Minnesota Vikings: Position Group Leading the Charge

Vast improvements were seen from the Minnesota Vikings, but none were more important to Minnesota than an established, dominant, defense.

Mike Zimmer’s baby is his defense, and his ability to coach defenses was the main reason the long-time defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator was finally given the opportunity by the Minnesota Vikings to become an NFL head coach. Zimmer delivered with the fifth best scoring defense in the league.

The straight-shooting coach is known for turning lackluster defenses into top-five powerhouses, while squeezing the football life out of players beyond their prime and finding value in later round picks that other teams couldn’t.

The defensive guru is working his magic on a defense that previously wasn’t respected by opposing offenses through the air- or on the ground.

The defensive point of the ball that may be the strongest for this surging defense is the hand-to-hand combat down in the trenches.

Rick Spielman, Zimmer and crew made their first splash as a unit in free agency when they swooped up free agent Linval Joseph. The Minnesota Vikings signed the former New York Giants nose tackle to a five-year $31.5 million dollar contract, and he’s been nothing but superb since joining the Vikings.

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It’s blaspheme to think that someone as pivotal to the defensive line as Linval Joseph didn’t make the Pro Bowl, nor was he selected as a first team All-Pro by his peers. This coming season will be a year of justification for Joseph, as he anchors the young line from the nose.

Sharrif Floyd is another player, as long as he stays healthy, worthy of a sizeable pay increase after he plays out the fifth year of his deal.

The Minnesota Vikings decided to pick up the fifth year options on both Floyd and Xavier Rhodes, showing both that if they can play to their potential, contract extensions may be in their very near future.

Floyd was thought of as a top five pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, yet fell all the way down to the Vikings with the 23rd selection. Through three seasons, Floyd has flashed signs of pure dominance in games, but is silent as a whisper in others. Consistency and remaining healthy are keys for this former Florida Gator to be a key contributor on the defensive line.

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Everson Griffen and Brian Robison have formed a tight-knit relationship that only estranged brothers would hate. Both were later round picks for the Minnesota Vikings, but now find themselves starting side by side, wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks. Griffen was selected to his first Pro Bowl last season, compiling 10.5 sacks with a forced fumble. The year before the product out of USC racked up 12 sacks, producing rapid production after the Vikings gambled on him with a highly lucrative deal before the 2014 season.

Robinson is a tenth year starter out of the University of Texas that was selected in the fourth round. In nine years, Robison’s production at left end has been unquestionable with 48.5 sacks, ten forced fumbles, and eight fumbles recovered. Even though his production the last two years has dipped, Robison is still reliable in the run game and gets his hands on balls in the air.

The starting four are only a minuscule piece of what makes this positional group such a game changer, its depth with all the interchangeable pieces within makes this Minnesota Vikings’ line so dangerous.

Danielle Hunter is a second year pro that is now pushing Brian Robison for playing time at that left end spot. Hunter is a player the Minnesota Vikings are hoping to mold into as the next big thing at defensive end per Ben Goessling of ESPN. Shamar Stephen was a seventh round pick two years ago that impressed the coaches immediately his rookie year. With higher expectations the following year, Stephen injured his toe and missed the rest of the season. With him back, and guys like Tom Johnson and Kenrick Ellis, the rotation will get even better.

Minnesota Vikings: Three Top Offensive Performers from OTA's

Each and every viewer will have their own logical and grammatical opinion on which position is the strongest for the Minnesota Vikings. For myself, it comes down to stability, longevity, and continued production. The Vikings unceasing desire to add young pieces to a veteran group is what will help the Purple and Gold with sustaining success on defense and becominge the epitome of what a defense should look like in the bruising NFC North.

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Minnesota Vikings: Position Group Leading the Charge into 2016

By Justin Huffman | Jun 30, 2016

Vast improvements were seen from the Minnesota Vikings, but none were more important to Minnesota than an established, dominant, defense.