A Look At The Vikings Defense

And now for a pre-draft look at the defense of the Minnesota Vikings.

*-projected starters

Defensive line
*Everson Griffen
*Sharrif Floyd
*Linval Joseph
*Danielle Hunter
Brian Robison
Datone Jones
Shamar Stpehen
Tom Johnson
Stephen Weatherly
B.J. DuBose
Toby Johnson
Sterling Bailey

This is the strongest position group on the Vikings. Great starters and terrific depth. Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter are one of the best end combos in the league. Hunter is entering his third year in the league and just scratching the surface of his ridiculous potential and talent. Head coach Mike Zimmer said last year that Hunter could soon be the best player on this very talented defense. And he's only 22. Over the last two years Linval Joseph has emerged as one of the best nose tackles in the league. The biggest question mark of the defensive line group is Sharrif Floyd. When healthy he's a disruptive force in the middle of the line. The problem is that he's not healthy often enough. He missed all but one game last season. He missed blocks of games in previous seasons. If he can't stay on the field in 2017 it's likely to be his last season in Minnesota. Brian Robison has been a long-time starter at right defensive end. He'd probably continue being the starter if not for the presence of Hunter. It's the kid's time. The Vikings terrific depth on the defensive line starts now with Robison and continues with Tom Johnson, Shamar Stephen and the free agency addition of Datone Jones. Johnson has been excellent as an interior rusher in passing situations. He's also lessened the impact of the injury absences of Floyd. Johnson can be effective as a starter but he's at his best as a situational pass rusher. Stephen started in place of Floyd last season. He boosted the run defense but didn't provide much as a pass rusher. He's more of a nose tackle in the Vikings defense and seen more as Joseph's relief than starting next to him. Jones is a nice addition. He can play both end and tackle and might even wrestle a starting spot away from Floyd. Stephen Weatherly is a raw, talented athlete. If he can become the football player that the Vikings imagine he can be the defensive line depth goes from terrific to ridiculous. There would have to be a truly special player available for the Vikings to draft another defensive lineman. Perhaps a player in the 6'4" 325 lb mold of Joseph.

Linebackers
*Anthony Barr
*Eric Kendricks
*Emmanuel Lamur
Edmond Robinson
Kentrell Brothers

The one certainty of the Vikings linebackers is that Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks are on the field for every snap. With the end of the great career of Chad Greenway the Vikings linebackers have become Barr, Kendricks and the rest. That's not fair to the other three on the roster but it's pretty much the case. With passing being the preferred means of moving the football the Vikings are in a nickel defense about 2/3 of the time. That means that more often than not Barr and Kendricks are the only linebackers on the field. Emmanuel Lamur, Edmond Robinson, and Kentrell Brothers are promising players. I believe that each can start if needed. Lamur and Robinson have started games. Brothers was a rookie last season and shined on special teams. When he was drafted I thought that he could eventually be the Vikings starting middle linebacker with Kendricks moving to the weak side. Zimmer has been so impressed with Kendricks' play in the middle that I don't see that as an option. That leaves an opening on the weak side. The Vikings will look there early in the draft. With only five linebackers currently on the roster they could look at the position often in the draft.

Cornerbacks
*Xavier Rhodes
*Trae Waynes
Terence Newman
Mackensie Alexander
Marcus Sherels
Tre Roberson
Jabari Price

It doesn't seem like it was all that long that the Vikings were starting a converted receiver (Robert Tate) at cornerback. Those were some dark days. There was a void at the position for a long time. There's talent and depth at corner now. Xavier Rhodes has emerged as one of the best corners in the game. Trae Waynes was the Vikings first round draft pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Since then he's sat, learned from the coaching of secondary coach Jerry Gray and Zimmer, and readied himself for the NFL. Some have called Waynes a bust since he's spent most of the past two years on the bench. The Vikings could've thrown him in right away and let him learn on the job but they didn't have to do that. They had Terence Newman. He'll turn 39 before the start of the 2017 season but he's still playing great. Newman has played for Zimmer in Dallas, Cincinnati, and now approaches his third season in Minnesota with his old coach. It's great to have Newman back but now is Waynes' time. Rhodes and Waynes could form one of the best young corner combos in the league. The Vikings lost nickel corner Captain Munnerlyn in free agency. On paper, in March, it looks like the nickel job might come down to a competition between the ageless Newman and feisty second-year corner Mackensie Alexander. The Vikings might add a corner specifically to play corner but I'd like to see Alexander get on the field. Marcus Sherels has earned a nice niche in the NFL as a punt returner. He might have to prove that he can do more than that to stick with the team, But people have been saying that for years. You can't count out Marcus Sherels. Tre Roberson might be one of the more intriguing players on the roster. Intriguing because I'm not so sure anyone truly knows what they have in him. He played quarterback in college but the Vikings offered him a tryout as a corner. They liked his potential enough to sign him last spring and keep him on the practice squad through the 2016 season. He's a terrific athlete with potential. Rhodes, Waynes, Newman, and Alexander are locks for the roster. Sherels is one of the best punt returners in the league. That could earn him a spot. That might leave one spot available. The Vikings don't have a great need at the position which is a far cry from the dark days of Tate starting games. But you can never have enough corners so it wouldn't be a surprise if the Vikings add another in the draft or before.

Safeties
*Harrison Smith
*Andrew Sendejo
Jayron Kearse
Anthony Harris
Antone Exum, Jr.

Harrison Smith is one of the best, most versatile safeties in the league. The Vikings have been trying to find a versatile safety to pair with him for the past few years. Andrew Sendejo is a solid football player. It took his missing some playing time last season to realize how valuable his steady play really is. The Vikings ideal safety situation would be a more versatile player paired with Smith. The thing that stands out about Jayron Kearse is his ridiculous height. 6'4". When he stands next to the other safeties he looks even taller than that. Zimmer might see another George Iloka in Kearse. That would be a nice development. Anthony Harris is a heady player. Antone Exum, Jr. might be the best athlete of the entire position group. The ideal safety to pair next to Smith would be a combination of the other four. The Vikings have an interesting safety group. Sendejo is solid enough and the depth has enough potential that safety isn't a great need in the draft. The quest for a versatile safety to pair next to Smith could prompt the Vikings to select a safety as early as their second round pick. It's a very good draft for safeties.

Special Teams

Kicker
Kai Forbath
Marshall Koehn

Punter
Taylor Symmank

Long snapper
Kevin McDermott

Kick returner
Marcus Sherels

Punt returner
Marcus Sherels

Kai Forbath was a midseason replacement for Blair Walsh. Taylor Symmank was signed in January to compete with Jeff Locke this summer. Locke bolted for the Indianapolis Colts in free agency. Forbath and Symmank are the starters in March. Marshall Koehn was signed in January for competition. It's no sure thing that they will be in September. It's unlikely that the Vikings select a kicker and a punter in the draft but I'd say it's likely that they spend a later round pick on one or the other. Unless a long snapper is sailing snaps or bouncing them back to the punter or holder it's often tough to tell if they are doing their job well. By all accounts Kevin McDermott is doing his job well. He signed a contract extension last August. Marcus Sherels has been one of the best punt returners in the league for a while. He keeps surviving training camps in the summer and keeps making plays during the season. For the last four years Cordarrelle Patterson on kicks and Sherels on punts gave the Vikings the best returning pair in the league. Patterson's in Oakland now and that leaves the Vikings looking for a new kick returner. Unless they find one in the draft Sherels might be handling punts and kicks.

There's the Vikings defense and special teams. In March.