Vikings Training Camp Questions

The Minnesota Vikings' 2017 Training Camp has been open since Sunday. That's when the rookies and select veterans checked into their summer digs at Minnesota State University-Mankato. The bulk of roster arrived on Wednesday and training camp really got cranking yesterday. A lot of roster questions will be answered over the coming weeks. Here are some of the biggest.

How will the interior of the offensive line shake out?
The entire offensive line a is question mark, perhaps the biggest question mark, entering the season. Riley Reiff and Mike Remmers were signed in the offseason to take over the left and right tackle spots, respectively. It would be a major surprise if one, or both isn't starting. Alex Boone is nearly as set at left guard. Veteran Joe Berger is the likely right guard. So the biggest question is at center. Nick Easton and rookie Pat Elflein will battle for the that spot. If neither really grabs the job there's a chance that Berger could move over, opening a competition at right guard. A competition that could include Elflein, Jeremiah Sirles, everyone's favorite T.J. Clemmings, Willie Beavers, rookie Danny Isidora, and Zac Kerin. The guess here is that the line will look like Reiff-Boone-Elflein-Berger-Remmers, left to right.

What happens at defensive tackle?
The important under tackle position in Mike Zimmer's defense wasn't supposed to be a problem. Sharrif Floyd was supposed to be a star. The only thing that's held him back in his four years in the league has been some nagging injuries. It was a knee injury early last season that put him in the position that he's in now. During surgery a nerve was nicked and that nerve has yet to respond properly, about 10 months later. His football career is now in jeopardy. It's a terribly unfortunate situation. One that goes beyond a silly game. But this is about that silly game. The Vikings never really recovered from Floyd's sustained absence last season. Tom Johnson and Shamar Stephen took over at under tackle but neither really provided what the Vikings needed from the position. Johnson is best suited as a situational pass rusher and the extra snaps seemed to wear on him. Stephen is solid against the run but isn't much of a pass rushing threat. The Johnson-Stephen combination had some nice moments but the Vikings need more from the position on a down-to-down basis. The Vikings added players in the offseason that they hope better fill the void if Floyd can't return to the field. They signed Datone Jones and Will Sutton in the offseason. They drafted Jaleel Johnson. Jones and Sutton are probably the top contenders to start. Johnson could factor into that competition but he's a rookie, a rookie that's likely learning both the under and nose tackle positions. Then there's still the chance that Floyd returns. He was placed on the PUP list to start camp but has shown some progress. The Vikings were lacking at under tackle last year. Now, they have players that might make the position the strength that it needs to be.

Who replaces the retired Chad Greenway?
Since 2007 Chad Greenway has been one of the Vikings starting outside linebackers. He retired this offseason. Anthony Barr on the strong side and Eric Kendricks in the middle are now the only certainties at the position. With passing being the preferred means of moving the football for offenses these days, the Vikings and most teams are in a nickel defense far more often than they aren't. Barr and Kendricks are usually the only linebackers on the field. There's still a need for a third linebacker, a weak-side linebacker, and with Greenway stepping away from football the Vikings will have an open competition for it. The top contenders right now are Edmond Robinson and Emmanuel Lamur. With Lamur missing much of the offseason workouts, Robinson might be entering training camp with the edge. Kentrell Brothers, who excelled on special teams as a rookie last year, could factor into the competition. Rookies Ben Gedeon and Elijah Lee could challenge as well. Despite being listed as a starter, the third linebacker will likely only see about 20-25 snaps per game. They are very important snaps because they are mostly on initial downs and short yardage, essentially running downs. The Vikings defense has to improve in those situations. For a defense that's supposed to be one of the league's best they gave up far too many yards on the ground. Especially in key situations like on the goal line.

Who will be the nickle cornerback?
This is a battle of young vs old. Second-year Mackensie Alexander vs ageless Terence Newman. Alexander was a second round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and has a ton of talent. He's ornery too. As long as it doesn't draw penalties, ornery can be a nice trait for a corner. Newman will turn 39 about the time that the season starts and shows no signs of slowing. He can play any of the cornerback positions. He could probably play safety if needed. He's also a coach on and off the field as he's played in Zimmer's defense for more than a decade and with three different teams. Whether he's on the field a lot, a little, or not at all, Newman will have an impact on the Vikings defense. This might be the most entertaining and interesting position competition in Mankato.

What about the specialists?
Despite a ridiculous missed field goal in the playoffs that still hung over the team, the Vikings specialists were fairly set this time last year. The playoff culprit, Blair Walsh, was still entrenched as the kicker, despite most fans wanting him anywhere but Minnesota. Jeff Locke was the punter. Kevin McDermott was the long snapper. Cordarrelle Patterson and Marcus Sherels were outstanding returners. Only McDermott and Sherels return this season. Kai Forbath replaced Blair Walsh during during the 2016 season. Forbath will compete with Marshall Koehn at kicker. Locke left for the Indianapolis Colts in free agency. Veteran Ryan Quigley and Taylor Symmank will compete at punter. Patterson left for the Oakland Raiders in free agency. That left a giant hole at kick returner. Fifth-round receiver Rodney Adams will get first crack at the job but it's an open competition. The specialists will look very different this year. I'm going with the youngsters to win the kicking battles, Koehn and Symmank.

There are other questions that will be answered over the next several weeks. Where's Teddy Bridgewater in his recovery from that brutal knee injury? What's the running back rotation going to look like? The receiver rotation? Will Andrew Sendejo be able to fend off another year bunch of challengers to his safety job? These are some of the biggest questions that the Vikings will try to answer in their final training at Mankato.