Image courtesy of Vikings.com
The 2016 season inched forward a bit when the Vikings opened their OTA offseason workouts. With that came plenty of early optimism about the Vikings’ talented roster. Teddy is ready to throw for 10,000 yards. Adrian Peterson is in the best shape of his life. 2015 top pick Trae Waynes is thriving and Aaron Boone looks great in purple.
If you listen closely, you can hear the faintest of claims that the Vikings are a true Super Bowl contender.
It is too early to say most of these things, but when you start to stack Minnesota’s roster, you can see why the hype exists. I struggled with my first attempt to pencil in a final 53-man roster, mostly because there will be talented players who will inevitably be cut. The front office won’t have an easy task on their hands, but I’d take a loaded roster over a barren one any day of the week.
Quarterback:
Teddy Bridgewater
Shaun Hill
Position breakdown: The last time Rick Spielman carried two quarterbacks, Joe Webb started at Lambeau in the playoffs. There are inherent risks to this strategy, but my logic is simple: the roster spot is simply too valuable to carry a third quarterback. Add another linebacker or corner to the roster and roll the dice. Frankly, the Vikings’ success is tied to Bridgewater’s health and success. If he gets injured, we’re in for a long season as it is.
Running back/Fullback:
Adrian Peterson
Jerick McKinnon
Matt Asiata
Zach Line
Position breakdown: No shockers here. I have plenty of interest in Jhurell Pressley, but I don’t see the Vikings parting ways with Matt Asiata this year. It will be interesting to see how the Vikings use both Peterson and McKinnon, the latter who proved to be a playmaker in the second half of last season.
Wide Receiver:
Stefon Diggs
Laquon Treadwell
Jarius Wright
Charles Johnson
Adam Theilen
Moritz Böhringer
Position Breakdown: Yep, I did it. I cut Patterson. You could probably convince me to keep Patterson, but there’s no way I’m parting with Böhringer right now, and I’m nearly positive you couldn’t sneak him through waivers and onto the practice squad. Consider it a total rube pick at this point. The rest of the receiver corps is fairly solid, but a lot of their consistency will be dependent on the development of Treadwell and his ability to attract some defensive attention away from Diggs.
Notable cuts: Cordarrelle Patterson
Tight End:
Kyle Rudolph
Mycole Pruitt
David Morgan
Position breakdown: I really wish we could carry 54 plays on the roster. If possible, I’d keep a fourth tight end every single time. Morgan is possible a surprise here, but with his blocking prowess, I suspect the Vikings already have plans for him in the run game. You could argue Ellison is a better blocker with years of NFL development under his belt, but I wonder about his recovery from injury late last year.
Notable cuts: Rhett Ellison
Offensive Line:
Matt Kalil
Alex Boone
John Sullivan
Brandon Fusco
Andre Smith
Michael Harris
Joe Berger
TJ Clemmings
Willie Beavers
Position breakdown: Talk about a position upgrade year over year. The offensive line looks much more formidable than it did in 2015. Carrying 10 offensive lineman provides the kind of depth the team will need as the season wears on. Not only should the starting five be improved, but I also like the depth options at each position. Harris, Berger and Beavers all have the ability to move up and down the line as needed. Notably missing from this list is Phil Loadholt, who I love as a fan, but I can’t see him rebounding from his injury well enough to outplay youth.
Notable cuts: Phil Loadholt
*****
Defensive line:
Everson Griffen
Sharrif Floyd
Linval Joseph
Brian Robison
Danielle Hunter
Tom Johnson
Shamar Stephen
Justin Trattou
Position breakdown: Carrying nine defensive lineman is becoming the norm for Zimmer and Spielman. Everyone is familiar with the amount of depth the Vikings chose to carry up front, and as Zimmer has stated, stopping the run is the key to his defense. Some might expect Stephen Weatherly to make the team as a recent draft pick, but I’m not convinced just yet. I think a year on the practice squad makes the most sense for 2016.
Notable cuts: Scott Crichton, Kenrick Ellis
Linebackers:
Anthony Barr
Chad Greenway
Eric Kendricks
Audie Cole
Kentrell Brothers
Emmanuel Lamur
Position breakdown: I don’t think there are any real surprises here. Audie Cole will continue to add solid depth, but he’s just not a starting linebacker. Lamur joined the Vikings via Cincinnati, and I suspect Zimmer knows exactly what he’ll use him for — potentially in sub packages.
Cornerback:
Xavier Rhodes
Terence Newman
Captain Munnerlyn
Trae Waynes
Mackensie Alexander
Jabari Price
Marcus Sherels
Position breakdown: Compared to 2014, the secondary is tremendously improved, and we have Zimmer to thank for that. His ability to identify talent and develop players in the secondary is uncanny. I’m excited to see what Waynes brings to the table in his second year. Alexander was a nice addition in the 2nd round of the recent draft and will get very limited playing time as a rookie. There are three guarantees in life: Taxes, Death and Marcus Sherels making the final 53. I expect him to take over kick return duties if Patterson is indeed cut.
Safety:
Harrison Smith
Michael Griffin
Andrew Sendejo
Anthony Harris
Antone Exum
Position breakdown: I am making a wild assumption Griffin will be the starter aside Harrison Smith, mostly because of his relationship with Jerry Gray. Knowing that, he’s likely a one-year stop gap at this point. I’d like to see youngsters Harris and Exum continue to get time to develop. Sendejo will continue to catch flack at times, but he’s a good depth option and very good special teams player. Jayron Kearse intrigues me, but I suspect he ends up with the practice squad as a rookie.
Specialists:
Blair Walsh (K)
Jeff Locke (P)
Kevin McDermott (LS)
*****
I think this is my third year in doing an early projection of the final 53-man roster, and I can assure you this was the most difficult time I’ve ever had. Credit to Zimmer, Spielman and the Vikings front office for assembling a young and deep team that is expected to improve on an 11-5 record.
View Comments
Spelled Moritz incorrectly!
Good catch, thank you.
Hi Brent
I honestly don't mean to be rude, but your list is not very well thought off. You think Justin Trattou stays and Stephen Weatherly goes? The young promising 3rd string QB goes and the over the hill Hill will stay? You think the very promising Edmund Robinson goes and Audi stays? Exum stays and Kearse will be cut? Over rated C Johnson and lost Morris B stay and CP goes? Thos are incredibly unbelievable takes?
From your photo you look to me like a guy that is very easy to like, but man, with all do respect, do better home work.
Best Regards
Shahram Nikpay
Appreciate your thoughts on this! I'll try to explain some of my logic on these picks:
- Trattou over Weatherly because Trattou is simply a better defensive end right now. Weatherly is transitioning from OLB and has plenty to learn to be productive at Trattou's level.
- Hill because he does have some starting experience. Why is do you expect Heinicke to be better than Hill? I trust Hill's ability to manage games and give the defense the chance to steal a few wins. The young and promising Vikings quarterback is Teddy!
- I picked Audi because aside from Kendricks, he is the only MLB we really have at this point and he's frankly better than Robinson imo. If Zimmer was sold on Robinson, I don't think we would have signed Lamur.
- Kearse is a project at safety and seeing he won't start this year, I chose Exum's experience over a rookie. Not an uncommon choice there.
- I'm not sure I overvalued Charles Johnson. Like I said, I could likely be convinced to keep Patterson over Johnson, but I'm not keeping Patterson simply for his ability to return kicks. Johnson is a better downfield WR right now. Böhringer is a complete project and self admittedly a homer pick, but they used a draft pick on him for a reason.
As I called out in the first few paragraphs, there were going to be talented players who would be cut. Kearse and Weatherly will both likely end up on the practice squad where their development will be a priority for the future. This team does not need rookies to make an impact at every position. It's OK to say you have more veteran players who are a better fit right now than a late round rookie.
Thanks Brent for your reply
1. Robinson is Sam & Lammur is a Will.
2. Weatherly is not as strong as Hunter and He is slightly less explosive, but man He got upside. Plus He was completely miscast as OLB. Actually it is amazing that a 6-5 guy being able to do a decent job covering down field, that He did in Vandy. But none the less , He himself admits that He feels more comfortable as DE. He will never clear Waiver. Tratou already has done that at least once..
3.I love Audi, I will be very sad if he is gone, but Brothers will end up in the middle and they are not cutting him as you agree. I suggest you do more reading on Robinson, He is going to be a poor man's Barr! I was reading up on him before We draft him. Fantastic length.
4. I know it was preseason, but that 3rd string QB showed us a lot of poise & guts. Hill used to be good, He stinks now. Turners are squarely behind the 3rd stringer (He will be the 2nd string potentially this year).
5. CP is the greatest athlete I have seen in 45 years of being a Viking's nuts.Media slime balls (I am not talking about you, Knowles, Arif etc..) has been picking on this kid mercileslly because it is easy.
Actually Andrew Krammer & Tommason aside, this team has the laziest beat I have ever seen. Check the Houston beat guy and you will see what I mean.
Am I frustrated by CP's happy go lucky demeanor? you bet I am. But He is a great kid, very good hearted, never a problem and has not harmed anyone beside costing himself millions. Average receiver in NFL takes 3 years to come to its own. He, as you know already, having only a year in Juco and a year in Tennessee, plus being a bit immature, has needed even more time to come its own. Turner has been horrible the way He has ignored him, zero imagination.
A lot of guys in media are nasty in the manner they savage some of these athletes, as if they are commodities. Some uninformed fans also just repeat these lazy "journalists" assertions as if its coming straight from The Holly book. I put money down that CP will show very well this year. If coach Zimmer does not want CP (by the easily the best coach in history of Vikings,can't stand the extremely over-rated Bud, adore Burnsie), He can just release him and then watch him snapped up in a NY minute.
6. I agree Kearse is a push, but you know Zimmer likes long athletes. Exum is not Zimmer type. anyway. He is a nicer version of Hodges. Meaning He will do some good, then He look around to see if everyone is admiring his doings, then He screws up, and start the cycle over. He might change, but I am not sure coach Zimmer going to be that patient. Plus with Harrison, the very promising Harris, Griffen & Sendejo, Coach Zimmer has enough in the room to take a risk on the rookie.
Funny how media treats Griffen signing like an after thought. He will be the starting FS, I put money on it.He comes from a very dysfunctional environment to a wonderful atmosphere with a wide open position.
Sorry for long mail, but since you took the time to respond, I wanted to respectfully do the same and explain the logic behind my takes.
There are a lot of us fan who know more than some of these pseudo experts (Mr. Meatball now is an expert, AJ is an expert etc). These dudes were trying to run CP out of town last year! there are a lot of us fan who wish there was more technical coverage of the Vikes, instead of all these podcasts that are 10 minutes Vikes chat and 50 minutes of talk about what they had for breakfast. Not a good town for decent coverage.
PS. If there is one guy who deserves to be cut, is that meek punter. Such a waste of draft pick!
Best Regards
Shahram Nikpay
"extremely over-rated Bud"??!!
Talk about losing credibility. . .
Are you a robot? Everyone in Mn has to think that Bud is great.
He puts the best Vikings player out for 100 waiver.
He calls a disabled Indian who had a slurr instead a drunk.
He recommends LS over Burnsie for his successor a crime of betrayal.
He comes back and goes one game under 500 to idiots accolades
He is the cheapest money loving man who dump garbage on adoring fans for exorbitant prices and now he sells other junk beside his own to the rubes.
He milk the stoic Bud image and then he cries like a baby on his hall of fame speech , he made he made it, like he won humaneterian award
His team were embarrassing in 4 SB, they did not even performed to acceptable level.
I love Mn but this Minnesota things of he is one of us is really bush league
Go learn to think on your own instead of a being a parrot.
What was that shameless sleeveless thing last year, milking a cliche for ever?
So, overrated because he cut Page, called a slurred speech guy a drunk...then felt responsible for Steckle and took a 3 win team to 7 wins. That makes him overrated?
I think he's #15 all time in wins...probably even higher in win %. 11 division titles..only missed the playoffs 6 out of 18 years, and went to 4 SB's.
Maybe you missed those years? Bud Grant was a great coach. Learn some history...you'll be better informed. And not sound foolish.
Thanks CC, you saved me the time to reply to this twit.
Mr. Nikpay has been a Vikings fan for 45 years - he's got me beat by five years - so I am going to assume from that and from his, shall we say...vigorous, opinions that he knows his team history, folks. That said, here's where I think he is right and wrong:
Right
- Waiving Alan Page was a mistake.
- Showing some love for Jerry Burns!
- The team did perform poorly in four Super Bowls. Grant was criticized at the time for how tight each team looked, and since then players have noted how ill-prepared they were. I also remember one critic making a detailed case that Grant's CFL championships generally game against teams that he was already very familiar with, to which I would reply that it's a pity we couldn't have faced the Colts in SB V.
Wrong
- Steckle seemed a coming man while Burns had been a failed college head coach and then a long-time assistant. It was a legit judgement call at the time.
- Coming back in 1985 and restoring the team to respectability was a big deal.
- Mr. Nikpay, I think you are letting your personal animosity cloud your judgement regarding Grant's tears at the HoF and his showmanship in the playoffs last year. I don't really know enough to speak to your other charges.
Bud Grant is neither a saint nor a god. He is an imperfect man and was an imperfect coach. His loyalty sometimes got the best of him (Jim Marshall should have been benched at least three years earlier, and probably five) as has his ego (having an office provided by the Vikings does not outweigh Chuck Noll's four SB rings, Bud). On the other hand, his teams had arguably not only the most underrated defense of all time but perhaps the best defense of all time over the course of several seasons. Not only did it pioneer the zone defense but, unlike any other defense I know of, spent not just one multi-year period but two of them - 1969-71 and then 1973-76 - at or near the top in defensive points allowed, a truly remarkable achievement. And once Fran Tarkenton was returned to the fold and Chuck Foreman drafted, the offense could match the defense in quality. One more fun offensive fact: to the credit of Jim Finks, Jerry Reichow, Bud Grant and Jerry Burns, the Vikings had one wide receiver make every Pro Bowl after every season from 1969 through 1981.
What ever you say Sir. I should have known the quality of the crowd before I had wasted my time. Good luck to you and make sure you & your wallet be present in the old trapper,s next year garage. You guys deserve each other dearly.
The quality of the crowd here at VT is poor, because most of us don't agree with you that Bud Grant is overrated. Well...okay. At least you're not a Packer fan!
Keep:
- Heinicke (3 QBs) unless you can PS him without poachability (highly unlikely)
- Ellison (though I expect him to be PUPed for awhile)
- Patterson (one more relatively cheap year. Can he figure it out?)
- Shepherd (showed a little more versatility than expected)
- Chricton (assuming he's healthy. Last chance for him. Can play inside or out)
- Robinson (a Zimmer kind of guy who came from nowhere and looked decent. Big upside )
Cut:
- Boehringer (great story but realistically not ready. He won't be poached. He's not ready for poaching)
- Beavers (we can keep him for awhile if Rhett is PUPed. Shepherd is more dependable right now.)
- Trattou (a couple of splash plays, but a healthy Crichton is more versatile. I'm a little worried about Sharrif. Keep Ellis over Trattou if Crichton unhealthy)
- Cole (Inexpensive to cut, and Brothers has a better future doing what Cole can do inside. Cole is more versatile, but Robinson and Lamur can do the rest of what Cole can do.)
- Price (offers no marginal value. We won't keep 7 corners)
- Harris (this one was tough. I think he is safe on the PS and we don't need 5 safeties
All in fun!
Agree on keeping Heinicke (who'll be #2 if we don't keep three QB's), Ellison (first on PUP, then pushes Morgan onto the practice squad), Shepherd (plug and play anywhere on the OL but C, and mark my words, he'll eventually catch a TD as a goal line TE) and Robinson. And you might be right about Patterson and Crichton, although I'm rooting for Trattou.
Agree on cutting Boehringer and Beavers (who'll be joined on the practice squad by Weatherly, Kearse and, eventually, Morgan) and Price (yup, six corners, not seven). I think Harris could actually start (any word on him from the OTA's?) and that either Griffin or Exum could be cut. I totally agree that Brothers will make the team at MLB but Cole might still survive is Lamur is this year's Taylor Mays.
Who is Morris B ?.... After you showing homage to Prince, and making a reference Morris Day & The Time ?
Keeping Bo Meister ain't happening (He can't catch footballs or hold onto his lunch) . Patterson gets this year and he either shines or he is gone as free agent next year. (Draft Pick)
Seems solid enough. I might swap out Line or maybe Price for Ellison. And maybe keep Loadholt over Beavers, although that's harder to do with a guy we just drafted in the 4th. That pick still doesn't make sense to me, but they must see something that make them pull the trigger on him.
"....I might swap out Line..."
I want to fist fight zvikes for saying this about the second greatest player in Vikings history
He must have been drinking Ole.. Next thing you know he will be disparaging Kleinsasser.. Cut him some slack.. fighting the foolish is not worth it.
I would never say anything bad about Kleinsasser. I think he should be put in the Vikings HOF during halftime of the regular season opener. Set the right tone.
Kleinsasser?!?!? Good player, but he couldn't carry JeffMetaUniversalPeaceDugan's jockstrap.
FYI - Brazil just called on Dugan to eradicate the Zika Virus before the Summer Olympics, doubtful if he will make the Vikings season opener
Ha!! Mission accomplished.. he's already stomped the virus and ready for camp. I heard he hit the weights hard while there, he can now bench press a tractor and squat a bus.
I am all in on that.. but then Ole would be lobbying for Dugan and Line before they are even eligible. Too much ruckus goin' on...
From the outside looking in, would have gone with Billings with the 4th round selection. With Floyd still nursing an old injury, Billings might have provided needed minutes.
I have a feeling Patterson will make it over Johnson, Robinson over Cole & Kearse over Exum.
Agree on all three.
Where the hell did you come up with Moritz can't catch ?..... So what if he puked ?
Get a life
WTF?
Patterson and Treadwell have been the #1 wrs in OTA's. Patterson has been playing really good according to video and reports. Patterson will make the team.
>Patterson and Treadwell have been the #1 wrs in OTA’s
Patterson has looked good. But the videos also showed some of Diggs as well.
I think Weatherly, Beavers, Kearse all to the practice squad (though I think somebody said Kearse is the great unknown...1/3 chance to make the team, 1/3 chance to the practice squad and 1/3 chance to get cut.
I think Sirles makes the team and has an outside chance to beat Khalil. Would not be surprised to see us try to trade Loadholt or Andre Smith (basically the loser of the battle)...For any team that needs OL depth (half the teams in the league) either one is worth a late round pick. If Sirles does beat him out (I doubt TJ will...I think in a year or 2 TJ could be very solid though)
I think Mobo goes on the PS....Unless he has a really good training camp. I would not freak out about a couple of dropped passes in day one of OTAs.
I definitely think they pick Heinicke over Hill if they go for 2 QBs.....I think they go 3...but 2 would not be a shock. Remember...A young qb can be flipped for a pick...And hill was pretty horrible when he played and is not getting any younger.
Kenrick Ellis over Trattou would not surprise me.
Not sure we would keep J Price....we need positions open elsewhere.
Agreed Ellison gets PUPed... Lets face it...It makes sense to see how Morgan performs. Then you can pick and choose Morgan vs Ellison. Morgan might be a beast.
Also...You heard it here first....Locke will not be the punter by the end...
A few teams have excess stud punters
(Jets drafted one, but then got a top ranked UDFA punter as well)
And Denver has a solid punter but drafted some one this year.
So there will be at least 2 decent punters coming to market over the next few months....
J Price is the best corner the Vikings have
Lmao.... That must be some good drugs you're doing, do you share ?
Denard must be Jabari's cousin.