Tag: Rick Spielman

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Must-Watch Trio at Vikings Training Camp

Training camp has just begun, and these next two weeks will make or break many Minnesota Vikings careers. Three players in particular are vying for thee valuable roster spots, but there’s no guarantee they’ll make the team. With limited time to prove themselves, who will earn a gig with the purple and gold?

Laquon Treadwell

Saying that Treadwell has a lot to prove during training camp would be an understatement. He’s still chasing the third wide receiver spot, but his “prove it” season already passed and there are rookies nipping at his heels. Most of his money this year is guaranteed, but releasing him would free up a little bit of cap space and open a roster spot. That said, cutting a first round pick marks failure for GM Rick Spielman, and he may treat Treadwell like Cordarelle Patterson. Cordarelle was another botched first-rounder, but Spielman kept him around until his contract expired. Treadwell did train with Kirk Cousins during the offseason… perhaps they found some new chemistry. At the end of the day, everyone wants Treadwell to succeed.

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Aviante Collins

Some Vikings fans may not even know of offensive lineman Aviante Collins, but it’s time to pay attention. The backup guard and tackle received rave reviews from the late Tony Sparano last year, but he was quickly sidelined with an arm injury. Collins can play multiple positions on the line, which is valuable in the injury-plagued NFL. If he has a good camp, he might be able to steal the backup job from veteran Rashod Hill. At the end of the day, Aviante’s fate likely rides on new offensive line coach Rick Dennison.

Kentrell Brothers

Brothers is another name that Vikings fans may not be familiar with. Minnesota already has an excellent linebacker duo with Eric Kendricks playing in the middle, and Anthony Barr at strongside, so Brothers rarely sees the field. After the Vikings drafted him in 2016, the fifth rounder has mainly played on special teams. Special teams is a great place to start, but he hasn’t taken the next step and is heading into a contract year. With young linebackers like Devante Downs and Cam Smith in camp, Brothers has a lot to prove in the coming weeks. Hopefully this will be the year of the Brothers breakthrough.

Which of these three do you think will make the roster? Leave your comments below!

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Vikings Are Backed Into A Corner

Up and coming cornerback Holton Hill is suspended for half the regular season, and first round pick Mike Hughes is still recovering from a torn ACL. It’s not ideal, but the Vikings are built to weather this storm.

Hill and Hughes are both talented players, but they’re still backups at this point in their careers. Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, and Mackenzie Alexander are Minnesota’s starting corners, and they can definitely hold down the fort with the young guns out. But this is the NFL, and injuries are bound to happen. No one wants to jinx it, but it’s important to have a plan B. Fortunately, the Vikings have several options if the injury bug strikes.

There are three backup corners that come to mind beyond Hill and Hughes. Ironically, two of the three were teammates with Hill back in Texas:

  • Kris Boyd (University of Texas)

A seventh-round pick who reportedly played well during OTAs, Boyd is the frontrunner for a roster spot as training camp begins. Don’t be fooled by how late he was drafted… Boyd’s college teammate Holton Hill went undrafted and still performed well. Coach Zimmer has an affinity for corners, and he’ll aim for a smooth transition with the 22 year-old Boyd. 

  • Duke Thomas (University of Texas)

Minnesota’s third Texas product is rookie Duke Thomas. Having not been drafted, Thomas has a lot to prove, but a little time at training camp can go a long way. His relationships with both Hill and Boyd should help him transition to the NFL. Having come from the same school as Hill, Vikings fans can only hope he’s as talented.

  • Craig James (Southern Illinois University)

James played for the Vikings during the 2018 preseason as a rookie, and he’ll look for a bigger role in year two. It’s hard to predict how things will shake out, but James knows Zimmer’s system, and he’ll create good competition for the rookies. James could also really boost his stock if he finds a role on special teams.

When faced with a shortage of corners in the past, Zimmer hasn’t been afraid to shake things up a bit. Back in 2015, Zim shifted a safety to the corner position, and he may opt to do it again in a pinch. It wouldn’t be ideal, but Jayron Kearse or Marcus Epps could play corner as a last resort.

The other option is to bring in an outsider, whether that be through free agency or a trade. There aren’t many great prospects available right now, but GM Rick Spielman worked out three veterans in the past week: 

  • Dexter McDonald

The former Oakland Raider is perhaps the most intriguing of the free agent options. McDonald has had some injury issues throughout his three-year career, but he’s an athletic freak still trying to stick in the NFL. Before the 2015 draft, McDonald wowed scouts by vertical-jumping higher than the measuring device, and he’s now hoping to jump onto Minnesota’s roster.

  • Orlando Scandrick

At 32 years old, Scandrick has plenty of NFL experience. That said, he’s had several significant injuries during his career, including ACL and MCL tears. Scandrick was also suspended for using performance-enhancing drugs back in 2014. Since then, he’s spent time with the Cowboys, Redskins, and Chiefs. Perhaps the Vikings would consider him based on his experience, but it seems risky given his injury history and age.

  • Morris Claiborne

As a former first-round pick, Claiborne is another intriguing option. After being drafted by the Cowboys in 2012, Claiborne spent time competing against Orlando Scandrick in Dallas while battling the injury bug. One of the biggest knocks on him was his horrible score on the Wonderlic test, which is a cognitive ability test given to NFL prospects before the draft. Claiborne had the worst score in twelve years with a 4/50, so it will be interesting to see if Zimmer would consider bringing him to his complex system.

Lastly, Spielman could also try to get Captain Munnerlyn back from Carolina. Captain was excellent as a Minnesota Viking, but it could be costly to get him back in purple. Trades and free agents are always risky, but you never know what Slick Rick has up his sleeve.

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Offensive Line No Longer Offensive

For the first time in years, the Minnesota Vikings have a real shot at putting together a SOLID offensive line, just in time for the regular season.

Can anyone really remember a time when a Vikings quarterback was well protected? Not within the past five, perhaps even 10 years. Hopefully you weren’t fooled by the 2017 front five… the Vikings had a scrappy escape artist by the name of Case Keenum back then. As elusive as a New Year’s resolution, he was able to mask many of the line’s woes.

But the past doesn’t really matter. The only thing Vikings fans can hope for is that GM Rick Spielman learned some lessons in building a Norse wall. The good news? He did. Unlike last year, Minnesota is poised to protect the $84 million man this season.

Here’s the proof:

Offensive Tackles:

As bad as the line has been, Spielman has made some smart moves along the way. Riley Reiff is no All-Pro, but he is reliable and experienced at left tackle. At 30 years old, he makes for a great leader. Opposite of Reiff, draft pick Brian O’Neill proved people wrong at right tackle last year. He didn’t allow a sack in 15 games played… so much for being undersized. With these two, there’s no need to trade for a guy like Trent Williams.

Centers:

Drumroll, please. After seven long years, Rick Spielman finally spent a first round pick on an OFFENSIVE LINEMAN. Wow, what a relief. Everyone loves drafting athletic cornerbacks, but this pick was long overdue. Garrett Bradbury is the missing piece in the offensive line puzzle. 

With Bradbury ready to start at center, new and experienced offensive line coach Rick Dennison can slide Pat Elflein back to guard, a position he mastered in college. Spielman also smartly traded for an experienced backup early last season, as Brett Jones is more than capable if the need arises.

Guards:

Elflein looks like the obvious choice to start at left guard, and newly acquired veteran Josh Kline may start at right. But what makes this year different is the open competition for either of these spots. Even if Elflein and Kline win their respective gigs, there’s more talent waiting in the wings. Dru Samia and Danny Isidora are still learning the ropes, but don’t be surprised if one of them is starting by midseason.

Coaching:

The loss of Tony Sparano last year was both shocking and devastating to morale. He was a dedicated coach, and now Rick Dennison will try to fill his shoes. It’s a tall task, but Dennison has what it takes to make Sparano proud. With the aforementioned linemen and his new zone blocking scheme, Dennison will build a SOLID offensive line.

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Underdog Safety Becomes Vikings X-Factor

Minnesota Vikings safety Anthony Harris is finally getting the recognition he deserves. The Star Tribune recently reported that Harris was Minnesota’s highest graded player last year, and Pro Football Focus predicts he will be their X-factor this season. It’s time for fans to really get to know the breakout safety.

Harris wasn’t well known coming out of the University of Virginia, and his name wasn’t called during the 2015 draft. As was the case with Adam Thielen, Rick Spielman was willing to take a chance on the underdog, and the Vikings have been developing the raw safety ever since. It’s taken Harris a few years, but he’s finally made a name for himself with big plays like dual interceptions against the Bears and a critical forced fumble against the Rams.

Like many NFL hopefuls, when Harris first joined the Vikings, he found a role on special teams. Eventually, he became one of the rare undrafted rookies to earn a spot on the team’s 53-man roster. Injuries to starting safeties Andrew Sendejo and Harrison Smith opened up opportunities for Harris, and he made the most of them. 

Sendejo missed the majority of last season with a leg injury, and Harris proved he could handle a full workload. Training alongside the All-Pro Harrison Smith definitely helped his development, as he showed the football I.Q. and vision of a seasoned veteran. Those proved to be key traits as he worked towards earning the starting gig long-term. 

At the end of last season, Spielman had the choice of re-signing Sendejo, or Harris. Even though Sendejo had seniority, he’s always been a liability, frequently getting flagged or even suspended for illegal hits. Harris, on the other hand, rarely blows an assignment or gives up a big play. And, he ultimately stole Sendejo’s job.

On and off the gridiron, people love Anthony’s fun personality. After a big play, he’s like the Diggs of the defense, rallying the crowd with a clever dance or by shaking his distinctive dreads. Fans may underestimate the importance of this kind of enthusiasm, but coaches and players know it helps the team build camaraderie, and it keeps morale up when the chips are down.

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After this season, Spielman will be faced with a big decision of whether or not to keep Harris. He’s on the last year of his contract and, and if he doesn’t get a new deal, he’ll be packing his Gucci bags and leaving the north. If Slick Rick is wise, he’ll finish what he started with Harris and sign him to a long term contract.

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A Bad Marriage for the Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings seemed poised to win the NFC North last season, but a botched arranged marriage between John DeFilippo and Mike Zimmer quickly sent the team’s hopes south. With Gary Kubiak now at Zimmer’s side, the Vikings are poised to take back the north.

I was optimistic about the signing of “Flip” last year, but it ended up being a blind date gone wrong. John came to Minnesota with a short resume, and Rick Spielman’s gamble on the young offensive coordinator ended up costing the Vikings their spot atop the division. Gary Kubiak is more of an old-school coach and a much better match for Zimmer and the Vikings offense. He’s only listed as the “Offensive Advisor,” but I expect the veteran will be wearing the pants in this year’s offense.

You can already start to see Kubiak’s influence on the offense. Gary has an affinity for tight ends, and Minnesota opted to re-sign Kyle Rudoph after months of deliberation. I expect Kubiak to get a great season out of Rudy, even on the backside of his career. He also loves the ground game, so the Vikings spent a high draft pick on running back Alexander Mattison. Running the ball was a huge point of contention between Zimmer and DeFilippo last year. DeFilippo preferred a passing attack, while Zimmer wanted to control the tempo with the run. Obviously, Flip’s strategy didn’t work, and he’s still salty about his time in the north. The new Jaguars coordinator recently spoke to Jacksonville reporters about working for the Vikings:

“I’m not going to make a lot of comments about that, about some of the things that happened up there… Every play I’ve called in my tenure as an offensive coordinator has been what I think gives our team the best chance for success.”

Some analysts argue that the NFL is past the days of having a single “bell cow” running back. I agree that the Adrian Peterson era is gone, but juggernauts like the Patriots rode their running backs right into the playoffs last year. New England has one of the best quarterbacks of all time in Tom Brady, but they took pressure off of him by using an efficient committee of backs. You can expect Kubiak to replicate that this year with rookie Alexander Mattison and Dalvin Cook.

Any team looking to make a run at the Super Bowl needs to take care of business in their division. There will never be an easy path to the playoffs, but the Vikings now have the power couple capable of winning the NFC North.

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Barr and Carr Believe this will be a Bounce-Back Year

Based on past trends and the present roster, the Minnesota Vikings are poised to bounce back from the disappointing 2018 season. Several insiders including Anthony Barr and David Carr believe the Vikings are primed for a stellar year, but is it too early to be drinking the purple Koolaid?

It’s that time of year — when football fans are busy making bold predictions about the upcoming season. While I don’t give much credibility to armchair quarterbacks, I do put stock in actual NFL analysts like David Carr. The former quarterback and number-one overall pick predicts Zimmer, with the help of Gary Kubiak, will win his first ring this year. “This offense will undoubtedly be better with Gary Kubiak and Kevin Stefanski running the show,” Carr said on NFL.com. “Cousins played some of his best football in Washington under Kyle Shanahan, whose offense is a clone of Kubiak’s. Kubiak won a ring as Denver’s head coach in 2015, and now he helps Zim get his.”

Carr isn’t the only one who expects big things from the Vikings, as team captain Anthony Barr recently raved about Minnesota’s budding offense and agreed that the team is on the brink of a successful season. “Every year that we’ve had a down year, we’ve always bounced back,” Barr said on Good Morning Football. “The masterminds they have on the offensive side are going to pay dividends.” As a player, Anthony is closer to the team than a reporter could ever be, and I trust him when he says this will be a better year. It’s also worth noting that during the offseason, Barr turned down more money from the New York Jets to stay with the Vikings. He obviously sees more potential in his coaches and teammates here in Minnesota, or he would have left for greener pastures.

Endorsements from respected players aside, past performance also indicates the Vikings will bounce back in 2019. From a historical perspective, the team performs better during odd years. Here’s a brief rundown of the past few seasons under Zimmer’s leadership:

2014: 7 wins, 9 losses, missed playoffs

2015: 11 wins, 5 losses, made playoffs

2016: 8 wins, 8 losses, missed playoffs

2017: 13 wins, 3 losses, made playoffs

2018: 8 wins, 7 losses, 1 tie, missed playoffs

Let’s hope history repeats itself. I think Spielman’s draft picks, along with Kubiak’s coaching, will propel us into the postseason. So grab a glass folks, it’s time to drink some purple propaganda.

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My Compliments to the Chef


The recent suspension of cornerback Holton Hill has some fans questioning GM Rick Spielman’s judgement. But, Slick Rick’s gambles have paid off in the past as evidenced by Dalvin Cook.

Much like Holton, Dalvin “The Chef” Cook was deemed a “problem child” coming into the 2017 draft, and his run-ins with the law ran him right out of the first round.

Despite Dalvin’s checkered past, the Vikings spent a second-round pick on the Florida native, and it has certainly paid off. The former FSU Seminole (and their all-time leading rusher) quickly turned into a real asset for Minnesota, logging 4.7 yards per attempt over his first two years in the north. Cook’s ability to catch passes also makes him a much more dynamic back than predecessor Adrian Peterson.

Injuries excluded, Minnesota’s lead back has stayed out of trouble and proven Rick right for taking a risk. With so many stars missing time due to suspensions, Spielman is undoubtedly glad to have someone like Cook on the roster. Aside from his obvious skillset, Dalvin has a no-nonsense attitude and leads by example in the locker room. Former Vikings corner and respected coach Terence Newman recognized Cook’s work ethic during his rookie year:

“He’s a young man who comes to work, he gets in his locker, he minds his own business.”

Off the gridiron, Dalvin is also becoming a respected figure in the Twin Cities community. Back in June, he won the first-ever “Iron Viking” charity cooking contest, and he passed on his skills to kids from the Boys & Girls Club a few months later. The amateur cook was also recently spotted at a high school basketball event where he interacted with some lucky players and fans.

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With his great work ethic and undeniable talent, I expect the chef will be serving touchdowns in Minnesota for years to come.

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