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Like who? Kalil and Robinson both not playing great, Loadholt not staring but busy when fit. The talk out of the camp (that I've heard) is Griffin is great for the team.
Were you thinking defense or offense?
(possibly a pair of receivers? Maybe a certain RB??)
 
J-dog said:
Like who? Kalil and Robinson both not playing great, Loadholt not staring but busy when fit. The talk out of the camp (that I've heard) is Griffin is great for the team.
Were you thinking defense or offense?
(possibly a pair of receivers? Maybe a certain RB??)
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Defence is the area I'd keep an eye on, and the Cornerbacks in particular. It wouldn't surprise me if names like Munnerlyn , Robinson, Sherels were amongst the cuts because they don't fit the Zimmer template.

Kalil will retain his spot just to see if his recovery from knee surgery is successful. The Vikings paid big time when they cut McKinnie and I doubt they want to go down that road again without an obvious backup plan.

The same goes for Cordarrelle Patterson because he has possible upside and guaranteed money because he was a first round pick. If he fails again this season though I could see him not making it into 2016
 

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Good to see AP back around the team, one step closer. Good to also see him say it was good to get back with the coaches and players, the people he cares about.

Don't care if he hates the front office, just ball out for the team.

Hopefully there's no underlying goal here...
 
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OTAs are probably the only time that the coaches have to experiment with players in new position and here's how the offensive line depth chart is shaping up after the first two weeks of OTAs

LT Matt Kalil, Tyrus Thompson,
LG Brandon Fusco, Austin Shepherd
C John Sullivan, Joe Berger
RG T.J. Clemmings, Carter Bykowski
RT Phil Loadholt, David Yankey
on the outside: Zac Kerin, Tom Farniok, Bobby Vardaro, Mike Harris, Babatunde Aiyegbusi

Mike Harris was the primary backup at LT last year, but he struggled big time after he was asked to take over from Matt Kalil and it looks like he might struggle to make the team.

The Vikings traditionally keep 9 OL so it'll be interesting to see which of the backups misses out. I'd also expect the Vikings to keep at least two OL on the practice squad.
 
5 questions for the Vikings offence to answer in 2015:

1. Can TE Kyle Rudolph have an injury free year?
Rudolph has played only two full football seasons in the past six during his time at Minnesota and Notre Dame but is an intriguing option in passing game when fully fit. OC Norv Turner loves TEs, but the Vikings could be forced down a replacement path if Rudolph has a problematic 2015

2. Can QB Teddy Bridgewater avoid a sophomore slump.
Bridgewater was thrust into the starters role after Matt Cassell was injured in Week 3 last year and he had a great rookie season (64.4% completion records, 2919 yards passing, 14 TDs and 12 INTs). With Bridgewater entering his 2nd season, the addition of Mike Wallace, a fit Kyle Rudolph and the return of Adrian Peterson, I'm expecting Norv Turner to really open up the playbook in 2015. I have confidence that Bridgewater is the kind of guy that will excel in the Turner offence.

3. Can Cordarelle Patterson get back in the coaches good books.
2014 was a disaster for Patterson as a pattern of poor route running and lack of understanding of the playbook caused him to regress and eventually be replaced by Charles Johnson. Patterson has vowed to improve, but another year where his only contribution is on kick returns will see his roster spot in danger.

4. Can the OL solidify and protect Bridgewater.
With three starters (Kalil, Fusco, Loadholt) coming off injuries in 2014, and new starters at left and right guard (Fusco moving from RG to LG and rookie T.J. Clemmings slotting into RG) there are many questions about how good the OL will play in 2015. A repeat of 2014 (51 sacks allowed) will be a disasterous scenario for the Vikings.

5. Will Adrian Peterson be "Adrian Peterson" or "Adrian Peterson in decline"
Peterson turned 30 in March this year and 30 is traditionally the age that RBs start to decline. Peterson has shown in the past to be a physical freak, and the Vikings have carefully managed his work load during his career, but, only time will tell on this one.....
 
A 20-year naming rights deal on the Vikings' new stadium has been announced with U.S. Bank ponying up $220 million over 25 years, an average of $8.8 million a year.

The deal highlights just how little personal money the Wilf's have to contribute to the stadium.

As of March 2015, the overall budget is estimated to be $1.061 billion, of which $348 million is coming from the state of Minnesota, $150 million from the city of Minneapolis, and $551 million coming from the team and private contributions

The $551 million can be broken down as follows:

a) a $200 million loan from the NFL
b) $220 million for naming rights to the stadium
c) $100 million for personal seat licenses (ie life seats)
d) and finally $31 million from the Wilfs

The contribution from the Wilf's is likely to be only a small percentage of one years profit gained from running the Vikings. Nice work if you can get it....
 
Vikings CB Josh Robinson suffered a partially torn pectoral before minicamp.

Robinson is expected to be sidelined for training camp and could be a candidate for reserve/PUP. It gives rookie Trae Waynes a clearer path to playing time behind Terence Newman and Captain Munnerlyn. Robinson is scheduled to make $1.55 million in the final year of his rookie deal.

Source: ESPN.com
 
GG said:
Vikings CB Josh Robinson suffered a partially torn pectoral before minicamp.

Robinson is expected to be sidelined for training camp and could be a candidate for reserve/PUP. It gives rookie Trae Waynes a clearer path to playing time behind Terence Newman and Captain Munnerlyn. Robinson is scheduled to make $1.55 million in the final year of his rookie deal.

Source: ESPN.com
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I'm not expecting Robinson to make the final roster. Zimmerman prefers his CBs to be 6' plus and Robinson is unlikely to beat out Munnerlyn (the other height deficient CB on the squad) for the nickle spot.
 
Our acquisition of Mike Wallace changes everything.

- Ripple effect because he takes CB1 = Charles Johnson and Cordarrelle Patterson will combine for 1700+ yds and 15+ TDs.
- Having two receivers (Wallace and Cordarrelle) that can blow the lid off secondaries = AD will not face 8-man boxes like he did in 2012 = Rudolph will get off the chain underneath.

This is all contingent on the expected progression of Teddy in Year 2.

Save for the 2009 Favre season, I will be jumping out of bed at 4am on a Monday to watch the boys play (c/f crawling) for the first time in 15 years. It won't be painful sitting thru the 3 hours because our offense is capable of putting up points, we will be a top 10 defense AND our coach is an absolute professional. Time to bury the ghosts of Childresses, Tarvarises, Frerottes, Fraziers and Ponders of seasons past and drool as Barr, Griffen, Floyd, Smith and Rhodes sodomize ARod and those arrogant pricks in Wisconsin. Go Vikes!
 
The game of musical chairs at right guard continues with Mike Harris taking 1st team snaps at Vikings training camp.

So far in OTAs (and now training camp) the Vikings have tried Mike Harris, T.J. Clemmings, Tyrus Thompson, David Yankey and Joe Berger at RG, but it looks like Mike Harris may now have the inside running.

The HOF Game is only a couple of weeks away and I wouldn't expect too many more players to be experimented at the position.

The OL is currently: Kalil (LT), Fusco (LG), Sullivan (C), Harris (RG), Loadholt (RT)

T.J. Clemmings has been moved back to tackle with the second team.

In other news ILB Casey Matthews has been placed on IR and will not play in 2015. Audie Cole and Eric Kendricks took turns with the first-team defense as the Vikings' starting middle linebacker on the 1st day of training camp
 
USA Today's Tom Pelissero chats to Mike Zimmer:

Question: You had so much to deal with in your first season as a head coach. Now everyone keeps talking about how calm things are here. Can you enjoy it? Or are you just paranoid about what could possibly happen in Year 2?
Answer: I think every team has things that they have to deal with throughout the course of a season. I'm sure we'll have some, too. But it's nice being settled at the quarterback position. Coaching's a lot like being a fireman — you're putting out fires a lot. There's something happening all the time. It's very similar for defensive coaches. Offensive coaches are always trying to trick you and scheme you. Defensive coaches are always trying to put out the fires.

Q: Your background is as a defensive coach. Are you dividing your time any differently here than last year?
A: Well, I'm getting in some of the other meetings a little bit more, but it's just starting. So, we'll see how this goes. I'll probably run the defensive meeting tonight.

Q: I found it interesting you said you'll do more inside-run drills this year to continue building the tough mentality you want. Was this team not tough enough last year?
A: No, I don't think that. We didn't do any inside run (last year). And it's not going to be live. But it's just a little bit more of coming off the ball, hitting somebody offensively, being able to take on blocks — it's just mentality. I want us to keep progressing as a tough, smart and passionate football team. This game is about tough, smart people. And the mentality of that is really what I want our team to have.

Q: How else do you try to build that?
A: In the weight room, the offseason program. I told the players today, 'If it rains today, we're staying out. I don't care if it's hailing or what. As long as it ain't lightning, we're staying out.' So, sometimes it's just the message that you preach.

Q: I heard in OTAs you practiced one day in a total downpour and nobody had ever seen anything like it.
A: The first day (laughs). That was something. I said that today because it was supposed to rain a little bit. Players said, 'Hey, Coach, we already know we ain't going in.' I just want them to have that mentality. And nothing's going to be perfect on Sundays. If (a player says) 'Oh well, my quad doesn't feel good today' or something — that's tough! You've got to go play. We don't want to have — and I'm not saying this derogatory as to track — but we don't want to have a track mentality. We want to have a physical (mentality). We're not going to be completely, 100% healthy during the year, and we've got to go. The guys are counting on us. I'm counting on them. The other players are counting on them. It's just the mindset that I want to have.

Q: You don't want to be the team that gets punched in the mouth, and you check to see if your teeth are still there. You want to be the team that punches back.
A: Right. And we don't want to go and stick our toe in the water and see if it's cold. We want to jump in. Let's go. It doesn't matter if it's cold or not.

Q: So what is the identity of this team in your mind?
A: Well, I continually hope that that's our identity — is that we're a smart team, we're disciplined, we're tough, we do things right. But when opposing coaches see us, I want them to say, 'Hey, these guys are a good football team. They do things correctly. They take care of the football on offense. They hustle. They swarm on defense. They don't give up big plays. They don't commit penalties.' That's what I want this football team (to be). And like I've said before, when the fans watch us, I want them to be proud of how we play on Sunday. Fans are very intelligent. They know what good football is and bad football. I want us to see us do things right: We make critical plays at the end of ballgames, we understand the different situations in games, and that's really what I'm trying to teach them.

Q: What do you see right now when you look in Adrian Peterson's eyes?
A: I don't see anything different really than what I've seen before. I feel like he's at peace with the situation. He's at peace with the team. I think he's excited about the potential that we have. So, I think he's going to run mean, because that's usually the way he does it.

Q: Your running backs coach, Kirby Wilson, had a quote people noticed about the backfield workload being more balanced than in years past. Is that fair? What's the ideal split to you?
A: I saw that, too, and ... Adrian's going to get the heavy workload. So, the other guys are going to fight for their reps.

Q: So basically, as much as he can take …?
A: As much as he can take, and as much as he can handle in all the things that we're doing. Obviously, we're going to have to spell him at times like you do a lot of guys. But we get down on the goal line, and we're probably not pulling him out, you know? He's our best player, and we're going to continue to use him.

Q: Adrian has been up and down over his career in pass protection and the receiving game. Given how little you saw him in game situations a year ago, do you need to feel out if there are spots for Jerick McKinnon and some of the other guys?
A: Jerick is different than Adrian in a lot of ways, and Matt (Asiata)'s different than Adrian. Everybody's different than Adrian. Going back to last year, it was just one game, but (Peterson) did a good job in protection. We throw the ball to the backs quite a bit, so he did catch the ball. We'll continue to do that. If you get a guy like him that if you get him out in space, whether it's a screen or a flare or an option route or something like that, if it does get to those positions, defenders understand they're covering 28, and so they're going to give him the respect that he's due whether it's in the passing game or the running game. All he needs is a little bit of separation and, hopefully, he catches a ball and then a lot of good things can happen out there, especially when the other side is cleared out.

Q: How much closer are you to having the pieces in place to run the defense the way you want to?
A: We're closer. The thing I've noticed through OTAs — and honestly, I have no idea how good we're going to be defensively, I have no idea — but I do know this: We are practicing at such a faster, quicker tempo as far as the mental part of things. The thinking, the reacting — they're just more used to the system and the calls and the techniques and the things that we're doing. So, we look much faster to me now than we did a year ago at this time. Now, whether or not that converts into being a better defense, I don't know. But they're more confident about the things they're doing now. They have so much a better understanding and it helps them. We seem to be playing faster.

Q: I believe you have five former first-round draft picks on defense. Some guys like Chad Greenway are older, but to me, that stat suggests you have a lot of premier athletes.
A: Yeah, we (do), and we're getting better. I think Rick (Spielman, the Vikings general manager)'s done a good job of getting the guys in here. We were fortunate. We had two first-round picks last year, and so I think in three years they had seven first-round picks or something. And obviously, the more talent that you can bring in a team, the more athletic and typically bigger, faster and stronger (you are).

Q: There is a physical transformation evident with some guys, too. Everson Griffen, for instance, looks likes he's been power-lifting for eight months straight. Is that by design — that you're trying to fit these guys into desired body types?
A: We want big guys. We want to be able to overpower guys. But we also want to have a fast football team. We want athletes. That's like this Danielle Hunter — he's a big, fast, raw athlete, and those are the kind of guys that we want to continue to try to (develop). MyCole Pruitt — he's a big, fast athlete. These are the kind of guys we want to continue to add our football team so that we can continually get bigger and faster and, hopefully, smarter.

Q: Rick trusts you and your staff a lot to take those raw athletes and mold them into football players. What needs to happen for Cordarrelle Patterson to do that?
A: Cordarrelle is on a good track right now, OK? Now, can he sustain? Can he continue to sustain what he's doing? Because like today, I thought he had a good day. In OTAs, I thought he improved. He'll have really good days, and then he'll have some not-so-good days. Really, I think what he needs to do is just the consistency every single day and the consistency in studying, the consistency in getting extra help that he needs if he needs it, running the routes the same all the time and understanding that there's a lot of great athletes that play professional sports, and there's a lot of great athletes that don't make it in professional sports because they don't have the other intangibles. To me, the biggest thing with him is that: Does he want to be 'Flash' or does he want to be a great receiver? I'm not trying to dog him or anything, but that's really what it is
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Still keeping my expectations in check and wary of becoming to excited but I have loved all the recent developments I've read/heard since and including the draft.

I'm super excited to see how it all pans out. HOF Game can't come soon enough, get to see my favorite AFC team go around too.
 
J Shuttlesworth said:
Still keeping my expectations in check and wary of becoming to excited but I have loved all the recent developments I've read/heard since and including the draft.

I'm super excited to see how it all pans out. HOF Game can't come soon enough, get to see my favorite AFC team go around too.
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I'm looking forward to the HOF game too but my fave afc team is the ravens so if the vikes get up I'll be double happy
 
Seattles goes alright for one. Maybe we could say it at the end of this coming season if they both have ripper years. Im not going to yet though.
 
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Vikings release first depth chart prior to HOF game:
Offense
Quarterback
Teddy Bridgewater, Shaun Hill, Taylor Heinicke, Mike Kafka
Running back
Adrian Peterson, Jerick McKinnon, Matt Asiata, Joe Banyard, Dominique Williams, DuJuan Harris
Fullback
Zach Line, Blake Renaud
Receiver 1
Mike Wallace, Cordarrelle Patterson, Jarius Wright, Isaac Fruechte, Jordan Leslie, Gavin Lutman
Receiver 2
Charles Johnson, Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs, Donte Foster, DaVaris Daniels, Ryan Whalen
Tight end
Kyle Rudolph, Rhett Ellison, MyCole Pruitt, Chase Ford, Brandon Bostick
Left tackle
Matt Kalil, Carter Bykowski, Babatunde Aiyegbusi
Left guard
Brandon Fusco, David Yankey, Zac Kerin, Bob Vardaro
Center
John Sullivan, Joe Berger, Tom Farniok
Right guard
Mike Harris, Tyrus Thompson, Isame Faciane
Right tackle
Phil Loadholt, TJ Clemmings, Austin Shepherd
Defense
Left end
Brian Robison, Scott Crichton, Caesar Rayford, Leon Mackey
Defensive tackle
Sharrif Floyd, Tom Johnson, BJ Dubose, Chrishon Rose
Nose tackle
Linval Joseph, Shamar Stephen, Chigbo Anunoby
Right end
Everson Griffen, Justin Trattou, Danielle Hunter
Weak-side linebacker
Chad Greenway, Brandon Watts, Brian Peters
Middle linebacker
Audie Cole, Eric Kendricks, Mike Mauti
Strong-side linebacker
Anthony Barr, Gerald Hodges, Edmond Robinson, Josh Kaddu
Left cornerback
Terence Newman, Trae Waynes, DeMarcus Van Dyke, Justin Coleman, Josh Thomas
Right cornerback
Xavier Rhodes, Captain Munnerlyn, Jabari Price, Jalil Carter, Marcus Sherels
Strong safety
Robert Blanton, Andrew Sendejo, Anthony Harris

Free safety
Harrison Smith, Antone Exum Jr., Shaun Prater
Specialists
Punter
Jeff Locke
Kicker
Blair Walsh
Long snapper
Cullen Loeffler, Kevin McDermott
Holder
Jeff Locke
Kick returner
Cordarrelle Patterson, Marcus Sherels
Punt returner
Marcus Sherels, Jarius Wright
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A few interesting notes:

MyCole Pruitt is listed ahead of Chase Ford at TE
MLB depth is Audie Cole, Eric Kendricks and Mike Mauti
Antone Exum is listed as the backup free safety
Stefon Diggs is not listed as a punt returner
 
Vikings rookie WR/PR Stefon Diggs caught two passes for 14 yards in Sunday night's Hall of Fame Game against the Steelers.

Diggs' highlight was a 62-yard punt return where he dove just short of the goal line. The fifth-round pick out of Maryland has reportedly shined in camp and could be the Vikings' slot receiver of the future, in addition to a return specialist to complement KR Cordarrelle Patterson.
 
Vikings rookie TE MyCole Pruitt caught four passes for 51 yards and a touchdown in Sunday night's Hall of Fame Game against the Steelers.

A SPARQ freak out of SIU-Carbondale, Pruitt mixed in with the first-team offense in two-tight end sets across from Kyle Rudolph. Known more for his receiving ability, Pruitt laid a solid block on a first-quarter screen to Jerick McKinnon, springing McKinnon for the first down. Pruitt also had a nice block on an 18-yard second-quarter run by Matt Asiata. Pruitt saved his best for a 34-yard touchdown over the top of Pittsburgh's defense. Clearly ahead of Chase Ford on the depth chart, Pruitt is an intriguing prospect considering the injury history of Rudolph.
 
Cordarrelle Patterson caught one pass for six yards in the Vikings' Hall of Fame Game clash with Pittsburgh.

While Charles Johnson and Mike Wallace worked with the Teddy Bridgewater group, Patterson played with the second-team offense and Mike Kafka. Still an uncomfortable, unnatural route runner, Patterson didn't get much noticeable separation in his routes. We expect Patterson to be a gadget-guy only on offense this season, and to primarily return kicks.
 
I mentioned it in the preseason thread that Pruitt and Diggs were the standouts from the game. If the Vikings can get meaningful production from their two 5th round picks then things will be looking up for the team.

1st round pick Trae Waynes had a tough day and was flagged three times. Zimmerman is a hard task master though and Waynes was the only defensive player to play every defensive down.

Eric Kendricks, Danielle Hunter and T.J. Clemmings had reasonably quiet days, but we're solid on their debuts.

All in all a good day for the top Vikings draftees.
 
GG said:
Cordarrelle Patterson caught one pass for six yards in the Vikings' Hall of Fame Game clash with Pittsburgh.

While Charles Johnson and Mike Wallace worked with the Teddy Bridgewater group, Patterson played with the second-team offense and Mike Kafka. Still an uncomfortable, unnatural route runner, Patterson didn't get much noticeable separation in his routes. We expect Patterson to be a gadget-guy only on offense this season, and to primarily return kicks.
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Patterson's fall from grace continues and shows no sign of turning around. Someone with Patterson's talent should have shined today, but he was relegated to being a bit player and was targeted only twice for one completion.
 
Sven said:
Patterson's fall from grace continues and shows no sign of turning around. Someone with Patterson's talent should have shined today, but he was relegated to being a bit player and was targeted only twice for one completion.
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I drafted him in Alpha, quickly realized he sucked, and traded him for a bounty.
His only hope of sticking on any roster is as a specialist pr/kr.
 
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