Training Camp Chronicles: Days 1 & 2

Today on Vikings Corner we will take a look at the first two days of Vikings training camp in Mankato. After watching practices over the first two days, we are able to formulate a strong analysis.

The heat has been tough on players and fans in Mankato this season. It seems like each year the heat is always in the 90 degree mark. This has had a major effect on attendance at training camp this season. The Vikings have switched the practice times around this year. They now have 2 hour and 45 minute practice sessions in the afternoon instead of the morning. Which puts players and spectators out in the sun during the heat of the day. I feel this has had a huge impact on fan attendance at camp. I understand it can be good conditioning for the players, but we can't forget about what happened to Korey Stringer several seasons ago.

Monday:

This was the first day the Vikings threw the pads on down in Mankato. The Vikings used the main afternoon practice to work mostly on short and intermediate passing routes. They were lining the running backs up in the back field and were working on screen passes and short flanker routes. Rhett Ellison's nice hands stood out to me when fullbacks and tight ends were catching short passes. I really like his ability to block and catch, which was a weakness last season. Christian Ponder was 12 for 17 on passing during the afternoon session. He seemed to be very accurate, but several balls had the tendency to sail high. I overall liked Ponder during the Monday practice session. Michael Jenkins did not look impressive during the receiver drills. He just doesn't seem to have the ability to cut like he used to on his repaired knee. He is not coming out of breaks very well at all. Blair Walsh looked rather impressive when kicking during the kicking portion of practice. He drained 8 of 9 attempted field goals, only missing one outside of 40 yards, which is rather excellent for a rookie kicker. Jerome Simpson brings so much athletic ability to this team. He was diving all over for balls across the middle of the field. During the wide receiver drills he was hauling in balls one handed with ease. Also, Jerome is very fan friendly and is always willing to sign autographs and likes to chat with fans for a few minutes.

Overall, things seem to have went fairly well on the first full padded practice of training camp. It was too early to tell who will go under the radar to make a nice impact for the Vikings this season.

Tuesday:

Our second full padded practice of the season took place this afternoon. Christian Ponder was 3 for 8 passing today during 11 on 11 drills and just flat out short armed many throws he made. He struggled to connect on back shoulder comeback routes. This was by far his roughest series of camp. John Carlson was injured on a play where he was rolled up on in a large pile. Early indications say he has an MCL sprain pending an MRI. Hopefully he just has a slight sprain. Matt Kalil dominated Jared Allen on several one on one's and Allen wasn't happy. He cursed loudly which shows the improvement Kalil will be at left tackle. Tyrone McKenzie made an impressive leaping interception of Joe Webb. It was a very athletic play. I wouldn't be surprised to see McKenzie make the team due to poor linebacker depth on the roster. Kamar Jorden is a receiver that has stood out over the past few days. He played college ball at Bowling Green, I like his size and strength. He can really go up and get the ball at its highest point. Look for Jorden to contend for a spot on the practice squad. Bobby Felder looked excellent in coverage today. He swatted several balls away and was around the ball making plays. He is another player I could see sneaking on the 53 man or the practice squad. Jarius Wright needs to be more consistent catching the football, but has such sheer speed that he will make an impact when he can make a catch. Greg Childs hasn't looked impressive in the first few days of camp. He has nice speed and can catch the ball, but needs to work on running better routes. He had a man beat on a fade route today, but ran a poor route and missed an opportunity for a big play. Blair Walsh had his first pressure situation today as he drilled a 44-yard field goal to end practice. It will be interesting to watch him as preseason action begins.

Overall, I feel like the defense is ahead of the offense, but feel after more plays have been installed in the offense we will see a vast improvement. Tomorrow I will have a post explaining more about the formations the Vikings offense has been using during practice. Thanks for reading!

Training Camp Chronicles

The Training Camp Chronicles segment begins tomorrow. Stay tuned for in-depth analysis of each day of practice all this week.

10 Things to Analyze: Pre-Training Camp Edition

As Training Camp quickly approaches we have several position groups and players we will have to watch when training camp begins.

1. How will Christian Ponder respond in his second season? With Christian Ponder in his second season he should be more poised than in his rookie season. It will be interesting to see if Ponder will be able to withstand hits after bulking up this season.

2. Will Blair Walsh be inconsistent for the Vikings? The Vikings released Ryan Longwell before this season and spent a draft pick on Walsh. Will he pan out or will the Vikings have made a major mistake? The Vikings will need him to come up clutch in several games this season. This is a major concern for me and I hope he can knock down field goals.

3. Will the secondary improve after the additions of Josh Robinson, Harrison Smith, and Robert Blanton? If the Vikings are going to be successful they need to be able to stop the "pass happy" NFL and NFC North. I feel through the additions of these three excellent athletes, the Vikings will improve the ends and backsides of their defense. All of these players possess nice physical and mental traits that will be a nice addition to the roster.

4. Will someone emerge at defensive tackle next to Kevin Williams? After Kevin's partner Pat left the Vikings and Remi Ayodele was released, Williams hasn't had a stable partner to his left. I hope that someone like Letroy Guion or Christian Ballard can step up and fill a position that has been a concern over the past few seasons.

5. Will the Vikings address poor linebacker depth by adding a veteran? With Jasper Brinkley coming off a hip injury and E.J. Henderson not returning, the Vikings have little linebacker depth. Which bares the question of whether or not the Vikings will look to bring in an established veteran to be a nice backup option. I hope they do sign an established veteran after training camp. The Vikings need experience to be insurance if a linebacker goes down to injury.

6. How many wide receivers will make this team? Will 6 or 7 players make the 53 man roster? Unlike last season, we actually have depth at the wide receiver position. With the additions of Jarius Wright and Greg Childs through the draft and Jerome Simpson during free agency, the Vikings are much improved at this position. I believe six wide receivers will make the roster, but there is a slight chance an additional receiver could make the team if they are impressive during training camp.

7. Will the Rudolph/Carlson duo be a big improvement to the tight end position group? I absolutely loved the signing of John Carlson for an improved pairing for Kyle Rudolph. All the elite NFL teams have an excellent "one-two" tight end punch. It is essential because it opens up the long passing routes and the rushing lanes for Adrian Peterson.

8. Will Matt Kalil live up to his high expectations? This will be the most fun player to watch at Mankato this year. The Vikings will have a centerpiece on the offensive line for the next 10 seasons. He is agile, quick, built and has all the traits to be one of the best offensive tackles in this league. Matt Kalil will get signed before camp and will make an immediate impact for this team.

9. Will Adrian Peterson recover from the torn ACL quickly? The key to the Vikings success this season will be how quickly Adrian Peterson can recover from his serious injury. I feel like he will recover fast and will pick up where he left off last season. He is a freak of nature athlete and will recover very quickly.

10. Will Toby Gerhart continue his steadfast improvement at running back? Toby Gerhart will need to continue his progress he established last season. He has gotten even bigger than he was last season and is an absolute train on the football field. I like the power running game he brings to this roster.

We will look at all the headlines and storylines we need to analyze after training camp is completed. Thanks for reading!

Was Adrian Peterson's Contract a Bad Deal for the Vikings?

The best running back in the league
isn't overpaid, he works too hard and
is the most elite running back in
the NFL.

Throughout this week several NFL running backs were signed to long-term extensions before their team placed the franchise tag on them. Ray Rice of the Baltimore Ravens and Matt Forte of the Chicago Bears both signed contracts valued at eight million dollars per season. Rice was locked in for five seasons, while Forte was signed for four. Did the Vikings pay Adrian Peterson more than he was actually valued at?

Peterson signed a seven year contract valued at $100 million with $36 million of the money being guaranteed. He will receive $40 million of the $100 million over his first three seasons of his contract. In addition, Peterson receives $1 million if he rushes for 1,250 yards and another $1 million dollars in incentives based on the Vikings success during the season.

The reason I believe he may be overpaid is based on the contracts of the most elite NFL players. Drew Brees signed his new extension this week and received a five year contract valued at $100 million with $60 million of the money guaranteed. As shown above, Adrian Peterson's contract is valued at the same amount as Brees, but Brees has more money guaranteed. This makes sense because Brees isn't a running back like Peterson who could be a larger injury liability.

I understand Peterson is the best running back in the NFL and that he shouldn't be paid more than the players comparable to him at the same position. I understand at that point in time Peterson needed to get paid the large contract to stay around in Minnesota. I feel like Peterson was the face of the franchise and still is the main superstar of this team. I'm pleased with the organization spending money to keep great franchise players.The more painful feeling is how much money we would have had to spend on other needs. I understand this is a business and the Vikings as an organization have decisions to make. At the time it was a great decision, but with the recent developments, it makes the situation a tough pill for Vikings fans to swallow. I know it is tough to fathom the thought of a running back being one of the highest paid players in the NFL, but when you think of the moments Adrian Peterson has brought to us, we can't doubt the great decision the Vikings made!

Position Analysis: Special Teams

If the Vikings special teams group is going to be successful,
the Vikings need consistency of kicker Blair Walsh.

Today we will wrap up the position analysis series on Vikings Corner. We will take a look at the special teams group that was very consistent last season. Chris Kluwe is the centerpiece of the special teams group. He is so great at pinning teams deep in Viking's territory. He snared 22 balls inside the twenty last season. This helps our defense have a cushion to attempt a potential three and out. Kluwe is also a great holder and is very consistent at the job. I think I've seen Kluwe maybe drop or miss one or two snaps in eight NFL seasons. That is an excellent stat for a holder in this this league.

Blair Walsh is the new kicker for the Vikings this season. I believe this a major concern for the Vikings. I sit down and think about all the games Ryan Longwell had won over his time in Minnesota and I can't believe they would bring in a rookie to kick. I understand that this league is becoming more of a "touchback type" league, but field goals can be huge down the stretch of a season. In addition Blair Walsh had his statistically worst season as a Georgia Bulldog last season. He only converted on 60% of his field goal attempts last season. From 30-39 yards he was 10 of 14, from 40-49 yards he was 5-12, and from 50 yards plus he was 2 of 5. His long field goal at Georgia was a 56 yard field goal. These stats display he has a nice leg, but he needs to develop better accuracy and consistency. I feel the decision of releasing Ryan Longwell this season will hurt the Vikings in several games this season.

Cullen Loeffler was injured last season in Atlanta after he was demolished by a "dirty bird." He injured his back and missed the last 6 games of the season. Before the injury, Loeffler was great as a long snapper for the Vikings. He has played in eight NFL seasons, all with the Vikings. Many scouts have debated and stated that Loeffler is one of the best long snappers in the NFL. You could really see how great Loeffler was after he was replaced by Matt Katula. We struggled to even get a consistent snap. Hopefully Loeffler's back is recovered and he is ready for a full NFL season.

Our special teams coverage teams were much better last season after the addition of Mike Priefer as special teams coach. I remember at training camp during special teams practices how intense Priefer was. He expected perfection with every kick or punt formation. I felt our special team coverage teams were much more consistent than in years past. We allowed our fair share of big plays, but it was much improved from years past.

Overall, I feel like the only question mark on the special teams group is how well Blair Walsh will kick for the Vikings. If he can make the kicks we need and kick the ball out of the endzone, it will be a definite upgrade. If he is inconsistent on field goals, this may have been a poor decision. I hope it all goes well for a Viking team that is poised for a season as the underdogs of the NFL.

Improvements to Vikings Corner

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Position Analysis: Safety

First Round draft pick Harrison Smith will provide an improvement
to last season's terrible backside coverage

We will continue our position series with a look at the safety position. This position caused many issues for a terrible Vikings defense last season. The backend of the defense was extremely weak and many teams exploited that weakness. The Viking felt this issue needed to be addressed this offseason, so they drafted Notre Dame saftey Harrison Smith in the first round. Smith was an excellent draft pick for the Vikings. He was a big 6' 2" physical cornerback when he played in the Big East conference. His Notre Dame coaches have said he was the leader of the defense at Notre Dame. He worked to get everyone lined up in the correct position. This is the type of leadership the Vikings need to turn the defense around.

Jamarca Sanford started last season and is in his forth season as a Viking. Sanford was a terrible tackler last season and was not a legitimate option as a starting safety. Sanford I feel can make a contribution on special teams and is better suited to do so. He is a hard hitter and was great on special teams earlier in his career.

I would like to see the Vikings start Mistral Raymond alongside Harrison Smith. Raymond was drafted out of South Florida. Per Vikings.com, Mistral was the first USF player drafted by the Minnesota Vikings. Which is a fact I did not realize until reading about his past. I really liked how he was always around the ball last season. I think with a year under his belt he will be able to execute and make big plays for the Vikings.

The Vikings also drafted Robert Blanton out of Notre Dame this season. When he was drafted he was listed as a cornerback, but Coach Frazier would like to convert him into a safety. I like this thought due to Blanton's stature. He is physically built and reminds me of Ike Taylor of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He hits hard like Taylor and is always around the ball. I remember watching Notre Dame play Michigan State on NBC last year. Blanton made an interception and made several phenomenal cuts to get to the endzone. I really like the thought of having Blanton on the roster because he makes things happen.

Eric Frampton is listed as a safety, but has been primarily a special teams ace. Last season he recorded 20 tackles, the most in his career. I have always liked Frampton on special teams, but feel like his time may be over and that there may be better options on special teams. At training camp I will be watching for players who will compete with Frampton for his job.

Overall, I feel like the players drafted and those who have gained a year of experience will help improve the safety position sooner rather than later. Which is a must when playing in a league where passing is so prevalent.

Position Analysis: Cornerbacks

Josh Robinson's athleticism will help improve the once dismal
Vikings secondary.

Today on Vikings Corner we will take a look at the cornerback position group. This position has been a headache for the coaching staff over the past two seasons. Passing teams like Green Bay have shredded up our secondary. With the league becoming more "pass happy," it is essential to upgrade the cornerbacks.

Antoine Winfield is the veteran of this position group and will be a key piece in developing the young cornerbacks. Winfield has battled foot injuries and a broken collarbone over the past few seasons. Winfield is now 35 years old and has lost a step, but still is a great tackler and more importantly a great leader in the secondary.

Chris Cook will likely start opposite Winfield when the season begins. Cook missed last season after being charged with assault of his girlfriend, which was later acquitted. Many forget how well Cook was playing before he missed games last season. He is a nice option because he is a tall cornerback that matches up nicely with the premier wide receivers like Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions.

Chris Carr was brought in after playing for the Baltimore Ravens. He will be competing for the nickel spot with Josh Robinson. A battle, I feel Robinson wins because of his sheer athletic ability. Robinson ran the fastest 40 yard dash time at the Scouting Combine with a 4.29.  He will be an intriguing player to watch this season. Coach Frazier wouldn't rule out the chance Robinson wins the starting job over Chris Cook. That would mean Cook and Robinson would likely switch roles. The only reason Robinson won't be a nickel cornerback is if Frazier feels he wants more experience from Robinson before he plays. That would mean Chris Carr would likely be the nickel cornerback. We will most likely have a grasp on things after training camp is completed.

Zach Bowman was brought in to add more experience to the roster. He has played in 5 NFL seasons, four of which were with the Chicago Bears. He brings in some nice depth and was average in coverage in last season. I like this signing to ultimately add depth to last season's depleted secondary.

This will be Marcus Sherel's third season with the Vikings. He primarily has been used on special teams as a return man. He really improved our punt game when he arrived on the roster. He is local kid who played for the Gophers and grew up in Rochester. I really like Sherels, but I feel like with the additions of Josh Robinson and Jarius Wright, there will be better punt return options.

Brandon Burton was a 2011 draft choice for the Vikings. I would like to see the Vikings give him more of an opportunity to play. He was an excellent cornerback at Utah and when he played in the preseason, he showed promise as a legitimate option for future seasons. The door is open for Burton, he will just have to impress the coaching staff at training camp.

It will be interesting to see the combination the coaching staff goes with at this positon. There are many options with many rookies and veterans that have great promise. Overall, this position group will be much improved over the past few seasons. The Vikings will need the cornerbacks to improve so we can keep up with the "pass first" NFC North.

Position Analysis: Linebackers

Jasper Brinkley will need to get his issues fixed
if the Vikings are going to be successful on defense.

I will post another position analysis today for all the Viking faithful. We will analyze the linebacker position. With E.J. Henderson no longer in middle of the linebacking core, the Vikings will look to replace him by regaining Jasper Brinkley, who was lost to injury last season. Many people have question marks about the health of Brinkley, which I believe is a legitimate concern. He honestly is a major question mark in the linebacking core and is a key for success. He will be a player we will monitor while at training camp.

Chad Greenway is always a reliable option at linebacker. He has nice agile ability, strong presence on the outside, and is great in coverage. Chad is going through a tough time with his father being hospitalized for leukemia. Chad is a great individual and will get through this with the help of his family. He will be a cornerstone of this position group for years to come.

Erin Henderson developed nicely after being groomed into a starter last season. He became great in coverage and was a nice "run-stuffer" last season. With his brother E.J. gone, he will be a cornerstone of this linebacking core for years to come. I really think he is a nice option for the Vikings and will only improve as a starter.

Audie Cole is my sleeper at this position. I think he will be able to get to the quarterback and will be  a force as a linebacker. I feel like he could be molded into a starter in several years. At N.C State he was an excellent tackler and was an absolute workhorse. I feel like he will be a large asset on special teams this season.

Solomon Elimimian was brought in from the CFL league where he was a starter. The thing I like about Solomon is his size and ability to be around the ball. In Canada, he was a force as a linebacker and based on videos I have seen, he is a freakishly hard hitter. I think he makes this team and is a nice special teams option.

Larry Dean was a special team specialist last season, but I feel he will be on the way out of town. With  Cole and Elimimian being added to the special team mix, it will most likely be the end of an average Larry Dean.

Cory Paredes is an individual to watch when training camp begins next week. He is an undrafted free agent out of Hawaii and has a ton of ability. He is a little undersized which is a concern, but he will be an interesting player to watch when roster cuts come around.

Overall, this position could be a tad weak for the Vikings. I wish they would bring in a player like Brian Banks who hasn't signed anywhere yet. Or they could sign a veteran option to back up our current starters. I think that is an absolute must unless someone comes out of nowhere at training camp. We will keep our eyes peeled and will inform you our thoughts on this position after training camp is completed.

Position Analysis: Defensive Line

There is nothing better than Aaron Rodger's face in the Metrodome turf.
This will hopefully be the sight when the Packers come to town this season.

Today we will look at the strength of this team the past few seasons, the defensive line. The defensive line recorded 50 sacks last season, 22 of those being from all-time sack leader, Jared Allen. I feel the same consistency will be displayed by this position during the season. Jared has a motor and he is determined to break the sack record after he came up a half sack short. He will continue to cause headaches for defenses all over the league. Jared still has a full tank of gas in his system.

Kevin Williams will remain the "man in the middle" this season. Last season he lost his partner next door, Pat Williams. Again, he will have a new teammate next to him after Remi Ayodele left. I think Kevin will display an excellent season so he can get the contract extension he is aspiring for. Williams has always been a great player, but has been battling injuries the past few seasons including a foot injury. So he can get the big money, he will step up to the plate this season.

Letroy Guion will be back this season and will likely play next to Kevin Williams. Since he was drafted out of Florida State, he really hasn't had a full-time opportunity. I'm not quite sure about Guion as a starter for this team. I do like his speed and his agile frame. He seems like he has a knack for getting to the quarterback. I feel like he will need experience as a starter before he settles in nicely.

Brian Robison is an excellent player, person, and athlete. He adapted nicely to his role as a starter. He has speed and quickness that make him a threat. I remember his days on the Texas track team as a shot put specialist. He could have went to the Olympics for shot put, but he chose football instead. That was an excellent choice he made, as he is a great defensive end in this league.

Fred Evans has always impressed me since he has been here. He always gets to the quarterback and has agile speed. The main concern is conditioning. I feel like sometimes he struggles when he is tired. I honestly believe if the Vikings aren't impressed with Guion he could slide into this role nicely.

Christian Ballard is going to be a breakthrough defensive lineman. He showed so many excellent flashes last season. For a big man, he was extremely fast and got to the quarterback. I would love to see Ballard become the replacement next to Kevin Williams, which I think might be a slight probability. I liked him coming out of Iowa if he kept out of trouble. So far he has so that is an extreme positive.

Trevor Guyon is going to be the sleeper on the defensive line.  Mike Mayock had him rated as a third or fourth round pick and we drafted him in the seventh round. That is absolutely excellent value for the Vikings. He was an excellent pass-rusher at California and showed he could get to the quarterback off the edge. I think he could also be converted to the middle on third down situations, much like the Vikings did with Brian Robison when he was a rookie. I really like Guyton as a utility option this season.

Overall, I think the defensive line will be a strength of this team again this season. Every player has the traits needed to be successful.

Thanks for reading!

Position Analysis: Fullback/H-Back

The Vikings will see dividends of improvement at H-Back this season,
with the new addition of Rhett Ellison to the team.

Today on Vikings Corner will look at the Fullbacks and H-Backs on the roster. This position wasn't a strength of the Vikings last season. Many people thought Ryan D'Imperio was a disappointment as a run blocker and felt like he just didn't fit the bill as a fullback. I agree with the statement partially, but I feel he has upside as a fullback. He has a great attitude, works hard, and was better than Nafahu Tahi by light years. He is an average option as a fullback in this league.

One thought I have established is moving D'Imperio back to linebacker. In college, he played linebacker and the Vikings drafted him to become a fullback. I think he would be a decent option to improve a weak linebacking core. I know this may be unrealistic, but it is definitely a thought to help improve a weak area of our team. If anyone can do it Ryan can with his strong leadership and work ethic.

Jerome Felton was brought in to provide a possible upgrade. Yes, I did like Felton's ability as a pass-catcher and run blocker. He probably is an upgrade to D'Imperio, but not in the discipline category. After the DUI run-in at McDonald's, the Vikings don't need him on this roster. We need strong character to build up this team from the bottom of the totem pole.

I absolutely love the addition of Rhett Ellison to replace Jim Kleinsasser as the "trench man." He not only is a "brute" that can be a great run blocker, he has better hands than Jim Kleinsasser ever had. He made many big catches at USC and when you watch game tape he has great hands. One game was against UCLA last season when he caught a short intermediate route in the back of the endzone while fully extended. I really like this addition, and I feel it is a nice improvement to the H-Back position.

Overall, the Vikings have to decide the type of fullback they want, and have an excellent H-Back to pave the way for the best running back in the National Football League!

Position Analysis: Tight Ends

 In order to be successful, the Vikings need the tight ends to
step up.

Today on Vikings Corner we will take a look at the tight end position. With Visanthe Shiancoe leaving for free agency the Vikings decided to add John Carlson to the roster. Carlson has had a few injuries problems, including a neck injury and a major concussion. He feels he is 100% healthy and that he can make an impact. I feel this a great addition to this roster. He has excellent hands, but the better asset that he brings is his ability to run block. He is an excellent down hill run blocker, which is required to open up the rushing lanes. In Seattle before his injury Carlson made a nice impact and was one of Matt Hasselback's "favorite" targets. Paired with Kyle Rudolph this duo will be deadly for defenses.

Kyle Rudolph has great size and has had shown flashes last season as a rookie. I honestly feel that he could be the next Rob Gronkowski type tight end in this league. I think the Vikings want to involve the tight ends in the offense this season. I hope they do because the good teams have a nice "one, two" tight end punch. They both have nice size, good hands, and more importantly can get open.

The third spot will be a battle between Allen Reisner and Mickey Shuler. The organization has always had faith in Shuler as a tight end. They put him on the practice squad and he was snatched by the Miami Dolphins. The same day the Dolphins released Shuler, he was back with the Vikings. I feel like he is a decent tight end, but I really like Allen Reisner. Reisner is a hard working Iowa boy, who is an excellent run blocker, but doesn't have great hands. I feel like he better fits the third spot because we already have two tight ends that can make things happen. We need the bruiser who can get down in the trenches and battle.

Last season I felt we used our tight ends very poorly. In training camp we seen so many formations featuring the tight ends. Then the game came and we never seen many tight end formations. This puzzles me because Christian really executed when he was able to roll out and hit the tight end. If we use this more, it can be a threat to other teams.

The key to be successful at this position group is for everyone to remain healthy and for the Vikings to better utilize the tight ends in certain formations. If all of this happens, the Vikings will have a definite threat in the NFC North.

Thanks for reading!

Position Analysis: Offensive Line

Today on Vikings Corner we will continue the position analysis series with the offensive line. This position will be one of the more interesting positions to watch this season. With the addition of Matt Kalil to the offensive line, the Vikings are poised for major improvement. It wouldn't take much to improve the offensive line based on last year's dismal performance.

Matt Kalil will be a centerpiece of this offensive line for years to come. He is physically built and is very athletic. We won't have any defensive lineman blowing through the left tackle position this season. I feel Christian Ponder could be a big threat if he is given time to throw. Last season Ponder was on his back every other play and I believe through this addition alone, that will not be happening.

Charlie Johnson will be moving to left guard after playing left tackle last season. I honestly believe that Johnson has a better skill set to play guard. He is big but isn't an agile player to be a left tackle. Many people wanted to dump Johnson after his performance last season. Yes, his performance wasn't the best, but he is an average offensive lineman in this league. I hope that Charlie can bounce back and be an improvement for the Vikings.

John Sullivan has always been a concern of mine at the center position. I know he has done a decent job, but he is quite under sized and I feel like he gets pushed around up the middle. We have had too much penetration up the middle and that led to Ponder getting plastered all day. Overall, I feel like Sullivan is a great leader on the offensive line and is a slightly above average option at center.

Right Guard will be a position battle between Brandon Fusco and Geoff Schwartz and I feel Fusco likely wins this battle. He is young and has great size as a right guard. I feel if Schwartz has a nice camp he could snatch up the starting job. The only thing with him is that he has had injury issues when he was with the Carolina Panthers.The one thing that concerns me about Fusco is that he has a terrible temper. Everytime he came in the game last year he got at least one unnecessary roughness penalty for shoving someone over. That could cost a game sometime down the road.

This season Phil Loadholt needs to step up his game majorly. He hasn't had any real outstanding season since he was drafted. He is in a contract year and will need to show the coaches he is the "real deal." Phil had a rough season last season and will have to improve his pass blocking to stick around. That was always a concern when he was drafted out of Oklahoma. He was a great run blocker in college, but struggled in pass protection. That needs to get fixed immediately. We don't need Christian on his back all day. If Ponder has time, he can make things happen inside and outside of the pocket.

Overall, this position will be much improved this season. I can't wait to see the type of offensive lineman Matt Kalil will be in this league. I feel he will become one of the best offensive lineman in the NFL within a few seasons.

Thanks for reading!

Position Analysis: Wide Receivers



If the Vikings are going to improve they will need consistency from their new acquisition, Jerome Simpson

Today on Vikings Corner we will analyze the wide receivers on the roster.

This position was a strength until Sidney Rice left for Seattle. We lost our deep vertical down field threat that we had in 2009. We didn't really have it in 2010 either because Rice was battling the hip injury. The key is whether or not the Vikings resolved that issue this season. I believe they have by signing Jerome Simpson to the roster. He has unbelievable athletic ability which was expressed when he played for the Bengals. He can sprint, jump, and catch extremely well. I think of the leap he made into the endzone last season which was probably the best play in the whole league last season. This will definitely be the upgrade as a vertical threat this season. The only issue is that we are without Simpson for the first three games of the season due to suspension. This shouldn't be an issue because I like the first three games we play in. I feel we can beat Jacksonville at home and Indianapolis on the road. The struggle will be at home against the 49ers. The 49ers have a great defense and an above average offense line and running attack which could pose some issues. I feel when Simpson comes back if the Vikings are sitting 2-1 they are in a great position.

Percy Harvin will be the same "I Told Percy" that he always has been. The whole situation where Percy was upset with the organization was blown out of proportion. It wouldn't surprise me if he didn't even  request the trade that he allegedly had. Percy will be the same versatile threat that he has been in this league. Teams have to scheme for Harvin and must know where he is on the field at all times.

I also like the addition of Jarius Wright to the wide receiving core. I think he will be able to take a little bit of a burden off Percy Harvin's shoulders. He will be able to be an asset on special teams where I think Harvin doesn't need to be used. In big games when we need a touchdown we could put Percy in the game to take a kick back in a big spot.

I have one main concern and that is Greg Childs who we drafted out of Arkansas. He really struggled with injuries and missed a ton of time in college. I don't like the thought of his injury ability coming on this team. I think if he stays healthy he has a skill set similar to Sidney Rice. He is tall, lanky, and has nice hands in traffic. But a person does have to be concerned with his durability. The Vikings could use him and need him to step up his game immediately.

Overall, I feel like if we can get a vertical threat from Simpson, Harvin can continue his consistency, Wright can step into a utility role, and Childs can stay injury free, the Vikings will have a strong wide receiving core.

Position Analysis: Running Backs

Today on Vikings Corner we are breaking down the Vikings running backs. This position has been a strength for the Vikings in past seasons. This season that could be a whole different story. With Adrian Peterson coming off a torn ACL and the arrest scandal, things could be very different.

I believe Toby Gerhart will have a breakout season this year. Gerhart looks even stronger then he did last season. Toby is a power running back but seemed to be a little speedier last season. I really like the power element that Gerhart brings to this team. You can put him in the game and he can carry the ball as much as you need him to. Gerhart must be ready if Adrian Peterson doesn't recover well from the ACL injury.

Adrian Peterson will battle back and be just as strong as he was before the tore an ACL. Peterson is a "superfreak athlete," who will can recover extremely fast. Adrian is still one of the best running backs in the game, but you do have to wonder if he is past his expiration date as a running back in this league.

The sleeper third running back at this position is former Connecticut Huskie Jordan Todman. He has speed and elusiveness. He is a little undersized which can be a concern. I believe he will be a great replacement for Lorenzo Booker. Todman can't be any worse then Booker who fumbled nearly everytime he touched the ball.

Overall, I think there are many question marks at this position, but if they can be resolved, it can be a strength of this team. I hope the ACL turns out well for Adrian, Gerhart can continue his improvement, and Todman can become a nice fill in option for the Vikings.

Thanks for reading!

Don't Judge Before We Know The Facts

As fans we can tend to be judgemental before we know all the facts. The same may be the case in the Adrian Peterson arrest scandal. Many people felt Peterson had let down the organization, his fans, and more importantly his teammates. Peterson isn't the type of person that would put himself before those he is surrounded by. He has always been the high character leader of the team since he set foot on the field for the first time.

I remember Adrian's first game against the Atlanta Falcons. Tarvaris Jackson dropped back to pass and flipped a screen pass to Peterson. In an instant Peterson made several cuts and blew by the defense. The Metrodome erupted and the fans all around me began to say "this guy's the real deal." After that play I knew that "A.D." was the face of this franchise for seasons to come.

Not only was he the "real deal" on the field, he impressed the fans by the way he gave credit to his teammates before himself. After winning the Rookie of the Year award in 2007, he treated his offensive line to dinner for the paving the way for him to achieve his success.

At training camp Adrian has always been for the kids. He always signs all the kids autographs and takes pride in doing so. He has always wanted to be the role model for the children. I remember a small toddler at training camp in the arms of Adrian as he signed his jersey. Those are the type of influences athletes like Adrian Peterson can have on a young child. Those type of situations make this whole thing tougher on Peterson. He doesn't want kids to think that he isn't a positive role model for them. If he is indeed innocent, (which I believe so) I feel extremely bad for Adrian and the bad publicity he received for absolutely no reason.

The question I have for the Houston Police Department is why the others in the club that hadn't left weren't arrested for leaving? Why did they target the celebrity in the building when others were disobeying?

We know Adrian Peterson believes he is innocent because he spent money to hire the well known Rusty Hardin to defend him. Hardin is the same attorney that represented Roger Clemen's in his perjury case.

Hardin released a statement (per 1500espn.com), "Adrian Peterson does not act the way he has been described in the initial reports, and he did not act that way Saturday morning. He was only in that club for 30 to 40 minutes, was never objectionable to other patrons, and never physically resisted any police officer. Adrian is extremely upset about these false allegations.

Please don't think that I'm saying Adrian Peterson should have been at that club that evening. No, he shouldn't have put himself in that situation in the first place. I think Adrian wishes he wouldn't have made the mistake of attending the club now. I hope that Adrian's reputation isn't at all tattered do to this false accusation. I know and all dedicated Vikings fans know the type of football player, leader, and man that Adrian Peterson is. My message for us all is to take a look at the facts and think about the type of person that committed the crime before jumping to conclusions.

I know Adrian Peterson will always be the same "All Day" in the minds of true Vikings fans. Most of all he will be the same role model he has always been for me.

Position Analysis: Quarterbacks

We are starting a new segment here at Vikings Corner, where we are going to break down every position group of the Minnesota Vikings. Today, we will look at the Quarterbacks on the roster.

The Vikings will begin this season with Christian Ponder at the helm of the offense. Ponder will have an offseason under his belt after the Lockout plagued 2011 season yielded him no offseason activities. I feel this will be an advantage for the Vikings offense because they will have some cohesiveness. Also, Christian will have a season of NFL experience to grow upon.

Ponder will have a better grasp of the offense this season and will have an offensive line in front of him with the addition of Matt Kalil. I also like the idea that Christian has bulked up and added 20 pounds of muscle. This will help him better withstand hits in this league.

Everyone was extremely concerned about Ponder's arm strength coming out of Florida State and I never seen that at all last season. I felt he could make all the throws he needed to make. The only issue Ponder had was reading the coverages and progressions of the defense. If he can fix this issue, he can become an elite level quarterback and will be a long term option for the Vikings.

I would like to see the Vikings better utilize Joe Webb in different game situations. Putting him in for "Blazer" wasn't the right way to use Joe Webb. I would really like to see Ponder be able to air it out to Webb on fade patterns. Webb has such a great skill set he needs to be used as much as possible. I believe Webb has the athletic ability to move to the wide receiver position.

I can honestly say the quarterback position has indeed been upgraded over past seasons. At least we don't have a new 40 year old quarterback each season. I finally feel like we have a long term option at this position. Overall, if the Vikings  quarterback position is going to be successful this season, Ponder needs to improve his knowledge for coverages and progressions and Joe Webb needs to be utilized as a threat for other teams to scheme for.

We will take a look at the running back position in our next position analysis. Thanks for reading!

Adrian Peterson Comments and Video

A video has been released showing the arrest of Adrian Peterson. The video shot presumably by an eyewitness shows nothing revealing but a loud commotion. If you would like to view the video here it is: http://www.tmz.com/2012/07/08/adrian-peterson-arrest-video/.

Adrian Peterson finally broke his silence at 1:54 pm on Sunday afternoon tweeting, "A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on - WC." Peterson was referencing the late prime minister of Great Britain.


A couple of minutes later, Peterson tweeted his thoughts in his own words,"Thank you for waiting for the facts," Peterson wrote. "Truth will surface."

Peterson spent 8 hours in custody until he was released from jail on $1,000 bond early Saturday morning. Peterson was charged with resisting arrest, a Class A misdemeanor, after the alleged altercation at Live at Bayou club in Houston.

Peterson will appear in court this Friday for an initial appearance.

My take as a Vikings fan is that there is more to this story and as fans we need to remain patient for more facts to come out. Many people involved in the situation seem to have different views about what really occurred Saturday evening. Police say he pushed an off-duty police officer. One eyewitness says that the officer was very aggressive. But the club manager says Peterson was highly intoxicated. The video doesn't show enough for us to see what truly happened, but video surveillance at the club will show the true events that occurred.

Remain positive and we will find out what really happened to the best running back in the National Football League!

Adrian Peterson Arrested

Adrian Peterson was arrested at 2:30 am in Houston for resisting arrest at a local club in Houston.

Several media outlets initially reported, "Peterson went to get water before the club closed, was asked to leave by an officer and was uncooperative." He was arrested for resisting arrest, which is a Class A misdemeanor in the state of Texas.
The facts later came out in a report at 4:15pm stating, "Peterson was asked to leave twice, was told he was under arrest and began to argue with the officer. Eventually Peterson shoved the officer causing him to stumble. The officer struggled to arrest Peterson and another security guard had to assist him. Peterson began to yell and cause a commotion and was arrested for resisting arrest."

The interesting part of this story was that after Peterson was arrested he complained of difficulty breathing. He was checked out by a Houston Fire Department official and was ruled physically safe. Eyewitnesses say they have video of the incident, but haven't released it yet. If he didn't shove the officer, it changes the whole story. He would not be charged for Class A misdemeanor if this is the case.

This will be the 10th arrest for the Vikings since 1/1/2011 and since Leslie Frazier has taken over as head coach. In the NFL, the Vikings account for 10 of the 70 arrests since 1/1/2011. This is the roughly 14% of all NFL arrests. Which isn't good publicity for the Vikings organization.

I hope as a Vikings fan the charges are dropped and we can continue with the season as normal. When more information is released or if video is finally produced, we will have it for you here.

Pre-Training Camp Questions and Storylines Q&A Session

There are many questions that haven't been answered, but let's answer our "Pre-Training Camp Questions and Storylines."

Quarterbacks: How will Christian Ponder respond in his second season? Will he improve his play with the help of OTA's and Minicamps?

Christian Ponder will be much more poised in his second season at the helm for the Vikings. Having OTA's and Minicamps this season is an advantage for Christian Ponder. Not having those his rookie season was a huge disadvantage. He will also have a grip on the life in the NFL, which isn't easy.

Running Backs: How will Adrian Peterson respond to his tore ACL? Will he ever be the same? Can Toby Gerhart fill his shoes until he returns?

Adrian Peterson is a "freak of nature" athlete. If anyone is going to come back from a serious injury, it will be Adrian. I think he will be the same athlete he was before the injury. He may lose a step or two, but he will still remain an elite running back for the Vikings. Toby Gerhart is an absolute truck. If you have seen him after this offseason, he has bulked even more. Get ready for a breakout season for Toby Gerhart.

Fullbacks: Who will make the team? Jerome Felton or Ryan D'Imperio?

I have my fingers crossed that D'Imperio makes this team. When I met him he was a great, soft spoken individual. I don't want a player like Felton on our team that has gotten into trouble. Felton may have a little more ability, but I would rather have a great attitude like D'Imperio on this roster.

Wide Receivers: Will we see a receiver step up as a vertical threat? Will Percy Harvin have all his issues resolved?

I believe that after Jerome Simpson's suspension, he will be an excellent free agent signing. Simpson has a great skill set and has the ability to be an elite wide receiver. The number one concern is that he remains out of trouble. Also, I will be interested to see what Greg Childs brings to this roster. Many Arkansas fans compare him to the 2009 Sidney Rice. Which would be a definite upgrade to this position.


Percy Harvin seems to have his "issues" resolved after minicamp. I believe that Harvin will have a big year to prove he deserves a large elite contract in this league.

Offensive Line: Will top draft pick Matt Kalil live up to expectations? Will his presence help boost the play of the offensive line.

Matt Kalil will live up to his expectations and will exceed some standards. I believe his presence will make the Offensive Line one of the strengths of this team. When you break down our Offensive Line there are really no liabilities going into this season.

Tight Ends: Will Kyle Rudolph become the next Rob Gronkowski type tight end we are hoping for? Will the addition of John Carlson help produce a nice one-two punch at tight end?

Look for Kyle Rudolph to have a monster season. He has all the skill sets to be a force in the NFL. The one-two punch of Rudolph and John Carlson will give Christian Ponder several great targets. I look for the tight end position to be very improved over past seasons.

Defensive Line: Can the defensive line show the same consistency as last season? Will Jared Allen have another career season?

The Defensive Line has been a strength of this team for many seasons. I believe that same trend will continue this season. There is one player in particular to watch and that is Trevor Guyton. We drafted Guyton in the 7th round out of California and this was an absolute steal. Mike Mayock had Guyton rated as a 3rd or 4th round pick on his big board.


Jared Allen will have another great season and I think could reach the sack record this season. He is even more determined now because he came so close to breaking the record. Jared Allen is still the best defensive end in this league and will continue to make a huge impact on this team.

Linebackers: Will the Vikings have enough experience at this position? Will Jasper Brinkley be an answer in the linebacking core?

This position yields the largest amount of concern for me because I feel we don't have much depth at this position. If someone goes down to injury, there is no real backups that are very trusted.


Jasper Brinkley is now saying his hip injury isn't where he wants it and I believe he will be the same player he was. Look at how pathetic Sidney Rice was last season after he had the same injury as Brinkley. This is a major concern to me.

Cornerbacks: Will having Chris Cook this season and adding Josh Robinson and Chris Carr help improve a terrible secondary.

I think having this depth on the roster will be an improvement. I believe it can only better then it has been the past two seasons. I really like Josh Robinson's athletic ability and Chris Cook played relatively well until he was suspended.

Safety: Who will win the position battle between Jamarca Sanford, Mistral Raymond, and Robert Blanton. Will the addition of Harrison Smith improve the backside of the secondary?

I believe that the Vikings will give Blanton a try at safety, but it is too early to tell. I like how he always seemed to be around the ball at Notre Dame. I think Harrison Smith is a legitimate option at safety and he will be a huge upgrade to the backside of the secondary. Something needed to be fixed in the backside of this secondary and I think it finally has.

Punter: Can Chris Kluwe remain consistent as a punter?

I love the humor and fun Chris Kluwe brings to this team. He is by far one of the best punters in this league and is great at knocking balls inside the twenty. Punter is the least of the Vikings offseason concerns.

Kicker: Will the Vikings regret releasing Ryan Longwell? Will Blair Walsh be extremely inconsistent?

Yes, this is a huge mistake the Vikings organization has made. Just think how many games Ryan Longwell has won this team. Now we bring in a rookie that will be very inconsistent in a season where we need consistency. If we start losing games on a last second field goal blunder, the organization will realize they made a mistake.

Thanks for reading our first "Pre-Training Camp Questions and Storylines Q&A Session," we will continue this segment after training camp ends. Skol Vikings!

Pre-Training Camp Questions and Storylines

With training camp only 21 days away, let's take a look at the storylines at each position group.

Quarterbacks: How will Christian Ponder respond in his second season? Will he improve his play with the help of OTA's and Minicamps?

Running Backs: How will Adrian Peterson respond to his tore ACL? Will he ever be the same? Can Toby Gerhart fill his shoes until he returns?

Fullbacks: Who will make the team? Jerome Felton or Ryan D'Imperio?

Wide Receivers: Will we see a receiver step up as a vertical threat? Will Percy Harvin have all his issues resolved?

Offensive Line: Will top draft pick Matt Kalil live up to expectations? Will his presence help boost the play of the offensive line.

Tight Ends: Will Kyle Rudolph become the next Rob Gronkowski type tight end we are hoping for? Will the addition of John Carlson help produce a nice one-two punch at tight end?

Defensive Line: Can the defensive line show the same consistency as last season? Will Jared Allen have another career season?

Linebackers: Will the Vikings have enough experience at this position? Will Jasper Brinkley be an answer in the linebacking core?

Cornerbacks: Will having Chris Cook this season and adding Josh Robinson and Chris Carr help improve a terrible secondary.

Safety: Who will win the position battle between Jamarca Sanford, Mistral Raymond, and Robert Blanton. Will the addition of Harrison Smith improve the backside of the secondary?

Punter: Can Chris Kluwe remain consistent as a punter?

Kicker: Will the Vikings regret releasing Ryan Longwell? Will Blair Walsh be extremely inconsistent?

Think these questions over and I will answer them in my next post! Thanks for reading!

Welcome to my New Website!

Hello everyone and welcome to Vikings Corner, the one stop spot for all Vikings related analysis. I am pleased to have the opportunity to add content to my site to better educate fans about the Minnesota Vikings. We will have great analysis all season long and will soon have daily "Training Camp Chronicles",which will give an overview of each practice. I look forward to providing you with great information. Skol Vikings!

What amenities are a must at the new Vikings Stadium?

With the Vikings new stadium there are many amenities fans would like to improve their overall experience. I feel there are several key features needed in the new stadium that make me cringe at the Metrodome.


• Develop wider rows: to increase leg room and ability to move without stepping on other fans feet. If you have been to TCF Bank Stadium, the rows are spaced out just perfect. At the Metrodome, this is an absolute nightmare. You feel like you have little room to move.
• Make the concourse huge: to improve flow of traffic and to ease congestion when leaving the game.
• Put TV’s in the bathroom!: I hate when you have to go take a leak and there is a huge line and you miss the biggest play of the game. Put several televisions in the bathroom, so we don’t miss the action.
• Put in a Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame: add busts of the former players and coaches in the Ring of Honor to showcase their careers. Also, add game worn merchandise from historic games to add some true meaning.
• Establish a restaurant: Make the restaurant and have a menu with names related to historic Vikings moments. Also, I like the feature of having the restaurant near the locker room like at the Dallas Cowboys stadium.
• Huge Video board: It will be nice to not have to squint to see a highlight on the little video boards at the Metrodome.
• Enclosed glass: in the endzones would provide excellent lighting to the stadium.
• Huge projection TV outside stadium: Put this projector near the tailgating section so during pre and postgame coverage fans can see what is going on.
• Establish a Minnesota Vikings Memories Atrium: you could walk into the stadium and look at photos and videos streaming on the wall of past teams and players. Have the Locker room store and collectible store in this area so fans have an area to purchase merchandise.


Overall, I can’t wait to see the stadium when it is finished. The Wilf’s are excellent at building, designing, and developing excellent experiences. Anything other than the Metrodome will see like Taj Mahal to Vikings fans. In the comment section please add amenities you would like to see at the new stadium. Ultimately, I hope the Vikings listen to fans and take into account their interests when constructing this stadium.

Vikings Post Minicamp Depth Chart

With the mandatory minicamp completed I would l like to unveil my first projected Vikings depth chart and 53 man roster. I will release another after I analyze practices at training camp.

Quarterback:
1. Christian Ponder
2. Joe Webb
3. Sage Rosenfels
Running Backs:

1. Adrian Peterson
2. Toby Gerhart
3. Jordan Todman

Fullback/H-Back:

1. Ryan D’Imperio
2. Rhett Ellison

Wide Receivers:

1. Percy Harvin
2. Jerome Simpson
3. Devin Aromashodu
4. Greg Childs
5. Jarius Wright
6. Stephen Burton
Tight End:

1. John Carlson
2. Kyle Rudolph
3. Mickey Shuler

Left Tackle:

1. Matt Kalil
2. Demarcus Love

Left Guard:

1. Charlie Johnson
2. Joe Berger

Center:

1. John Sullivan
2. Brandon Fusco

Right Guard:

1. Brandon Fusco
2. Geoff Schwartz

Right Tackle:

1. Phil Loadholt
2. Patrick Brown

Defense:


Left Defensive End:

1. Brian Robison
2. Christian Ballard
3. DeAundre Reed
Left Defensive Tackle:

1. Letroy Guion
2. Fred Evans

Right Defensive Tackle:

1. Kevin Williams
2. Trevor Guyton

Right Defensive End:

1. Jared Allen
2. Everson Griffen
3. Trevor Guyton

Left Outside Linebacker:

1. Chad Greenway
2. Larry Dean

Middle Linebacker:

1. Jasper Brinkley
2. Audie Cole

Right Outside Linebacker:

1. Erin Henderson
2. Solomon Elimimian

Left Cornerback:

1. Antoine Winfield
2. Chris Carr
3. Josh Robinson

Free Safety:

1. Harrison Smith
2. Mistral Raymond

Strong Safety

1. Robert Blanton
2. Jamarca Sanford
3. Eric Frampton

Right Cornerback

1. Chris Cook
2. Zack Bowman

Long Snapper:
 Cullen Loeffler

Kicker:

1. Blair Walsh

Punter:

1. Chris Kluwe

I project that 38 of the 53 players on the roster this season, played with the Vikings last season. Which means roughly 72% of the roster will have at least one season of experience. 28% of the roster will be rookies or will be new to the Vikings this season. This will mean that the Vikings roster will be almost 1/3 of newcomers. Obviously this number could increase based on players making a good impression at training camp. 34% of the Vikings roster either left football or left for another destination. As stated in my “Complete Roster Breakdown”, I said that 41% of the roster would be turned over and training camp cuts have not been made yet. Stay tuned as I will give training camp updates and I will profile players who made an impact at practice each day.