackers on the field. The training camp competition will be for the third (weak-side) linebacker spot in the base defense. Long-time starter, and defensive leader Chad Greenway has stated that this will likely be his final season. He enters camp as the starter. Free agent addition Emmanuel Lamur will provide strong competition. Lamur might be new the team but he isn't new to Zimmer's defense. In fact, Lamur might have as much experience in the defense as any player outside of corner Terence Newman. Zimmer was Lamur's defensive coordinator the first two years of his career and he's been playing in the defense for all of his four years in the league. He has unique coverage skills for a linebacker. Second-year linebacker Edmond Robinson could be the wild card of the group. He has Barr-like length and athleticism.
Cornerback
Xavier Rhodes has one corner spot covered. He has the size and talent to break out as one of the best young players in the league at the position. The ageless Terence Newman was the starter at the other spot last year at 37. He returns as a leader, mentor, and potential starter at 38. But, 2015 top pick Trae Waynes should be ready to take the spot. Like Rhodes, Waynes has the size and skills to be a top corner. Newman provides excellent depth. At nickel, Captain Munnerlyn returns after a very good 2015 season. Second-round pick Mackensie Alexander has the talent to challenge Munnerlyn in camp but his time will probably come next year. He'll provide excellent depth this year. Marcus Sherels should round out the corner group. He's one of the Vikings top special teams performers and one of the league's best punt returners. I can't recall the Vikings ever having this much depth at the corner position. Rhodes, Waynes, Newman, Munnerlyn, and Alexander. That's a terrific 5-deep blend of talent, youth, and experience.
Safety
At safety, the Vikings have Harrison Smith at one spot and as many as five players competing for the chance to start opposite him. The safety and offensive line competitions will be the most-watched of training camp. This one is wide open as Andrew Sendejo, Michael Griffin, Antone Exum Jr., Anthony Harris, and rookie Jayron Kearse will all probably be given a shot to start. Sendejo has been a starter for most of the past two seasons. He was signed to a contract extension this offseason. That had more to do with his value on special teams than his continued hold on the safety position. He's had his moments on defense but the coaches want a player with a greater variety of skills. If he doesn't keep his starting status, Sendejo provides excellent depth. Griffin was signed as a free agent this offseason. He was a terrific player for the Tennessee Titans for several seasons but his best days are behind him. Sendejo and Griffin likely enter training camp at the top of the depth chart but the hunch here is that it's time for one of the youngsters to grab the job. Exum is probably the most physically gifted of the bunch. If his awareness and understanding of the nuances of Zimmer's defense ever catches up with his athletic ability the Vikings could have a star. This is a big camp for him. Harris is a tall, lanky defender that seems to understand the nuances of Zimmer's defense. Kearse is a freakishly sized athlete at 6'4" and 215 lbs. You can't teach that. The perfect safety to pair with Harrison Smith is probably a combination of the five players competing for the job. Each offers something different. This will be a fascinating training camp competition.
The Minnesota Vikings defense was pretty much a disaster as recently as 2013. Mike Zimmer's arrival in 2014 changed that. This is now one of the top defenses in the league. And it's getting better.
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