Vikings vs. Cowboys: The Preseason Watchlist
Austin Belisle
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The inevitable cuts are looming, and after tonight game, we’ll see the Minnesota Vikings’ active roster go from 89 players to 75 by September 1st. Through three weeks of preseason football, not much has changed — Teddy Bridgewater is still the man, Charles Johnson is the Vikings’ best receiver, and the defensive line is loaded with talent. There’s plenty to be excited about, but plenty left to prove for a handful of players, whether they’re clinging for life on the roster bubble or trying to find their groove with a new team.
As head coach Mike Zimmer noted earlier this week, the Vikings don’t view tonight’s matchup with the Cowboys as a “dress rehearsal.” Rather, it’s a test for his young team against a 2014 playoff contender and this year’s NFC East favorite, per 1500 ESPN’s Derek Wetmore:
[quote_box_center]”We really don’t gameplan for it. Our guys have been through all that for 16 weeks now anyway. It’s still about us and doing what we do and seeing if we can do it good against a team that we really haven’t studied much.”
“It’ll be a good test. They’re a very good offensive team, they’ve improved a lot defensively, they’ve always done a good job on special teams,” Zimmer said.[/quote_box_center]
With that said, here are a few Vikings I’ll be watching closely tonight. If not a tune-up for the regular season, this evening’s game will provide the starters extended playing time and the reserves a chance to prove they belong on the roster:
WR Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace’s lack of production this preseason doesn’t bother me, even if he’s only caught one pass for an uninspiring two yards. In 43 snaps, Wallace has been targeted four times, with his most notable play coming on a dropped touchdown in the end zone against the Buccaneers. He adjusted well to a perfectly-thrown Teddy Bridgewater ball, but couldn’t reel in the catch and has been invisible since.
It’s too early to hit the panic button, though. All reports indicate that Bridgewater and Wallace are clicking in practice, and I’d blame his absence in the offense more on Norv Turner’s preseason play calling than his lack of ability. Tonight, I expect Wallace to show up on the stat sheet, and I’m hopeful that his attitude — a rumored problem before he was traded to the Vikings — will remain the same if he doesn’t.
LB Gerald Hodges
In what has been one of the Vikings’ most tightly-contested positional battles, Gerald Hodges appears to be pulling away from the competition. As head coach Mike Zimmer announced on Thursday, Hodges will start at middle linebacker against the Cowboys and make his debut alongside Anthony Barr and Chad Greenway. Last week, Hodges played 26 snaps and spent much of the game in the middle, thanks to his improved preparation this offseason.
“He’s improved a lot in a lot of the things he does, in the meeting rooms, in the classroom, in the weight room and he’s performed well when he’s had a chance to play,” Zimmer said, per ESPN’s Ben Goessling. “He’s a guy who has a lot of acceleration, he’s got some physicality to him and I just thought it would be good to give him an opportunity and see what it looks like.”
Tonight, I want to see Hodges make the correct calls in the huddle and more importantly, prove he can survive against the run in the middle of the defense. As a converted safety out of Penn State, Hodges’s specialty is against the pass, and he’s worked hard to earn the trust of Zimmer this offseason. If he does enough to impress the team, he’ll pave the way for a starting role come Week 1.
CB Captain Munnerlyn
Earlier this week, defensive coordinator George Edwards said that the team is “aiming for” rookie cornerback Trae Waynes to start on opening day, per the Star Tribune’s Kent Youngblood. Waynes, the 11th-overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, has seen time as the nickel corner and outside opposite Xavier Rhodes, where he’s struggled through three preseason games. If Waynes is slotted to start outside in Week 1, that leaves a dilemma inside.
Will Terence Newman bump down, as he’s done so often this preseason, or will Captain Munnerlyn start the game as the team’s third cornerback tonight? Andrew Krammer reported yesterday that Munnerlyn has taken the majority of the nickel reps this week in practice, and I’m hopeful that will translate to the field in Arlington later this evening. Munnerlyn was the team’s first big free agent signing last year, and he’ll need to find his place if he wants to live up to that contract. I liked what I saw from the 27-year-old corner last week against the Raiders, and I hope it continues tonight.
Stay tuned for more updates from the Vikings Territory team throughout the night!