Minnesota Vikings Roster: The Running Backs

A look at the Minnesota Vikings training camp roster continues. 

Next up: The Running Backs

Minnesota Vikings Roster: The Running Backs

Dalvin Cook

C.J. Ham-fullback

Alexander Mattison

Kene Nwangwu

Ty Chandler

Bryant Koback

The expectation of most is that the 2022 Minnesota Vikings will field a passing offense. The running backs will bring some balance. How could they not? The group is a team strength. Dalvin Cook is one of the best backs in the league. The only real flaw in his game has been an inability to play a full season. Perhaps a running back group that now goes four deep, plus a versatile fullback, will help. 

Cook is great. Alexander Mattison is a terrific backup. When Cook has missed some time, Mattison has come in and done a fine job of carrying the run game. Kene Nwangwu emerged as a dynamite kick returner as a rookie last season. His speed is elite and gives the new coaching staff an intriguing weapon. Like Nwangwu, fifth-round rookie Ty Chandler also brings sub-4.4 forty speed. With Mattison in a contract year, the drafting of Chandler might be more about 2023 than 2022. If Chandler is a team’s fourth option, that team has a deep, talented running back group. Bryant Koback is looking up at that group. He has his NFL opportunity but it’s going to be real tough to battle his way into the top four. 

Then there’s C.J. Ham. Dalvin Cook loves him. Every back following him loves him. If they don’t already, the new coaches will love him. Everybody loves football’s endangered fullback. Everybody loves Ham. 

Top Competition:

No offense to Koback, the top running back competition is the competition for carries behind Cook. 

Player to Watch:

Kene Nwangwu. I can’t wait to see what the coaches have planned for this explosive football player.

The guess here is that the Vikings go with a crowded, versatile, talented running back group on the 53-man roster.

Dalvin Cook

C.J. Ham-fullback

Alexander Mattison

Kene Nwangwu

Ty Chandler

The Minnesota Vikings Ring Of Honor Has A New Member

The Minnesota Vikings brought Jared Allen back to a training camp to give a “talk” to the team. It was much more than than that. The “talk” was a ruse. Zygi and Mark Wilf were on hand to surprise and welcome Allen as the 27th member of the Vikings Ring of Honor. 

The Vikings beat Canton to post-career honors for a player that terrorized quarterbacks during a 13-year career. The best and most important of those 13 years were the six that he played in Minnesota. He  made the Pro Bowl four times during those six years. It should’ve been all six. He was named All-Pro three times. He was runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2011. He should’ve won the award as his 22 sacks topped all of the wonderful things that Terrell Suggs did that year. Allen was fifth in the voting for the award in 2009. His 22 sacks in 2011 were an agonizing half-sack short of the NFL record. 

His yearly sack totals for the Vikings

2008: 14.5

2009: 14.5

2010: 11

2011: 22

2012: 12

2013: 11.5

His four career safeties is an NFL record. He’s tied with three players. The Vikings got the better of the trade with the Kansas City Chiefs. By far. 

Allen was a fantastic football player. It was only part of what he was for the Vikings and his community. He is now the 27th member of the Vikings Ring of Honor. He follows the defensive tackle that he lined up next to for all of his six years in Minnesota. Kevin Williams.  

Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor

Fran Tarkenton, Quarterback (1998)

Alan Page, Defensive Tackle (1998)

Jim Finks, General Manager (1998)

Bud Grant, Head Coach (1998)

Paul Krause, Safety (1998)

Fred Zamberletti, Athletic Trainer (1998)

Jim Marshall, Defensive End (1999)

Ron Yary, Offensive Tackle (2001)

Korey Stringer, Offensive Tackle (2001)

Mick Tingelhoff, Center (2001)

Carl Eller, Defensive End (2002)

Cris Carter, Wide Receiver (2003)

Bill Brown, Fullback (2004)

Jerry Burns, Offensive Coordinator/Head Coach (2005)

Randall McDaniel, Guard (2006)

Chuck Foreman, Running Back (2007)

John Randle, Defensive Tackle (2008)

Scott Studwell, Linebacker (2009)

Chris Doleman, Defensive End (2011)

Matt Blair, Linebacker (2012)

Joey Browner, Safety (2013)

Randy Moss, Wide Receiver (2017)

Ahmad Rashad, Wide Receiver (2017)

Dennis Green, Head Coach (2018)

Steve Jordan, Tight End (2019)

Kevin Williams, Defensive Tackle (2021)

Jared Allen, Defensive End (2022)

Allen will be inducted into the Vikings Ring of Honor at a ceremony on Oct. 30, at halftime of their game against the Arizona Cardinals. 

Congratulations Jared Allen!

Next stop: Canton. He and Kevin Williams should one day be teammates there as well. 

Minnesota Vikings Roster: The Quarterbacks

Minnesota Vikings Training Camp is here. Finally. This is a fine time to look at each of the team’s position groups. First up is, of course, the quarterbacks.

Minnesota Vikings Roster: The Quarterbacks

Kirk Cousins

Sean Mannion

Kellen Mond

As it has been since 2018, the Vikings quarterback room is all about Kirk Cousins. The good since then? His stats are sparkling. The not so good since then? He’s guided the team to one playoff appearance in four seasons. He did make the big plays necessary to win one playoff game. 

The decision-making team that brought Cousins to Minnesota in 2018 was fired after the end of the 2021 season. Enter general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell. The big question facing the team’s new decision-makers: “What about Kirk Cousins?” The question was answered for the short term when the Vikings quarterback signed a one-year extension. For the first time in his four years in  Minnesota, Cousins has a quarterback-centric, offensive-minded head coach. O’Connell will be his fifth play-caller but he’ll be a familiar play-caller. Coach and quarterback worked together for Washington in 2017. 

The competition is for QB2? Sean Mannion has been #2 since 2019. His main contribution to the team has been something of an on-field coach/confidant to Cousins. The Vikings have plenty of offensive/quarterback coaches. It’s Kellen Mond’s time. 

The guess here is that the Vikings keep two quarterbacks this season.

Kirk Cousins 

Kellen Mond

Senior And Coach/Contributor Finalists For Pro Football Hall of Fame

The 12 Senior Finalists and 12 Coach/Contributor Finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023 were revealed yesterday. 

12 Senior Finalists:

Ken Anderson

Maxie Baughan

Randy Gradishar

Chuck Howley

Cecil Isbell

Joe Klecko

Bob Kuechenberg

Eddie Meador

Tommy Nobis

Ken Riley

Sterling Sharpe

Everson Walls

Seeing the finalists list jump from Kuechenberg to Meador meant that Jim Marshall didn’t make the cut. As a fan of the Minnesota Vikings, I hoped that he’d make it. In reality, I’ve always questioned whether he should. Marshall is one of the most important players in Vikings franchise history. He was the leader, heart, and soul of the franchise’s greatest teams, the Super Bowl teams. He was a very good football player. Very good typically means not good enough for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I’ve seen some of the Vikings faithful claim that if the team had won even one of the four Super Bowls that Marshall would’ve been in Canton long ago. I’m not so sure. L.C. Greenwood played for a team that won four Super Bowls in the 1970s, the Pittsburgh Steelers. One of those wins was against Marshall’s Vikings. Despite those four titles, six Pro Bowls, two All-Pros, and a spot on the 1970s All-Decade Team, Greenwood has been shut out of Canton. By comparison, Marshall only made two Pro Bowls and a second-team All-Pro. Unlike most Hall of Fame candidates, Marshall’s bona fides aren’t about individual accolades. He was a football Ironman unlike any the league has ever seen. In 19 years with the Vikings, he never missed a game. As a defensive end. Many players are removed from Hall of Fame consideration for having a brief career. One would think that an incredibly long, remarkably durable, very productive career might push a player over the Hall of Fame finish line. Not for Jim Marshall. 

Anyway, Marshall didn’t make it to the finalist stage. Neither did Lavvie Dilweg. I don’t get it. He was the best end of his era. It shouldn’t matter that his era was the 1920s and 1930s. Dilweg excelled on offense and defense. He won three titles. He was named All-Pro eight times, missing only in his final season. Of those eight, five were first-team All-Pro. Of those five, four were by a unanimous vote. He was the best of his era. That and three titles are usually enough for a bronze bust. It’d be more than enough if he’d played since 1970. I don’t get it. Lavvie Dilweg is the player that the Seniors Committee was tasked to find. 

The voters did throw a bone to one of the leather-helmet players, Cecil Isbell is moving on. Should’ve been Dilweg.

The 12-person Seniors Committee will meet August 16. Each committee member will discuss one of the Finalists in detail. The final vote will send three Seniors to the full 49-member Selection Committee for final consideration. Dilweg should’ve made it to that stage as well.

Of the 12, I’d go with:

Cecil Isbell

Randy Gradishar

Sterling Sharpe

I believe that the Seniors Committee will land on the following:

Chuck Howley

Randy Gradishar

Ken Riley

12 Coach/Contributor Finalists:

Roone Arledge

Don Coryell

Mike Holmgren

Frank “Bucko” Kilroy

Robert Kraft

Art Modell

Buddy Parker

Dan Reeves

Art Rooney Jr.

Mike Shanahan

Clark Shaugnessy

John Wooten

The 12-person Coach/Contributor Committee will meet August 23. The process will mirror that of the Seniors Committee. Only one Coach/Contributor will be sent to the full 49-member Selection Committee for final consideration.

I have Buddy Parker making through. 

For some reason, I fear that Robert Kraft will be jammed through. 

The Vikings Add A Tight End

The Minnesota Vikings released quarterback Nate Stanley last week. That move left the team’s roster at 89 players. That open roster spot resulted in several days of fans pining for their favorite free agent. Instead of adding one of those fan favorites, the Vikings added a tight end. The Vikings added a tight end that was Stanley’s teammate at Iowa. On Monday, the Vikings filled their roster vacancy with tight end Shaun Beyer. 

Beyer entered Iowa as a receiver. At 6’5” and 250 lbs, he probably outgrew the position. Soon he was a tight end at a school that’s become something of a tight end factory. It’s tough to play in the shadow of George Kittle, Noah Fant, and T.J. Hockenson. Beyer did enough to catch the eye of the Denver Broncos. He was a priority free agent signing after going undrafted in the 2021 NFL Draft. He spent the 2021 season on the Broncos practice squad and was released in May. Now, he’s in Minnesota. Perhaps he’s in Minnesota as insurance with Irv Smith Jr. and Johnny Mundt easing back from knee injuries that wiped out their 2021 seasons. Smith and Mundt are expected to top the Vikings tight end depth chart. A depth chart that now looks like this.

Irv Smith Jr.

Johnny Mundt

Ben Ellefson

Nick Muse

Zach Davidson

Shaun Beyer

If healthy, Smith and Mundt are the clear favorites to top the tight end depth chart. Smith has the talent to be a game-changer. He must stay on the field. The Vikings need him and and he needs the Vikings. This is a contract year. After five years with the Los Angeles Rams, Mundt is well known to the Vikings new offensive coaches. They brought him from Los Angeles with them for a reason. The competition for TE3 is wide open. Beyer is now part of that competition. 

In other Vikings news:

After reporting for training camp, linebacker Ryan Connelly and receiver Blake Proehl were placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list. Cornerback Nate Hairston was placed on the Non-Football Injury list. 

Twenty Most Important Minnesota Vikings Players

The Athletic’s Chad Graff tackled the exercise of ranking the Twenty Most Important Minnesota Vikings Players last Monday. I’ve been thinking about it fairly often since. Maybe putting a list of my own down will get it out of my head. It’s worth a try.

20. Greg Joseph, K

I have to start with the kicker. It’s been since the Ryan Longwell days that I didn’t stress over every damn field goal and extra point attempt. 

19. Jordan Hicks, LB

It’s going to be strange to see Eric Kendricks paired with a linebacker other than Anthony Barr. I’m looking forward to seeing what the Jordan Hicks-Eric Kendricks pairing can do. 

18. Kene Nwangwu, RB/Kick Returner

Kene Nwangwu made Vikings kick returns fun again. Every single time he gets an opportunity to return he’s a threat to score. His explosive returns are great but he’s on this list for what he might do on offense. His speed is special and he should have some unique opportunities in the Vikings new offense. He’ll also provide a nice change of pace as a running back.

17. K.J. Osborn, WR

K.J. Osborn emerged as a nice third receiving threat last year. The Vikings need him to make further strides to draw some of the inevitable attention paid to Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen.

16. Eric Kendricks, LB

The Vikings just need Eric Kendricks to keep doing what he’s been doing since he entered the starting lineup as a rookie in 2015. 

15. Adam Thielen, WR

Adam Thielen has to stay on the field. 

14. Lewis Cine, S

Because of my expectations for Camryn Bynum, safety wasn’t even a thought in the first round or any of the early rounds. My excitement to see Lewis Cine paired with Harrison Smith might only be exceeded by my excitement to Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius terrorizing quarterbacks. I expect a dynamite career from Cine and I expect to see it start as a rookie. 

13. Brian O’Neill, OT

The Vikings offensive line finally appears to be headed in the right direction. As of now, Brian O’Neill is the only one that has emerged as a better than league average talent. The Vikings need him to lead and mentor his line-mates. 

12. Harrison Smith, S

Like Eric Kendricks, Harrison Smith’s playing baseline is high, very high. The Vikings need him to continue at that level and lead and mentor his young safety-mates. 

11. Harrison Phillips, DT

During his introductory press conference, Harrison Phillips referred to himself as a nose tackle. I expect him to play in several spots along the Vikings new defensive line. He was added to shut down running games and keep Eric Kendricks and Jordan Hicks clean. 

10. Cam Dantzler, CB

Cam Dantzler’s good moments are very good. His bad moments are very bad. The Vikings need him to be the cornerback that he has the talent to be. If he can’t do that consistently, he’ll be watching rookie Andrew Booth Jr. 

  9. Christian Darrisaw, OT

The optimism over the potential of the Vikings offensive line is mostly due to the optimism over the potential of Christian Darrisaw as the team’s franchise left tackle. 

  8. Za’Darius Smith, Edge

Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith. I can not wait to see this pair on the field together. Both must stay on the field. 

  7. Dalvin Cook, RB

Many seem to think that Dalvin Cook’s importance in this new Vikings offense will be reduced. I’m not so sure. Smart football coaches take advantage of talents like Cook. Maybe his touches per game drop a bit. Maybe that helps him play more games. The only knock on his game has been durability. 

  6. Garrett Bradbury, C

Garrett Bradbury’s football future, certainly his Vikings football future, comes down to this season. The new coaches must find a way to maximize his unique movement skills and minimize his apparent strength and size limitations. 

  5. Patrick Peterson, CB

Patrick Peterson was the Vikings best and most consistent cornerback last season. That isn’t really saying much. He was good last season. Hopefully, he’s better this season. His leadership and mentorship is very important to a room and field full of young corners. 

  4. Irv Smith, Jr., TE

I feel like I’ve been waiting years for Irv Smith Jr. to break out. Really, it’s only been a year. Last year was supposed to be his break out season. Unfortunately a preseason knee injury wiped out that breakout season. This year must be that season. It’s also his contract season. He’s probably second on the team to Justin Jefferson as a receiving talent. Smith must stay on the field. If he does, he will dominate. 

  3. Danielle Hunter, Edge

Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith. I can not wait. 

  2. Kirk Cousins, QB

He’s the quarterback. The quarterback is always high on any list like this. 

  1. Justin Jefferson, WR

What Justin Jefferson has done his first two seasons is incredible. He’s made it look so easy. He’s made it look easy because he’s such a smooth receiver. He does everything so well. Routes, hands, body-positioning. He’s also such a competitive athlete and person. That might be what truly makes him special. Jefferson is so fun to watch. 

***

I tried to fit the following among the twenty most important Vikings players. 

Andrew Booth Jr.

C.J. Ham

Ezra Cleveland 

Finally

The Minnesota Vikings finally have their entire 2022 draft class signed. Second-round picks Andrew Booth Jr. and Ed Ingram signed their first NFL contracts yesterday. Good thing. Yesterday was training camp reporting day for the rookies, quarterbacks, and other select veterans. It’s a completion thing for me. I want to see these inevitable deals done as soon as possible. Reporting day isn’t as soon as possible. My impatience is silly. Booth and Ingram posed no holdout threat. Rookie deals are a breeze these days. The numbers are scripted by draft slot. The formalities of signing the last two draft picks was going to happen when it was most convenient for player and team. Reporting day was convenient for both. 

The drafted rookies:

1(32).   Lewis Cine, S, Georgia

2(42).   Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson

2(59).   Ed Ingram, OG, LSU

3(66).   Brian Asamoah, LB, Oklahoma

4(118). Akayleb Evans, CB, Missouri

5(165). Esezi Otomewo, DL, Minnesota

5(169). Ty Chandler, RB, North Carolina

6(184). Vederian Lowe, OT, Illinois

6(191). Jalen Nailor, WR, Michigan State

7(227). Nick Muse, TE, South Carolina

All signed. And in Eagan. So are 21 other players.

Mike Brown, S

Ryan Connelly, LB

Kirk Cousins, QB

Zach Davidson, TE

Thomas Hennigan, WR

Bryant Koback, RB

William Kwenkeu, LB

Sean Mannion, QB

Zach McCloud, LB

Myron Mitchell, WR

Kellen Mond, QB

Johnny Mundt, TE

Blake Proehl, WR

Josh Sokol, C

Ihmir Smith-Marsette, WR

Irv Smith Jr., TE

T.J. Smith, DL

Tyarise Stevenson, DL

Jaylen Twyman, DL

Luiji Vilain, Edge

Ryan Wright, P

The 21 players are composed of the undrafted rookies, quarterbacks, and players rehabbing injuries/surgeries. I wonder if Ben Ellefson feels left out. He’s the only tight end on the roster that didn’t report to training camp early. 

The remaining 58 players report to Eagan tomorrow. The first practice is Wednesday. Minnesota Vikings Training Camp is open. Finally. 

Another Early Minnesota Vikings 53-man Roster Projection

Minnesota Vikings Training Camp is finally here. Kinda. The first full-team workout isn’t for a few days. The first workout open to the public is Saturday. The Minnesota Vikings welcome their rookies to training camp today. The rest of the team reports on Tuesday. Here’s a final, pre-training camp, attempt at projecting the 53-man roster of the Minnesota Vikings. 

Quarterbacks (2)

Kirk Cousins

Kellen Mond

It’s time for Kellen Mond to take on the backup job. It’s time for Sean Mannion to not be the backup.

Running Backs (4)

Dalvin Cook

Alexander Mattison

Kene Nwangwu

Ty Chandler

This group is pretty straightforward. 

Fullback (1)

C.J. Ham

Wide Receivers (5)

Justin Jefferson

Adam Thielen

K.J. Osborn

Ihmir Smith-Marsette 

Jalen Nailor

The first four receivers feel set. If the Vikings keep five receivers, the final spot is wide open. If the Vikings keep six receivers, the final two spots are wide open. I have five here so that I can jam five off-the-ball linebackers on the roster. Punt returns could be Jalen Nailor’s path to the roster. I have him making it for returns and because the Vikings new regime regime picked him in the draft. Olabisi Johnson returns from a torn ACL suffered in last year’s training camp. With his year-long absence it’s unfortunately easy to forget the good things that he did as a rookie. Veteran Albert Wilson was added to the roster late in the offseason. He had some terrific moments in Kansas City and Miami. He’s a speedy little pass catcher. All of the other receivers are in the 6’ and taller range. Maybe his uniqueness and experience gets him to the 53-man roster. The Vikings currently have 12 receivers on the 89-man roster. All of the receivers fighting for the final one or two spots has a shot. This will be one of the most interesting competitions of training camp. 

Tight Ends (3)

Irv Smith Jr.

Johnny Mundt

Nick Muse

The top two tight ends feel set. Right now, I’m going with Nick Muse as the #3 tight end simply because this regime picked him in the draft. They inherited Irv Smith Jr. They picked Johnny Mundt and Muse.

Offensive Line (9)

Christian Darrisaw

Ezra Cleveland

Garrett Bradbury

Ed Ingram

Brian O’Neill

Vederian Lowe

Jesse Davis

Chris Reed

Austin Schlottman

The toughest offensive line decisions were not keeping 2021 third-round pick Wyatt Davis and deciding between Vederain Lowe and Oli Udoh. For this offense, I like Chris Reed over Davis at guard. It’s up to Davis to prove that he belongs. His rookie season was a wash. For the same reason that I included Jalen Nailor and Nick Muse, I’m going with Lowe over Udoh. The new Vikings regime picked Lowe. I can still see Udoh making the roster over Jesse Davis. As solely a backup tackle, I like Udoh over Davis. I have Davis in this projection for his position versatility. I don’t ever want to see Udoh at guard again and Davis can play the position. 

Defensive Line (6)

Harrison Phillips

Dalvin Tomlinson

Armon Watts

James Lynch

Esezi Otomewo

Jaylen Twyman

It’s going to take a while to get used to the defensive front breakdown of the Vikings new defense. It’s going to be a base 3-4. That’s the easy part. I suppose it’s understanding the positional separation of the defensive end/tackle tweeners and defensive end/edge crossovers that will be the most challenging. Dalvin Tomlinson, Harrison Phillips, and Armon Watts present a stout and sturdy middle. I like James Lynch, Jaylen Twyman, and Esezi Otomewo as interior pass rushers. I really like Lynch as a breakout player. Right now, I have veteran additions Jonathan Bullard and Jullian Taylor on the outside of the 53-man roster. 

Edge (5)

Danielle Hunter

Za’Darius Smith

D.J. Wonnum

Patrick Jones II

Janarius Robinson

The highlight for this group is the pass rushing duo of Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith. There might not be an aspect of the 2022 Minnesota Vikings that I’m more excited to see than Hunter and Smith terrorizing quarterbacks. Of the backup edge rushers, Janarius Robinson intrigues me the most. Perhaps that’s because he missed all of his rookie season. He’s intriguing as a complete unknown. I’m not sure if D.J. Wonnum, Patrick Jones II, and Robinson all make the roster but I can’t part with any of them days before training camp. I’m not sure if the Vikings keep 11 edge/defensive linemen but I really like all of the above 11 on the roster. 

Linebackers (5)

Eric Kendricks

Jordan Hicks

Brian Asamoah

Troy Dye

Chazz Surratt

The top three linebackers are set. I want to keep five linebackers because I like the potential of Troy Dye and Chazz Surratt. Blake Lynch will also be in play for a linebacker spot. Perhaps it’s best to keep only one of Dye, Surratt, and Lynch. Surratt had no opportunities on defense as a rookie. He only played linebacker for two years in college. He’s a mystery. An intriguing mystery. If he flames out in training camp and preseason, fine. There’s an extra roster spot for a sixth receiver. Eric Kendricks and Jordan Hicks are firmly in place as the starters. I really think that rookie Brian Asamoah is going to force the coaches to get him on the field. Even if it’s just in sub-packages, he’ll play his way onto the field. 

Cornerbacks (6)

Patrick Peterson

Cam Dantzler

Chandon Sullivan

Andrew Booth Jr.

Akayleb Evans

Kris Boyd

The offseason evolution of the Vikings cornerback position has been remarkable. In March, it was frightening. Only four were on the roster and Cam Dantzler was the only one of starting quality. Now, I see cornerback as a potential strength. The biggest question with the cornerbacks is whether five or six make the roster. With the age of Patrick Peterson and injury concerns with Andrew Booth Jr., I think that it’s six. I think that it’s probably six even without those concerns. An NFL team can never have enough cornerbacks. The top five are easy. On paper, pre-training camp, the starters are Peterson and Dantzler. Chandon Sullivan is the leading contender for the nickel role. With all due respect to Peterson, Andrew Booth Jr. might be the most talented cornerback on the roster. When fully healthy, he’ll play his way onto the field. I see Dantzler, Booth, and Akayleb Evans as the Vikings cornerback future. Kris Boyd will have to fend off challenges from Nate Hairston, Harrison Hand, Tye Smith, and Parry Nickerson. 

Safeties (4)

Harrison Smith

Lewis Cine

Camryn Bynum

Josh Metellus

Safety ranks with running backs as the easiest group to project. I was so set to see Harrison Smith and Camryn Bynum as the Vikings starting safeties that I never really considered safety early in the draft. Then the Vikings drafted Lewis Cine. I can not wait to see Smith and Cine on the field. It’s going to be a blast. The coaches will find a way to get the safety trio of Smith, Cine, and Bynum will be on the field together. Josh Metellus is a special teams standout. Safety is suddenly a team strength. 

Kicker (1)

Greg Joseph

Punter (1)

Ryan Wright

Long Snapper (1)

Andrew DePaola

2/3 of the kicking battery is apparently settled. Greg Joseph and Andrew DePaola have no competition. For no particular reason, I’m going with the undrafted rookie Ryan Wright over incumbent Jordan Berry at punter. Wright was a fairly highly regarded high school quarterback. I kinda like the idea of a punter that can throw. That being said, Wright has to win the job with his punting. 

NFL Draft Pick Signing Tracker

NFL training camps are opening. Most of the rookies will have reported to their first training camp by the end of this weekend. If they’ve signed their first contract. The 2011 CBA stream-lined the rookie signing process. The contract dollars are determined by where the player was drafted. Easy. Agents still try to work the edges of those parameters. They have to do something to earn their percentage. The teams made quick work of signing first round picks. All 32 have been signed for about a month. It’s many of the players selected in the second and fourth rounds that have been the last to sign. Second round picks are often troublesome. Time is running out on the rookies if they want to avoid being saddled with the “holdout” label. Here’s a glimpse at the signing status of all 262 players selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. 

First Round

1.   Jacksonville Jaguars: Travon Walker, Edge, Georgia-Signed

2.   Detroit Lions: Aidan Hutchinson, Edge, Michigan-Signed

3.   Houston Texans: Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU-Signed

4.   New York Jets: Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati-Signed

5.   New York Giants: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Edge, Oregon-Signed

6.   Carolina Panthers: Ikem Ekonwu, OT, North Carolina State-Signed

7.   New York Giants: Evan Neal, OT, Alabama-Signed

8.   Atlanta Falcons: Drake London, WR, USC-Signed

9.   Seattle Seahawks: Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State-Signed

10. New York Jets: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State-Signed

11. New Orleans Saints: Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State-Signed

12. Detroit Lions: Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama-Signed

13. Philadelphia Eagles: Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia-Signed

14. Baltimore Ravens: Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame-Signed

15. Houston Texans: Kenyon Green, OG, Texas A&M-Signed

16. Washington Commanders: Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State-Signed

17. Los Angeles Chargers: Zion Johnson, OG, Boston College-Signed

18. Tennessee Titans: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas-Signed

19. New Orleans Saints: Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa-Signed

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh-Signed

21. Kansas City Chiefs: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington-Signed

22. Green Bay Packers: Quay Walker, LB, Georgia-Signed

23. Buffalo Bills: Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida-Signed

24. Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa-Signed

25. Baltimore Ravens: Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa-Signed

26. New York Jets: Jermaine Johnson II, Edge, Florida State-Signed

27. Jacksonville Jaguars: Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah-Signed

28. Green Bay Packers: Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia-Signed

29. New England Patriots: Cole Strange, OG, Tennessee-Chattanooga-Signed

30. Kansas City Chiefs: George Karlaftis, Edge, Purdue-Signed

31. Cincinnati Bengals: Daxton Hill, S, Michigan-Signed

32. Minnesota Vikings: Lewis Cine, S, Georgia-Signed

***

The first-round signings are done. As for the remaining six rounds and 230 draft picks, the second round and fourth rounds are significant outliers. 

Second Round:

26/32 signed

The unsigned:

40. Seattle Seahawks: Boye Mafe, Edge, Minnesota

41. Seattle Seahawks: Kenneth Walker, RB, Michigan State

42. Minnesota Vikings: Andrew Booth, Jr., CB, Clemson

45. Baltimore Ravens: David Ojabo, Edge, Michigan

48. Chicago Bears: Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State

59. Minnesota Vikings: Ed Ingram, G, LSU

Third Round:

40/41 signed

The unsigned:

94. Carolina Panthers: Matt Corral, QB, Mississippi

Fourth Round:

35/38 signed

The unsigned:

106. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Cade Otton, TE, Washington

109. Seattle Seahawks: Coby Bryant, CB, Cincinnati

114. New York Giants: Dane Belton, S, Iowa

Fifth Round:

36/36 signed

Sixth Round:

42/42 signed

Seventh Round:

41/41 signed

All seven rounds:

252/262 signed

There are only ten unsigned draft picks. The troubling part is that two of those ten picks are picks of the Minnesota Vikings. They made fairly quick work of getting their other eight draft picks signed. Their two second round picks have remained unsigned. The Vikings welcome their rookies to their first NFL training camp tomorrow. They have until then to get Andrew Booth Jr. and Ed Ingram signed. Holdouts are annoying. 

Vikings Rookie Signings:

1. Lewis Cine, S, Georgia-Signed

2. Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson

2. Ed Ingram, G, LSU

3. Brian Asomoah, LB, Oklahoma-Signed

4. Akayleb Evans, CB, Missouri-Signed

5. Esezi Otomeco, DL, Minnesota-Signed

5. Ty Chandler, RB, North Carolina-Signed

6. Vederian Lowe, OT, Illinois-Signed

6. Jalen Nailor, WR, Michigan State-Signed

7. Nick Muse, TE, South Carolina-Signed

Teams that have yet to sign their entire draft class:

Minnesota Vikings (2 picks left to sign)

Seattle Seahawks (3)

Baltimore Ravens (1)

Carolina Panthers (1)

Chicago Bears (1)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1)

New York Giants (1)

Training camps are opening. 7 of the league’s teams still have some draft picks to sign. 

Minnesota Vikings New Front

For the first time in nearly 40 years the Minnesota Vikings will be using a 3-4 base defense. It’s going to be strange. One of the great traditions of Vikings football has been their four-man fronts. The Purple People Eaters. Jim Marshall, Alan Page, Gary Larsen, and Carl Eller. It started there. The great defenses of the late 1980s were fronted by Chris Doleman, Keith Millard, Henry Thomas, and Al Noga. A fun, destructive front. Just ask Joe Montana. Or any quarterback that had to face them. The 2000s brought Jared Allen, Kevin Williams, Pat Williams, and Ray Edwards/Brian Robison. Offenses couldn’t run on them and quarterbacks had to run for their lives. More recently, the Vikings defense was paced by Everson Griffen, Tom Johnson/Sharrif Floyd/Sheldon Richardson, Linval Joseph, and Danielle Hunter. Vikings franchise history has been peppered with great four-man fronts. Alan Page, Carl Eller, Chris Doleman, and John Randle are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Jared Allen will join them. Kevin Williams should. Jim Marshall has another shot this year. Henry Thomas has a Hall of Fame argument. Dominant four-man fronts have been a franchise tradition. It’s going to be strange to see the defense fronted by a 3-4. Exciting too. Change is exciting. 

There’s been a lot of confusion over this switch to a base 3-4. There’s been confusion where each player will be on the field and what position they’ll play. That confusion will continue until we see all of it come together on the field. Fortunately, training camp starts next week. Since the announcement of Ed Donatell as the defensive coordinator and the likely switch to a 3-4, I’ve seen the players involved listed in a variety of ways. I’ve seen Danielle Hunter listed at outside linebacker and defensive end. He’s an outside linebacker in the 3-4. I’ve seen new addition Jonathan Bullard listed as a defensive end and outside linebacker. He’s a defensive end in the 3-4. For what it’s worth, here’s how I see the defensive linemen and outside linebackers in the Vikings new base 3-4. 

Defensive Linemen (11)

94 Dalvin Tomlinson

97 Harrison Phillips

98 Armon Watts

92 James Lynch

93 Jaylen Twyman

78 Jullian Taylor

90 Esezi Otomewo

79 Jonathan Bullard

76 T.Y. McGill

50 T.J. Smith

51 Tyarise Stevenson

Edge/Outside Linebacker (9)

99 Danielle Hunter

55 Za’Darius Smith

98 D.J. Wonnum

91 Patrick Jones II

95 Janarius Robinson

43 Luiji Vilain

59 Zach McCloud

47 William Kwenkeu

31 Adrian Mintze

More often that not, I see Dalvin Tomlinson, Harrison Phillips, and Armon Watts as the projected starters in the three-man front. The interesting thing about those three players is their versatility. Each can probably handle the demands of all three defensive line positions. Tomlinson is often penciled in as the the nose tackle. That isn’t surprising. At a listed 320 lbs, he’s closest to the size of a traditional nose tackle. Watts often played on the nose through his first three years in the league. During his introductory press conference, Phillips referred to himself as a nose tackle. In my mind throughout the offseason, I’ve seen Tomlinson and Watts on either side of Phillips in the Vikings starting three-man front. No matter how it plays out, the important thing is the versatility of those three players. They can play all three defensive line positions. The same is true of some of the other defensive linemen. While I think that he’s best as a pass rushing three/five-technique, I think that James Lynch can also play in the middle. Jullian Taylor might be similarly versatile. Versatility. It’s a very good thing. I see Jaylen Twyman, Esezi Otomewo, Jonathan Bullard as ends. A curious player is undrafted rookie Tyarise Stevenson. At a listed 365 lbs, the Vikings have no player on the roster like him. 

One of the most exciting things about this year’s Vikings is the outside linebackers. The edge rushers. Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith. Both are coming off injury-thrashed seasons. If both are healthy, and can stay on the field, the Vikings defense will boast one of the pass rushing duos in the league. I can not wait to see these two terrorize quarterbacks and take apart offenses. Smith and Hunter have to stay on the field. Behind them is several raw, toolsy edge players. D.J. Wonnum has done some things in his two years in the league but he must do those things more consistently. Patrick Jones II had a few opportunities as a rookie last season. Janarius Robinson had no opportunities as his rookie season was lost to a preseason injury. The remainder of the edge rushers on the roster are undrafted rookies. This part of the Vikings front is all about Hunter and Smith.

The Vikings last fielded a 3-4 in the early 1980s. About the only thing memorable about that five-year run is that it got Jeff Siemon and Scott Studwell on the field together for a season and introduced us to the pass rushing brilliance of Chris Doleman. We would’ve seen the latter whether he was standing up or had his fist in the turf. The important thing about this new version of the Vikings 3-4 is versatility. I have a feeling that this new defense will be a 3-4 mostly in name. I have a feeling we’ll see a variety of fronts. 3-4, 4-3, 5-2, 2-5, whatever. I have a feeling that rookie linebacker Brian Asamoah will play his way into the front seven conversation. Who knows? Some of the questions might be answered in the coming weeks. More likely, they’ll be answered from September-Febrauary. 

Sitting At 89

With the release of quarterback Nate Stanley earlier this week, the Minnesota Vikings roster currently sits at 89 players. There’s about zero reason to think that the Vikings go into training camp with an open spot on the roster. Rookies report to Eagan for training camp on Sunday. The rest of the team reports on Tuesday. If the Vikings are to kick off training camp with a full roster, a player must be added in the next couple days. Who will that player be? 

Perhaps it’s best to first eliminate the positions that don’t really need a boost. I don’t see the player being a quarterback, running back, or receiver. Despite a decade of issues, I don’t see the player being an offensive lineman. I don’t see a need for another safety. Cornerback? Doubt it. Tight end? Possibly. Linebacker? Maybe. Edge rusher of defensive lineman? Could be. 

Tight end or defensive front seven? I guess. To be honest, I don’t think that there’s a “big addition” to be made at those positions or any position. Available players are available in late July for a reason. Age, injuries, troubles, etc. With that in mind, here are some of the “name” players still available to teams with roster availability. 

Odell Beckham Jr.

Duane Brown

Trey Flowers

JC Tretter

Will Fuller

Eric Fisher

Julio Jones

Anthony Barr

Sheldon Richardson

Ndamukong Suh

Kevin King

Dont’a Hightower

Nice names. Only Odell Beckham Jr., Trey Flowers, Will Fuller, and Kevin King are on the preferred side of 30. Barely. Despite injury concerns, many Vikings fans have been drooling over JC Tretter since he was released by the Cleveland Browns. He’s available in late July for a reason. The Browns decided that going with a 2020 fifth-round pick was a better option than hobbling through another season with a 31-year old center with 45-year old knees. I may be the only Vikings fan that still has some hope for Garrett Bradbury. I realize his issues. I’ve seen his issues. He’s still a unique talent. I’m holding out hope that the new coaches can maximize those talents and minimize/eliminate the situations in which he struggles. That being said, if the team’s decision-makers see Tretter as a better option than remaking Bradbury, they know better than me.

I suppose if I had to pick one of the “name” players from the available list, I’d go with Anthony Barr, Sheldon Richardson, or Ndamukong Suh. Barr would probably be an edge rusher rather than an off-the-ball linebacker in the Vikings new defense. I’ve always wondered how he’d do if he was just pointed at the quarterback and let loose. The only issue that I’d have with a Suh or Richardson addition is what it’d do to the progress and development of the Vikings young interior defensive linemen. 

If the Vikings add one of these “name” player, I suppose I’d rank them this way:

1. Anthony Barr

2. Ndamukong Suh

3. Sheldon Richardson

Maybe the addition actually comes from the list of undrafted rookies. Perhaps the Vikings have been following one of the rookies that they had at the facility following the draft. Who knows? I don’t see the Vikings sitting at 89. Who will that 90th player be? 

Minnesota Vikings Rookies

The Minnesota Vikings rookies report for their first training camp on Sunday. 19 rookies. Ten of the rookies were drafted. Nine of the rookies were signed after going undrafted. 

2022 Minnesota Vikings Draft Class

1(32).   Lewis Cine, S, Georgia

2(42).   Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson

2(59).   Ed Ingram, OG, LSU

3(66).   Brian Asamoah, LB, Oklahoma

4(118). Akayleb Evans, CB, Missouri

5(165). Esezi Otomewo, DL, Minnesota

5(169). Ty Chandler, RB, North Carolina

6(184). Vederian Lowe, OT, Illinois

6(191). Jalen Nailor, WR, Michigan State

7(227). Nick Muse, TE, South Carolina

2022 Minnesota Vikings Undrafted Free Agents

Luiji Vilain, Edge, Wake Forest

Mike Brown, S, Miami (OH)

Thomas Hennigan, WR, Appalachian State

Bryant Koback, RB, Toledo

Zach McCloud, Edge, Miami

Josh Sokol, C, Sacred Heart

Tyarise Stevenson, DT, Tulsa

Ryan Wright, P, Tulane

William Kwenkeu, LB, Temple

***

All have their NFL shot. 

Vikings rookies by position:

Running Back

Ty Chandler

Bryant Koback

Wide Receiver

Jalen Nailor

Thomas Hennigan

Tight End

Nick Muse

Tackle

Vederian Lowe

Guard

Ed Ingram

Center

Josh Sokol

Defensive Line

Esezi Otomewo

Tyarise Stevenson

Edge

Zach McCloud

Luigi Vilain

Linebacker

Brian Asamoah

William Kwenkeu 

Cornerback

Andrew Booth Jr.

Akayleb Evans

Safety

Lewis Cine

Mike Brown

Punter

Ryan Wright

Whether intentional or not, the Vikings decision-makers really spread their rookie additions across all positions. With the exception of quarterback and kicker, one or two rookies were added to each position. Actually, the Vikings did add a rookie kicker. Oklahoma’s Gabe Brkic was signed after the draft but was released after the offseason workouts. 

The draft picks:

One draft is a tiny sample size but it sure look like the Vikings new decision-makers favor players from big schools. Their first four picks come from annual title contenders. All 10 picks come from big schools from big conferences. 

None of the ten have had a chance to do a thing in the NFL. It’s way too early and not really fair to make career projections for any of these players. I can’t help myself from doing just that. 

I like Lewis Cine, Andrew Booth Jr., and Ed Ingram as immediate starters. Camryn Bynum has spent the offseason as the penciled-in starter at safety next to Harrison Smith. I’ve liked that potential pairing since Bynum was selected in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Cine is simply too talented. He and Smith will be an outstanding safety duo. Bynum will still see the field. This new Vikings defense will be versatile. The corners in base should come down to Patrick Peterson, Andrew Booth Jr., and Cameron Dantzler. Free agent addition Chandon Sullivan will see the field as well. I wouldn’t be surprised if fourth-round pick Akayleb Evans gets some playing time on defense as well. The competition for right guard will be wide open. Free agent additions Jesse Davis and Chris Reed as well as second-year Wyatt Davis will be part of that competition. So will second-round pick Ed Ingram. I have him as the favorite for the job. 

I really like Brian Asamoah. With Eric Kendricks and Jordan Hicks, the Vikings linebacker starters are set and very good. Asamoah and/or 2021 third-round pick Chazz Suratt should have a shot to start next to Kendricks in a year or two. Until then, Asamoah should make an immediate impact on special teams. I also believe that he’ll play his way into some situational roles on defense. 

Esezi Otomewo sure looks the part. While he might be considered a developmental player he has some tools that could earn early playing time in a rotational role. 

Ty Chandler has unique speed. If he’s on the 53-man roster in September, the Vikings will probably have four running backs, plus C.J. Ham, on the roster. That’s a lot of backs. Chandler’s selection might’ve been made with 2023 in mind. Alexander Mattison is on the final year of his rookie contract. A potential starting job with another team will probably be his preference. Special teams is probably Chandler’s route to the roster. The same goes for Jalen Nailor. I like him as the punt returner. 

Like Otomewo, Vederian Lowe sure looks the ideal of the position that he plays. 6’6” and 320 lbs. And he looks the right kind of 6’6” 320 lbs. With Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill firmly in place as the starting tackles, Lowe could push Oli Udoh for the swing-tackle role. 

The undrafted free agents:

If for no other reason but his fantastic name, I really hope that Luiji Vilain makes the 53-man roster. The same can be said of Josh Sokol. Great name. Of the undrafted free agents, Tulane punter Ryan Wright probably has the best roster shot. If Jordan Berry had the punting job locked down, Wright probably wouldn’t have been signed. At 6’3” and 365 lbs, defensive tackle Tyarise Stevenson has unique size. The Vikings don’t have a player like that to put over the center. If he can do NFL things at that size, he might have a shot at the roster. 

The folks that manage the Vikings roster on the team’s website do a fine job. That being said, undrafted rookie safety Mike Brown has been listed with the other-worldly height of 6’11”. 

19 rookies have their NFL shot with the Minnesota Vikings. I can’t wait to see what they do with it. 

2022 Minnesota Vikings Coaching Staff

The Minnesota Vikings open training camp in a few days. The rookies report on Sunday. The veterans report one week from today. Despite lazy reports that the Vikings are simply “running it back” with the same old players, over a third of the 90-man roster is new to the team. A new coaching staff will be coaching the team. New offense. New defense. New special teams. The returning players will be different players in new schemes and under new coaching. Even the front office is new and reconfigured. About the only thing that remains the same is the stadium and the facilities in which the team plays and trains. Anyway, in advance of the opening of the team’s training camp, here’s another look at the 2022 Minnesota Vikings Coaching Staff. 

2022 Minnesota Vikings Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Kevin O’Connell

Assistant Head Coach: Mike Pettine

Offensive Coordinator: Wes Phillips

Defensive Coordinator: Ed Donatell

Special Teams Coordinator: Matt Daniels

Offense:

Quarterbacks: Chris O’Hara

Assistant Quarterbacks: Jerrod Johnson 

Run Game Coordinator/Running Backs: Curtis Modkins

Receivers: Keenan McCardell

Assistant Receivers/Quality Control: Tony Sorrentino

Pass Game Coodinator/Tight Ends: Brian Angelichio

Offensive Line: Chris Kuper

Assistant Offensive Line: Justin Rascati

Pass Game Specialist/Game Management Coordinator: Ryan Cordell

Quality Control: Derron Montgomery

Assistant to the Head Coach/Special Projects: Grant Udinski

Defense:

Defensive Line: Chris Rumph

Assistant Defensive Line: A’Lique Terry

Outside Linebackers/Pass Rush Specialist: Mike Smith

Inside Linebackers: Greg Manusky

Assistant Linebackers: Sam Siefkes

Defensive Backs: Daronte Jones

Assistant Defensive Backs: Roy Anderson

Quality Control: Steve Donatell

Special Teams:

Assistant Special Teams: Ben Kotwica

Strength & Conditioning:

Director of Player Performance: Josh Hingst

Assistant Director of Player Performance: Marquis Johnson

Assistant Director of Player Performance: Derik Keyes

Assistant Director of Player Performance/Sports Science: Dan Ridenour

***

The following are hold-overs from the 2021 Vikings coaching staff. 

Keenan McCardell

Roy Anderson

Sam Siefkes

The entire Player Performance crew

-I like that “Strength & Conditioning” is now termed “Player Performance.” 

Breakdown of the coaches:

Total: 28

Offense: 12 (13, counting Kevin O’Connell)

Defense: 9 (10, counting Mike Pettine)

Special Teams: 2

Strength & Conditioning: 3

Grant Udinski was O’Connell’s last coaching hire. Udinski is listed as assistant to the head coach, and listed here as an offensive coach. He shouldn’t be considered solely an offensive coach as his special projects are probably an organization-wide thing. 

When I see the size of today’s NFL coaching staffs I can’t help but think of the coaching staffs of Bud Grant’s day. Those were often about a quarter the size. When Grant was a player, NFL staffs often numbered two or three coaches.

The coaching hires that intrigue me the most:

It starts with Kevin O’Connell. When the Vikings coaching search started, I was convinced that the next head coach had to be an offensive head coach. It was mostly because I was hoping for some offensive consistency. One of the biggest problems of the past eight seasons was the revolving door of offensive coordinators. If the head coach is essentially the offensive coordinator, the offensive system and the voice in the quarterback’s head isn’t going anywhere. Despite all of that, when the Vikings decision-makers started the head coach interviews, defensive coaches Raheem Morris and DeMeco Ryans emerged as my favorites for the job. O’Connell was a tick behind them because I really had no sense of him. Since he didn’t call the plays, I had no feel for his contributions to the Rams offense. I knew him better as the San Diego State and journeyman NFL quarterback. As the interviews continued, I looked into him more. As the search entered the finalist stage, he was my favorite. Even over Jim Harbaugh. Especially over Jim Harbaugh. O’Connell has done nothing but impress me more each day that he’s been the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings.

Ed Donatell 

Defensive coordinator was O’Connell’s most important hire. Ed Donatell was hired as the defensive coordinator before O’Connell was officially hired as the head coach. That was a little weird. Donatell’s coaching experience is outstanding. His enthusiasm is contagious. I look forward to seeing his defense. I look forward to his press conferences. It’s going to be fun. 

Keenan McCardell

I was hoping, praying that he’d return. When Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson expressed their support for Keenan McCardell, I was nearly certain of his return. McCardell is just getting started with these receivers. 

Daronte Jones

I was disappointed when Daronte Jones left last offseason for the LSU defensive coordinator job. I was happy to see him return. I hope his second stint in Minnesota is longer than the first. 

Chris Kuper 

My dream offensive line coach for the Vikings was Mike Munchak. Instead, the Vikings hired his protégé. 

Chris Kuper is ready to coach his own offensive line. I can’t wait to see the results. 

Mike Smith

The only thing that I don’t like about the hiring of Mike Smith is that I believe that he might be close to coordinating his own defense. That would be great for him. Hopefully, the Vikings edge players get him for at least a couple seasons. 

Jerrod Johnson

Jerrod Johnson is “only” the assistant quarterbacks coach but he might be the new Vikings coach that intrigues me the most. I enjoyed watching the coaching climb of Kevin Stefanski from Brad Childress’ assistant to Mike Zimmer’s offensive coordinator. There’s something about Johnson. I believe that there could be a similar climb. I hope that it’s with Minnesota. 

Chris Rumph

Chris Rumph has some big shoes to fill in Minnesota. I’m really going to miss Andre Patterson. He’s arguably the best defensive line coach in the league. I was hoping that he’d stay but he deserves a defensive coordinator job. Hell, he deserves head coach consideration. All of the new Vikings coach have a lot to prove. It isn’t really fair but considering the man that he’s replacing, Rumph might have the most to prove. 

Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor: Who’s Next?

The Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor recognizes franchise legends for their contributions to the team’s success on and off the field. The Vikings started inducting the legends in 1998 and have been adding at least one a year nearly every year ever since. There were no new inductions during the two years that the Vikings played at TCF Stadium while the spectacular US Bank Stadium was being built. There were also no new inductions during the inaugural season of that spectacular new stadium. The Ring currently has 26 members. 

Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor

Fran Tarkenton, Quarterback (1998)

Alan Page, Defensive Tackle (1998)

Jim Finks, General Manager (1998)

Bud Grant, Head Coach (1998)

Paul Krause, Safety (1998)

Fred Zamberletti, Athletic Trainer (1998)

Jim Marshall, Defensive End (1999)

Ron Yary, Offensive Tackle (2001)

Korey Stringer, Offensive Tackle (2001)

Mick Tingelhoff, Center (2001)

Carl Eller, Defensive End (2002)

Cris Carter, Wide Receiver (2003)

Bill Brown, Fullback (2004)

Jerry Burns, Offensive Coordinator/Head Coach (2005)

Randall McDaniel, Guard (2006)

Chuck Foreman, Running Back (2007)

John Randle, Defensive Tackle (2008)

Scott Studwell, Linebacker (2009)

Chris Doleman, Defensive End (2011)

Matt Blair, Linebacker (2012)

Joey Browner, Safety (2013)

Randy Moss, Wide Receiver (2017)

Ahmad Rashad, Wide Receiver (2017)

Dennis Green, Head Coach (2018)

Steve Jordan, Tight End (2019)

Kevin Williams, Defensive Tackle (2021)

It’s a mystery as to why Jim Marshall wasn’t part of the first year of inductions. He was the captain, heart, and soul of the Vikings Super Bowl teams. The franchise’s most successful run probably doesn’t happen if not for Marshall’s impact on and off the field. It terms of franchise fixtures, it’s Bud Grant, Alan Page, Fran Tarkenton, Jim Marshall and then everyone else. 1998 was the first year of the Red McCombs ownership reign. Maybe Marshall’s exclusion isn’t such a mystery. McCombs never seemed to take the time to learn about his team’s present, let alone it’s past. 

Of the 26 members of the Vikings Ring of Honor, half have a Gold Jacket to go with that Purple Jacket. 13 of the team’s Ring of Honor members have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Fran Tarkenton

Alan Page

Jim Finks

Bud Grant

Paul Krause

Ron Yary

Mick Tingelhoff

Carl Eller

Cris Carter

Randall McDaniel

John Randle

Chris Doleman

Randy Moss

When thinking of those that are honored in some elite group, those thoughts inevitably drift to “Who’s Next?” So, who should be the next member of the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor? If there’s an announcement to be made, that announcement is made in June or July. If there’s an announcement to be made this year, I don’t see it being made during training camp. That means this week. I suppose there’s a chance that the team’s decision-makers decide not to add to the Ring of Honor during a year with so much newness. New coaching staff. New front office. Who knows? I don’t. I do know that some day there will be a 27th member of Ring of Honor. 

So, who’s the next member of the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor?

For most of these lifetime honors, my first thought is of those that have been waiting the longest. There’s a deserving player from the first Vikings team in 1961 that has been waiting longer than any other player.

Grady Alderman

Alderman was the Vikings left tackle from 1961 to 1973. He was named to six Pro Bowls. He was named second-team All-Pro twice. For five years, Alderman and Ron Yary gave the Vikings one of the league’s best tackle combos. 

After Alderman? Going chronologically, here are some of the players that I’d consider to be the next member of the Vikings Ring of Honor.

Dave Osborn

Bobby Bryant

Ed White

Jeff Siemon

Sammy White

Tommy Kramer

Anthony Carter

Gary Zimmerman

Keith Millard

Henry Thomas

Ed McDaniel

Jake Reed

Robert Griffith

Matt Birk

Antoine Winfield

Steve Hutchinson

Chad Greenway

Jared Allen

Gary Zimmerman’s Ring of Honor omission is probably more unfortunate than puzzling. He was one of the best offensive tackles of his era. He’s in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He’s one of the few players in league history to be named to two All-Decade teams (1980s and 1990s). I feel like many think of him as a Denver Bronco despite the fact that he spent more time in Minnesota. Unfortunately, a contract dispute resulted in his departure from the Vikings. I don’t think that he left with happy feelings. Perhaps those unhappy feelings remain. It’s the only thing that would explain his absence from the Vikings Ring of Honor. 

My Top 5 to be the next member of the Vikings Ring of Honor currently looks something like this.

Grady Alderman

Gary Zimmerman

Keith Millard

Antoine Winfield

Steve Hutchinson

Whether it’s for the Pro Football Hall oI Fame or the Vikings Ring of Honor, my Top 5 most deserving of being “next” rarely reflects that of those actually making the decisions. I believe that the next member of the Vikings Ring of Honor will be one of the following:

Steve Hutchinson

Antoine Winfield

Jared Allen

Minnesota Vikings 90-man Roster

The Minnesota Vikings rookies report fot training camp one week from today. The rest of the team reports  one week from Tuesday. Vikings football is ticking closer. Here’s another look at the team’s 90-man roster in advance of the start of football fun. 

Minnesota Vikings Roster

Offense (43)

Quarterbacks (4)

  8 Kirk Cousins

14 Sean Mannion

11 Kellen Mond

12 Nate Stanley

Running Backs (5)

  4 Dalvin Cook

  2 Alexander Mattison

26 Kene Nwangwu

32 Ty Chandler

38 Bryant Koback

Fullbacks (2)

30 C.J. Ham

36 Jake Bargas

Receivers (12)

19 Adam Thielen

18 Justin Jefferson

17 K.J. Osborn

15 Ihmir Smith-Marsette

25 Albert Wilson

85 Dan Chisena

81 Olabisi Johnson

83 Jalen Nailor

13 Blake Proehl

87 Myron Mitchell

  9 Trishton Jackson

89 Thomas Hennigan

Tight Ends (5)

84 Irv Smith Jr.

86 Johnny Mundt

82 Ben Ellefson

40 Zach Davidson

34 Nick Muse

Tackles (6)

71 Christian Darrisaw

75 Brian O’Neill

74 Oli Udoh

64 Blake Brandel

63 Vederian Lowe

61 Timon Parris

Guards (7)

72 Ezra Cleveland

73 Jesse Davis

62 Chris Reed

52 Wyatt Davis

67 Ed Ingram

68 Kyle Hinton

65 Austin Schlottman

Centers (2)

56 Garrett Bradbury

60 Josh Sokol

Defense (43)

Defensive Linemen (11)

94 Dalvin Tomlinson

97 Harrison Phillips

98 Armon Watts

92 James Lynch

93 Jaylen Twyman

78 Jullian Taylor

90 Esezi Otomeow

79 Jonathan Bullard

76 T.Y. McGill

50 T.J. Smith

51 Tyarise Stevenson

Edge (9)

99 Danielle Hunter

55 Za’Darius Smith

98 D.J. Wonnum

91 Patrick Jones II

95 Janarius Robinson

43 Luiji Vilain

59 Zach McCloud

47 William Kwenkeu

31 Adrian Mintze

Linebackers (7)

54 Eric Kendricks

58 Jordan Hicks

33 Brian Asamoah

41 Chazz Suratt

48 Blake Lynch

45 Troy Dye

57 Ryan Connelly 

Cornerbacks (10)

  7 Patrick Peterson

  3 Cameron Dantzler

23 Andrew Booth Jr.

21 Akayleb Evans

39 Chandon Sullivan

29 Kris Boyd

27 Nate Hairston

20 Harrison Hand

  5 Tye Smith

35 Parry Nickerson

Safeties (6)

22 Harrison Smith

  6 Lewis Cine

24 Camryn Bynum

44 Josh Metellus

46 Miles Dorn

37 Mike Brown

Special Teams (4)

Kicker (1)

  1 Greg Joseph

Punters (2)

16 Jordan Berry

66 Ryan Wright

Long Snapper (1)

42 Andrew DePaola

Minnesota Vikings Top Ten Tight Ends

The recent retirement of Rob Gronkowski inspired me to rank the Top 10 tight ends in NFL history. That and the recent Kyle Rudolph news has me thinking about the tight ends of the Minnesota Vikings. Currently and historically. Currently, I’m not sure if the Vikings should bring back Rudolph. I’m just glad the decision isn’t mine. What is my decision is how I see the Top 10 tight ends in Vikings franchise history. Historically, here’s how I see the Top 10 Tight Ends in Minnesota Vikings franchise history. 

1.   Steve Jordan

2.   Kyle Rudolph

3.   Jim Kleinsasser

4.   Visanthe Shiancoe

5.   Stu Voigt

6.   Joe Senser

7.   Jermaine Wiggins

8.   Tyler Conklin

9.   Byron Chamberlain

10. Andrew Glover

It’s a top heavy group. Steve Jordan, Kyle Rudolph, and Jim Kleinsasser are franchise all-timers. After that, it’s a bit of “short-timers” and “could’ve beens.” 

Imagine a tight end that could move and catch like Steve Jordan and block like Jim Kleinsasser. That tight end would be in Canton.

Joe Senser is the biggest “could’ve been.” With Kellen Winslow, Ozzie Newsome, and Dave Casper scattered around the league, the tight end position was becoming a serious offensive weapon. Joe Senser emerged as one of the most promising young tight ends in the league. After a strong rookie season in 1980, he exploded with 79 catches and 1004 yards in 1981. Then injuries hit. By 1984, he was done. In an era of great tight ends, Senser had the talent and could’ve been one of the league’s best. 

If he can stay on the field, Irv Smith Jr. has the talent to soar up this list. 

NFL Draft Pick Signing Tracker

The NFL’s teams made quick work of signing their first round picks. All 32 players selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft had signed their professional contract before the calendar hit July. A lot has changed on the draft-pick signing front since the 2011 CBA. There used to be several holdouts. Most of those holdouts were first round picks. Now, the second round signings routinely lag behind those of the first round. This year, the fourth round signings are also slow. 

1.   Jacksonville Jaguars: Travon Walker, Edge, Georgia-Signed

2.   Detroit Lions: Aidan Hutchinson, Edge, Michigan-Signed

3.   Houston Texans: Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU-Signed

4.   New York Jets: Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati-Signed

5.   New York Giants: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Edge, Oregon-Signed

6.   Carolina Panthers: Ikem Ekonwu, OT, North Carolina State-Signed

7.   New York Giants: Evan Neal, OT, Alabama-Signed

8.   Atlanta Falcons: Drake London, WR, USC-Signed

9.   Seattle Seahawks: Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State-Signed

10. New York Jets: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State-Signed

11. New Orleans Saints: Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State-Signed

12. Detroit Lions: Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama-Signed

13. Philadelphia Eagles: Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia-Signed

14. Baltimore Ravens: Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame-Signed

15. Houston Texans: Kenyon Green, OG, Texas A&M-Signed

16. Washington Commanders: Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State-Signed

17. Los Angeles Chargers: Zion Johnson, OG, Boston College-Signed

18. Tennessee Titans: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas-Signed

19. New Orleans Saints: Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa-Signed

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh-Signed

21. Kansas City Chiefs: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington-Signed

22. Green Bay Packers: Quay Walker, LB, Georgia-Signed

23. Buffalo Bills: Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida-Signed

24. Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa-Signed

25. Baltimore Ravens: Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa-Signed

26. New York Jets: Jermaine Johnson II, Edge, Florida State-Signed

27. Jacksonville Jaguars: Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah-Signed

28. Green Bay Packers: Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia-Signed

29. New England Patriots: Cole Strange, OG, Tennessee-Chattanooga-Signed

30. Kansas City Chiefs: George Karlaftis, Edge, Purdue-Signed

31. Cincinnati Bengals: Daxton Hill, S, Michigan-Signed

32. Minnesota Vikings: Lewis Cine, S, Georgia-Signed

***

The first-round signings are done. As for the remaining six rounds and 230 draft picks, the second round and fourth rounds are significant outliers. 

Second Round:

20/32 signed

Third Round:

38/41 signed

Fourth Round:

30/38 signed

Fifth Round:

36/36 signed

Sixth Round:

42/42 signed

Seventh Round:

41/41 signed

All seven rounds:

239/262 signed

It’s the middle of July and there are only 23 unsigned draft picks. In this regard, the 2011 CBA was a gift. The days of holdouts and teams not signing draft picks until July were dreadful. The base numbers for a draft pick’s rookie deal is determined the moment he’s drafted. There signings should be a breeze. 

Despite the slotted contract numbers, the second-round signings routinely lag behind those of other rounds. I’ve always found it strange. It’s not like there’s much to negotiate. I guess agents still do their damndest to get close to first-round treatment for players drafted so close to the first round. 

The only unsigned players in the third round are the quarterbacks. Desmond Ridder, Malik Willis, and Matt Corral. 

The signing status of the fourth round picks is bizarre. The Houston Texans are the reason for the slow fourth round signings. They selected Florida running back Dameon Pierce with the second pick in the fourth round. The base numbers for these rookie contracts are determined by where the player is selected. The Texans exceeded the numbers slotted for Pierce by $25,000. Until recently, he was the only player in the first half of the fourth round that had signed. Over the past few weeks, there’s been some movement on fourth-round signings. The player selected before Pierce and six of the seven players selected after him are still unsigned. The Texans threw a curve ball into the NFL’s draft pick signing system. The NFL doesn’t much care for curve balls thrown into their systems. 

After a signing flurry soon after the draft, draft pick signings have slowed for the Minnesota Vikings. The team’s two second round picks are the only unsigned picks. 

Vikings Rookie Signings:

1. Lewis Cine, S, Georgia-Signed

2. Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson

2. Ed Ingram, G, LSU

3. Brian Asomoah, LB, Oklahoma-Signed

4. Akayleb Evans, CB, Missouri-Signed

5. Esezi Otomeco, DL, Minnesota-Signed

5. Ty Chandler, RB, North Carolina-Signed

6. Vederian Lowe, OT, Illinois-Signed

6. Jalen Nailor, WR, Michigan State-Signed

7. Nick Muse, TE, South Carolina-Signed

 

As with the rest of the league, the Vikings have stalled in getting their second round picks signed.  

Teams that have signed their entire draft class:

Arizona

Buffalo

Cincinnati

Dallas

Denver 

Detroit

Houston 

Indianapolis

Jacksonville

Kansas City

Las Vegas

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami

New England

Philadelphia

Pittsburgh

San Francisco

Washington

Training camps start opening in less than three weeks. 13 of the league’s teams still have some draft picks to sign. 

Breakout Candidates: AFC West

Finally, it’s the AFC West’s turn. Here are some breakout candidates from the teams in that division. Some say that this is going to be an exciting division. 

Kansas City Chiefs

JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR

With the departure of Tyreek Hill, the Kansas City Chiefs have had something of a makeover at the receiver position. I really like the addition of rookie Skyy Moore. I’m going with the veteran addition. JuJu Smith-Schuster. A few years ago, Smith-Schuster was a rising receiver in the league. He was terrific playing opposite Antonio Brown. Things changed. Brown lost his mind and left town and Ben Roethlisberger got a lot older. JuJu is still JuJu. Now, he has Patrick Mahomes. It’s easy to imagine Smith-Schuster breaking out for the Chiefs.

Los Angeles Chargers

Rashawn Slater, OT

Rashawn Slater had an excellent rookie season. Can he emerge as one of the league’s better left tackles in his second season? I think so.

Denver Broncos

Patrick Surtain II, CB

Like Rashawn Slater, Patrick Surtain II had an outstanding rookie season. Like Slater, I think that Surtain emerges as one of the league’s best at his position in his second season.

Las Vegas Raiders

Trevon Moehrig, S

The Raiders have an interesting safety duo with Trevon Moehrig and Johnathan Abram. I think that they have the talent to break out together. I’ll go with Moehrig in this exercise. I really liked him in the 2021 NFL Draft. 

Breakout Candidates: AFC South

Here are some breakout candidates for the teams from the AFC South.

Tennessee Titans

Jeffery Simmons, DT

Most would say that Jeffery Simmons has already broken out. I have him as a breakout candidate because I think that he’s going to distance himself from the pack of very good defensive tackles. He’s going to play at a level somewhere between them and Aaron Donald. 

Indianapolis Colts

Kwity Paye, DE

The Indianapolis Colts have built an interesting defense. It’s an interesting mix of young and old. Kwity Paye is one of the young players. He was one of my favorite players in the 2021 NFL Draft. I think that he has a breakout season playing on this interesting Colts defense. 

Houston Texans

Derek Stingley Jr., CB

The guess here is that Derek Stingley Jr. plays more like he did as a freshman at LSU than he did the last two rocky seasons. Stingley was my dream pick for the Minnesota Vikings. It was a dream that he’d be available at the 12th pick until the Texans stole him with the third pick. He’s an outstanding cornerback talent and I think that he breaks out as a rookie.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Laviska Shenault Jr., WR

It’s tempting to go with rookie linebacker Devin Lloyd. I’m going with a player that I thought might break out last year. I enjoyed watching Laviska Shenault Jr. in college. I didn’t much care for him when Colorado played Cal but his other games were fun. He reminded me of Percy Harvin. Perhaps not as explosive. Few players have ever been or ever will be as explosive as Harvin. Shenault has the traits to be a receiver-back like Harvin, Cordarrelle Patterson, and now Deebo Samuel. Some seem to think that Samuel created the position but it’s been around the league for a very long time. Lenny Moore, Bobby Mitchell, and Charley Taylor are in Canton for scaring the hell out of defenses in multiple ways. Anyway, I believe that Shenault will break out this season with his ability to hurt defenses in multiple ways. 

Breakout Candidates: AFC East

It’s on to the AFC East. Here are some breakout candidates from the teams in that division.

Buffalo Bills

Kaiir Elam, CB

The Buffalo Bills have one of the most talented rosters in the league. Most of the players with the talent to break out already have broken out. Some in a big way. The Bills added a couple of players in the draft that could make an impact as rookies. Cornerback Kaiir Elam and running back James Cook. I’m going with Elam as the team’s breakout candidate. He’s long, smooth, and athletic. His path to starting is clear and he’ll be paired with Tre’Davious White on a very good defense. 

New England Patriots

DeVante Parker, WR

DeVante Parker should break out for his new team. The New England Patriots need him to break out. After repeatedly missing on receivers in the draft, the Patriots again turn to the trade to hopefully solve their problems at the receiver position.

Miami Dolphins

Tyreek Hill, WR

Another established receiver with a new team. The Dolphins spent fairly heavily to add Tyreek Hill to their offense. Hill and Jaylen Waddle will give the Dolphins a blazing receiving duo. 

New York Jets

Alijah Vera-Tucker, G

It’s good to have an offensive lineman as a breakout candidate. Alijah Vera-Tucker was very good as a rookie. He should emerge as one of the better guards in the league in his second season. 

Breakout Candidates: AFC North

It’s the AFC’s turn. How are some breakout candidates for the teams of the AFC North. 

Baltimore Ravens

Rashod Bateman, WR

With the departure of Marquise Brown, Rashod Bateman is the best receiver on a team that needs production from their receivers. Personally, I think that Bateman would’ve been the best receiver on the Ravens even if Brown hadn’t departed. 

Cincinnati Bengals

Sam Hubbard, DE

In his first season with the team, Trey Hendrickson made a big impact on the Bengals defense last year. With the attention paid to Hendrickson on one side of the line, it’s easy to imagine the productive Sam Hubbard giving offenses problems on the other side of the line.

Pittsburgh Steelers

James Daniels, G

The Steelers had to improve their offensive line. James Daniels was probably the most significant addition. When on the field, he was a very promising, productive offensive lineman for the Chicago Bears. He was so promising and productive that I was very surprised when the Bears let him get out of their building.

Cleveland Browns

Jeremiah Owuso-Koramoah, LB

The Browns found a steal in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. I still don’t get how Jeremiah Owuso-Koramoah made it out of the first round. I know there were injury concerns. The Browns benefited from those concerns. If Owuso-Koramoah can stay on the field, I think that he’ll emerge as one of the most productive, most versatile, and most fun defensive players in the league. 

Breakout Candidates: NFC West

It’s on to the NFC West. Here are breakout candidates for each of the NFC West teams.  

Los Angeles Rams

Cam Akers, RB

Cam Akers was supposed to break out last season. Then he suffered a torn Achilles while preparing for training camp. Somehow, he made it back for the regular season finale and his team’s playoff run to the Super Bowl. He was good in his return but he has the talent and the offense to be so much better. His breakout season moves to this season. 

San Francisco 49ers

Javon Kinlaw, DT

Javon Kinlaw was supposed to break out last season. If his knee issues are behind him, he’ll break out this season. He’s too big (6’5”, 319lbs) and too talented not to break out. He’s in a great defense. If he stays on the field, Kinlaw will break out this season. 

Arizona Cardinals

Rondale Moore, WR

With newly-acquired Marquise Brown, A.J. Green, and DeAndre Hopkins (when he returns from suspension) around, it’s easy to overlook Rondale Moore. He’s 5’7”. If defenses overlook Moore, they will be burned. Moore is a good, fun, versatile receiver. I think that he breaks out from the receivers around him.

Seattle Seahawks

Uchenna Nwosu, Edge

After three seasons of situational pass rushing, Uchenna Nwosu finally got starting opportunities last season with Los Angeles Chargers. He earned a chance to start for some team. The Seattle Seahawks decided to be that team. Nwosu should pair with Darrell Taylor to give the Seahawks an intriguing pass rushing duo. 

Breakout Candidates: NFC South

The NFC South is up next. Here are breakout candidates from each of the NFC South teams. 

Tamps Bay Buccaneers

Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Edge

Joe Tyron-Shoyinka had a strong rookie season last season. It only follows that he breaks out this season with an unquestioned starting role. Long and athletic with an obvious pass rushing burst, Tyron-Shoyinka really just needed to learn and refine his technique. As a rookie, he looked like a quick learner. 

Atlanta Falcons

Drake London, WR

The Atlanta Falcons selected Drake London with the eighth pick of the 2022 NFL Draft to be a difference-maker. Without having played a snap in the league, he’s already the team’s best receiver. The Falcons need London to break out as a rookie.

Carolina Panthers

Derrick Brown, DT

Derrick Brown moves like a much smaller man. At 6’5” and 320 lbs, he gets through the offensive line in a flash. He can do everything asked of an interior defensive lineman. He can disrupt the backfield. He can anchor the line of scrimmage. In his first two seasons, he’s been a very good football player. In his third season, he should be a great football player.

New Orleans Saints

Paulson Adebo, CB

Paulson Adebo has the talent to be an excellent cornerback in the league. He earned a starting role last season as a rookie. I think that he breaks out this season partly because of his talent but mostly because of the talent around him. Marshon Lattimore starts opposite Adebo. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson is a feisty, effective nickel. This offseason, the Saints had a safety makeover. They signed Tyrann Mathieu and Marcus Maye. Adebo should thrive in this secondary. 

Pro Football Hall of Fame Senior and Coach/Contributor Semi-Finalists

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced 54 semi-finalists in the Seniors and Coach/Contributor categories for the Class of 2023. 

The Hall’s 12-member Seniors Committee named 25 semi-finalists from a list of nominees. Separately, the 12-member Coach/Contributor Committee named 29 semi-finalists from a list of nominees. Each committee will now consider the semi-finalist candidates and vote to advance 12 seniors and 12 Coach/Contributor to the finalist stage. The results of the votes will be announced July 27. The Seniors Committee will meet August 16 to select up to three Seniors for final consideration as members of the Class of 2023. The Coach/Contributor Committee will meet August 23 to select one Coach or Contributor for final consideration as a member of the Class of 2023. 

In previous years, the only part of the process that was made public was the final stage. Transparency has brought the the naming of semi-finalists and finalist to public view and scrutiny. It’s nice to see the names of those that are being considered. Now, a host of fans will be excited for a few weeks about the Hall of Fame possibilities of their favorite Seniors, Coaches, and Contributors. 

Senior Semi-finalists

• Ken Anderson
• Maxie Baughan
• Mark Clayton
• Roger Craig
• LaVern Dilweg
• Randy Gradishar
• Lester Hayes
• Chris Hinton
• Chuck Howley
• Cecil Isbell
• Joe Jacoby
• Billie "White Shoes" Johnson
• Mike Kenn
• Joe Klecko
• Bob Kuechenberg
• George Kunz
• Jim Marshall
• Clay Matthews Jr.
• Eddie Meador
• Stanley Morgan
• Tommy Nobis
• Ken Riley
• Sterling Sharpe
• Otis Taylor
• Everson Walls

Coach/Contributor Semi-finalists

• K.S. "Bud" Adams Jr.
• Roone Arledge
• C.O. Brocato
• Don Coryell
• Otho Davis
• Ralph Hay
• Mike Holmgren
• Frank "Bucko" Kilroy
• Eddie Kotal
• Robert Kraft
• Rich McKay
• John McVay
• Art Modell
• Clint Murchison Jr.
• Buddy Parker
• Carl Peterson
• Dan Reeves
• Lee Remmel
• Art Rooney Jr.
• Marty Schottenheimer
• Jerry Seeman
• Mike Shanahan
• Clark Shaughnessy
• Seymour Siwoff
• Amy Trask
• Jim Tunney
• Jack Vainisi
• Lloyd Wells

The name that pops for this Minnesota Vikings fan is, of course, Jim Marshall. Weighing the Hall of Fame candidacy of Marshall has cost me so much sleep over the past decades. He’s one of my all-time favorite Vikings. He was the leader, heart, and soul of the greatest era in franchise’s history. Bud Grant vouches for his Hall of Fame worthiness. So does Fran Tarkenton. So do his teammates and coaches. They know more about his impact on and for the team than I ever will. Jim Marshall was a very good football player. That’s the problem. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is supposed to separate the great from the very good. Marshall made only two Pro Bowls. He was the third best player on his own defensive line. Marshall was a very good football player that did some remarkable things. Some of those remarkable things are deserving of Hall of Fame consideration. That’s why he’s a semi-finalist. His durability is unmatched in league history. He played defensive end for a ridiculous 20 years. He started every single game of his 19-year Vikings career. Every single game. Every damn game. Brett Favre passed his consecutive starts mark but he was a quarterback. A very protected quarterback. Marshall saw no snap-to-snap protection from opponents or officials. The Hall voters often knock players with durability issues. One would think that unprecedented durability would raise up a player. Marshall also shares the league record for opposing fumble recoveries. He shares that record with Hall of Famer Jason Taylor. Marshall was a very good football player with some Hall-worthy accomplishments. Thus, the debate. Internal and otherwise. If Marshall gets that Hall of Fame call, I’ll be thrilled and I’ll be in Canton for his induction. 

The Seniors list is a fine list. I can’t believe that Al Wistert isn’t on it. 

If the selection process was up to me, my three Seniors for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023 would be…

LaVern Dilweg

Cecil Isbell

Chuck Howley

Dilweg  played his last game 88 years ago. Isbell played his last game 80 years ago. Very long waits. Too long. 

Again, I’d be thrilled if Jim Marshall finally made it. I’d be in Canton if he did. I’m just not sure that he’s a Hall of Famer. 

As for the Coach/Contributor, I’ll go with…

Clark Shaugnessy

His fingerprints are all over the game’s evolution.