Minnesota Vikings (Last Year: 11-5)
2016 NFL Season Preview:
Veteran Additions:
OT Andre Smith, G Alex Boone, OLB Emmanuel Lamur, OLB Travis Lewis, S Michael Griffin.
Early Draft Picks:
WR Laquon Treadwell, CB Mackensie Alexander, OT Willie Beavers. Vikings Rookie Forecast
Offseason Losses:
WR Mike Wallace, S Robert Blanton.
2016 Minnesota Vikings Offense:
The Vikings scored more than 21 points just nine times in 18 games last year, but it’s not like they needed to light up the scoreboard, given how well their defense had performed all season. Still, it would be nice for this side of the ball to pick up the slack, which would explain why the front office made three key transactions in free agency and the 2016 NFL Draft.
The new big name is Laquon Treadwell, who was obtained with the 23rd-overall choice. Treadwell was initially projected to be a top-10 selection, but fell in the draft because of an atrocious combine performance. Bad 40 or not, the Vikings got some great value with Treadwell, who should be able to serve as the possession receiver Teddy Bridgewater desperately needed. Bridgewater had a solid sophomore campaign, sometimes coming up big in clutch moments, but he just didn’t have the weapons to take the offense to the next level. Bridgewater completed 65.3 percent of his passes and threw just nine interceptions, which was a great sign, but he also generated only 17 touchdowns.
With Treadwell and Stefon Diggs, who impressed as a rookie, Bridgewater’s numbers should be better in 2016. There’s still room for improvement, however. The Vikings could do better in the slot than Jarius Wright, while Kyle Rudolph has never lived up to expectations. He played in all 16 games last year after missing a total of 15 contests in 2013 and 2014 combined, but his 49 catches for 495 yards needed to be better.
The two other key acquisitions this offseason were made on the offensive line. The superior of the pair is guard Alex Boone, who thrived for the 49ers over the past several years. The guard position has been weak for the Vikings, so this should help change things. Boone will be a huge upgrade over what Minnesota had at one of the spots last year. The other could be occupied by Michael Harris, who performed well in 2015. Brandon Fusco could win the job as well, though his pass protection is pretty suspect. They’ll flank whoever starts at center between John Sullivan and Joe Berger. Sullivan had been the starter dating back to 2009, but missed all of 2015 because of a back injury. Berger was a great replacement, so he could continue to get the nod at center.
Andre Smith was also picked up via free agency, but it remains to be seen if he’ll start. Smith used to be a great player for the Bengals, but he has disappointed in recent seasons. He’ll be a nice depth tackle in an ideal world, but he may have to start if right tackle Phil Loadholt hasn’t recovered from his torn Achilles. Meanwhile, Matt Kalil will reprise his role as the blind-side protector. He had a woeful 2014 campaign because of injury, but was slightly better last season. He still wasn’t very good, but he wasn’t as much of a liability.
Of course, the running game is crucial to Minnesota’s success, though not as much as before Bridgewater’s arrival. Still, it was extremely helpful that Adrian Peterson led the NFL in rushing with 1,485 yards and 11 touchdowns. Peterson, however, turned 31 this offseason, so he could begin to regress this season. If so, it’s a good thing that the Vikings made a point to upgrade their aerial attack this spring.
2016 Minnesota Vikings Defense:
As mentioned, the Vikings have a stalwart defense that was able to carry the team into the playoffs. There weren’t any major departures on this side of the ball, so there’s no reason to think there will be any sort of regression. On the contrary, the unit figures to be even better, especially under Mike Zimmer’s tutelage.
No big additions were made, unless the second-round pick spent on Mackensie Alexander counts. It actually probably should, as many considered Alexander to be a first-round prospect prior to his off-the-field issues coming to light. Alexander’s role in the future appears to be that of a slot corner, meaning he’ll just serve as a depth player this year. Captain Munnerlyn will continue to operate in the slot after thriving there last year.
Meanwhile, Xavier Rhodes and Terence Newman will continue to start outside, while second-year Trae Waynes will fight for playing time. Rhodes is an excellent player, but performed poorly last year because of a groin injury he sustained early and never recovered from. His better play will be a big boost for the secondary, especially if Waynes doesn’t improve. Waynes had a poor rookie campaign, but has potential as a first-round selection in 2015. The Vikings will be hoping that Waynes progresses because Newman was mediocre last year, and given that he’ll turn 38 in September, he won’t get any better.
Minnesota’s primary area of weakness on this side of the ball was at safety. Well, one of the safety spots to be exact, given that Harrison Smith is arguably the top player at his position in the entire NFL. Smith hasn’t played alongside anyone skilled, however, as Robert Blanton and Andrew Sendejo both struggled mightily last year. The Vikings haven’t done anything about this though, outside of signing the pedestrian Michael Griffin away from Tennessee and spending a seventh-round choice on Jayron Kearse.
Focusing on the many positives, however, the Vikings were able to put consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks this past season, registering 43 sacks. Everson Griffen, a ferocious pass-rusher, led the team with 10.5. Brian Robison has served as a solid complement across from Griffen, but at 33, his best days are behind him. Minnesota spent a third-round selection last April on Danielle Hunter, who flashed some potential as a rookie.
Minnesota is able to generate plenty of heat in the interior as well, thanks to the dynamic duo of Linval Joseph and Sharrif Floyd. Joseph enjoyed an excellent 2015 campaign. Floyd did not, but only because he dealt with bothersome knee and ankle injuries. It’s scary to think that the Vikings’ stop unit will only improve if Floyd is able to enjoy a healthy 2016 season.
As for the linebacking corps, the Vikings have a special player there in Anthony Barr, who has absolutely no weaknesses to his game. He’s one of the best strongside linebackers in the NFL. Eric Kendricks is solid against the run in the middle, but needs to improve his coverage ability. The third linebacker spot is held by Chad Greenway, who used to be a great player. Unfortunately for Greenway, his skills have completely eroded, and he was a liability last year. Greenway has told the media that this will be his final season, though he may not even start if the coaching staff deems the newly acquired Emmanuel Lamur to be the better option.
2016 Minnesota Vikings Schedule and Intangibles:
Minnesota is just 20-64-1 in outdoor road games the past 14 seasons. Playing outside at home might be helping though, as the team was 3-2 in such contests last year.
Blair Walsh had a slow start to his 2015 campaign, especially in the preseason where he seemingly missed everything, but he was a solid 34-of-39 overall, including 6-of-8 from 50-plus.
Jeff Locke is one of the league’s worst punters, ranking 30th in net yardage.
The Vikings maintained one of the top special-teams units in the NFL. They outgained the opposition on both punts and kickoffs, and they scored thrice while surrendering no touchdowns.
Minnesota has a tough challenge early on, with two of its first three games against the Packers and Panthers. However, the team is favored in every single contest after that per the early Vegas line, save for one (at Green Bay in Week 16).
2016 Minnesota Vikings Rookies:
Go here for the Vikings Rookie Forecast, a page with predictions like which rookie will bust and which rookie will become a solid starter.
2016 Minnesota Vikings Positional Rankings (1-5 stars):
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2016 Minnesota Vikings Analysis: The Vikings were projected to go 10-6 in this space last year, so even those formerly optimistic projections weren’t high enough. Minnesota figures to be even better in 2016, so a potential Super Bowl run is definitely a possibility. The NFC is a loaded conference, unlike the weak AFC, but the Vikings will certainly be in the mix come late January.
Projection: 11-5 (2nd in NFC North)
NFL Draft Team Grade: A Grade
Goals Entering the 2016 NFL Draft: The Vikings appear close to making a Super Bowl run; they just need a few more pieces, and they don’t have many major areas of weakness. Some of the few problems they have are at receiver and safety, but they should be able to plug those holes in the 2016 NFL Draft.
2016 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Vikings put together one of the best draft classes in the NFL. They filled their most-prominent need, took players who provided great value, and didn’t make any poor choices. This is hardly a surprise, as Minnesota’s front office has been on fire in recent years.
Excluding the seventh round, of the six choices Minnesota made in the 2016 NFL Draft, only two graded worse than a B+, and both earned a “B.” Things got off to a great start when the Vikings nabbed Laquon Treadwell at No. 23 overall. Some believed Treadwell to be the best receiver in the class and worthy of a top-15 selection. Thus, obtaining him with the 23rd pick was quite the bargain. However, that was nothing compared to selecting Mackensie Alexander near the end of the second frame. Alexander comes with character issues, but in terms of pure talent, he was a top-20 player in this class.
The one issue I have with Minnesota’s haul is that the team didn’t pick up a safety until the seventh round. However, the Vikings were great otherwise, as they once again did an outstanding job of bolstering their roster.
NFL Draft Individual Grades:
23. Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss B+ Grade
I’m giving all of these receiver picks a B+. Forgive me for being boring in this stretch, but they all make sense. Laquon Treadwell was seen as the No. 1 player on some boards, but the receivers were all ranked evenly heading into the 2016 NFL Draft. It was just a matter of what teams were looking for. The Texans, for example, wanted a speed guy to complement DeAndre Hopkins. The Vikings, on the other hand, wanted a possession receiver. Treadwell is definitely that, as seen by his 4.64 40 time, but he’s still a very good player and well worth the 23rd pick in the draft.
Follow @walterfootball for updates.
54. Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson A+ Grade
Wow, what a steal. Mackensie Alexander would’ve been a first-round pick if he didn’t have the sort of character concerns that Tony Pauline reported about a week ago. Alexander doesn’t fill an immediate need, but he was just way too talented to pass up. Also, it should be noted that the Vikings will have some corners hitting free agency after 2016, so Alexander could step in and start in 2017.
121. Willie Beavers, OT, Western Michigan B Grade
This pick makes sense all around. Willie Beavers was projected as a fourth-round prospect. The Vikings had to add another tackle in the wake of speculation that they’d be releasing one of their tackles sometime in the near future.
160. Kentrell Brothers, LB, Missouri B+ Grade
Most believed Kentrell Brothers would be picked much earlier than this, perhaps in the third round. I believed the same at one point, but he tested poorly at the Combine. It’s understandable why Brothers dropped, but the Vikings are getting great value with him, as he played very well for Missouri. He’ll fill a need with Chad Greenway set to retire soon.
180. Moritz Boehringer, WR, Germany B+ Grade
You’ve all heard the story by now – and it seems like the pick happened days ago, as the NFL still hasn’t figured out how to put the NFL Draft on TV – but Mortiz Boehringer began playing football when he was 17 and put together an all-world workout prior to the draft. Boehringer still has to learn the game, but no one can teach his athleticism. He could be an impact player down the road, thanks to his potential.
188. David Morgan, TE, Texas-San Antonio B Grade
David Morgan was probably going to be a high-priority UDFA prior to the Combine, thanks to his blocking ability. However, Morgan thrived at the Combine, showing off some surprising athleticism. He should be able to carve out some role in Minnesota’s offense at some point.
227. Stephen Weatherly, DE, Vanderbilt A- Grade
I expected the Vikings to draft a defensive lineman earlier than this. I guess it’s better late than never, especially when a solid value in the seventh round is obtained. Stephen Weatherly, who is a superb athlete, could have easily been chosen in the fifth frame. He dropped because he didn’t have the greatest tape at Vanderbilt, but he possesses a ton of upside that can’t be ignored.
244. Jayron Kearse, S, Clemson B- Grade
Teams had very unflattering things to say about Jayron Kearse throughout the draft process. We had him in the Round 3-4 range to start, but steadily moved him down each week. It’s not shocking to see him picked in the seventh frame, though he’s just basically a body-builder and not a real football player. He’s a poor athlete overall, and it’s hard to imagine him sticking in the NFL. Still, Minnesota is buying low, so I don’t hate the pick.
Season Summary:
The Vikings were the unexpected upstart team of 2015. It didn’t appear that would be the case in the opening-week loss at San Francisco, but Minnesota went 11-4 the rest of the way. The team was just a short field goal away from reaching the second round, but Blair Walsh whiffed a chip shot. Fortunately, the sky is the limit for the Vikings going forward, as they can only get better.
Offseason Moves:
Team Needs:
- Two Guards: Minnesota’s top priority is protecting Teddy Bridgewater, who isn’t the most durable quarterback in the NFL. The interior of the offensive line must be addressed. Michael Harris played well at guard, but he’s an impending free agent. Brandon Fusco, meanwhile, struggled in pass protection. Signed Alex Boone; re-signed Mike Harris
- Safety: Harrison Smith is arguably the top safety in the NFL. However, he doesn’t have anyone remotely talented starting next to him. This position could be targeted at No. 23 overall in the 2016 NFL Draft. Signed Michael Griffin
- Wide Receiver: Stefon Diggs looked good at times during his rookie campaign, and he should continue to improve. However, the Vikings don’t have much else at receiver, as Mike Wallace was a predictable disappointment. A second-day selection could do the trick.
- Outside Linebacker: Chad Greenway told the media that he’s aiming to play one more year. He may not start in 2016, based on how poorly he played last season. Signed Travis Lewis and Emmanuel Lamur; re-signed Chad Greenway
- Defensive Tackle Depth: The Vikings could use some young blood behind Linval Joseph and Sharrif Floyd, as Tom Johnson is beginning to slow down at his age.
- Running Back Depth: Adrian Peterson turns 31 in March, so it wouldn’t hurt to add some young blood at running back.
- Punter: Jeff Locke was one of the league’s worst punters last year.
Follow me @walterfootball for updates.
2016 NFL Free Agent Signings:
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Alex Boone, G, 49ers. Age: 29. 
Signed with Vikings
Alex Boone is coming off a down year, but which Niner isn’t? Boone is one of the better interior linemen in the NFL, and he’ll be only 29 in May, so he still has at least four years of high productivity remaining.
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Andre Smith, OT, Bengals. Age: 29.
Signed with Vikings (1 year)
It’s hard to tell what happened to Andre Smith. He used to be a stout right tackle, but his play has dropped off the past couple of years. He’s been mediocre, at best, since 2014. Perhaps he’ll be able to rebound.
- Emmanuel Lamur, OLB, Bengals. Age: 27.
— Signed with Vikings (2 years)
- Travis Lewis, OLB, Lions. Age: 28. — Signed with Vikings
- Michael Griffin, S, Titans. Age: 31. — Signed with Vikings
Minnesota Vikings Free Agents:
Salary Cap: TBA.
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Mike Harris, G, Vikings. Age: 27.
Re-signed with Vikings (1 year)
Mike Harris had never been a full-time starter before 2015. He took advantage of the opportunity and ran (blocked?) with it. The Vikings slid him inside to guard after he was stationed at tackle for the first three years of his career, and he was exceptional in all regards.
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Chad Greenway, OLB, Vikings. Age: 33.
Re-signed with Vikings
Chad Greenway used to be a great player, but he has regressed now that he’s in his 30s. He was a major liability in run support this past season.
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Terence Newman, CB, Vikings. Age: 37.
Re-signed with Vikings (1 year, $3 million)
Terence Newman turns 38 in early September, yet he’s still playing on a decent level. He has discussed moving to safety in the future, which should extend his career.
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Mike Wallace, WR, Vikings. Age: 30.
Signed with Ravens
Mike Wallace is only getting a write-up because he’s a big name. He should be a 1.5-star free agent. He’s a bum who has quit on his teams, and now, given that he’s 30, he’ll begin to lose his speed rather quickly. He’ll probably get one more chance, but he’ll likely fail unless he’s paired with a top quarterback again like Ben Roethlisberger.
- Rhett Ellison, TE, Vikings. Age: 27. — Re-signed with Vikings
- Andrew Sendejo, S, Vikings. Age: 28. — Re-signed with Vikings (4 years, $14 million)
- Audie Cole, ILB, Vikings. Age: 27. — Re-signed with Vikings (1 year)
- Robert Blanton, S, Vikings. Age: 26. — Signed with Bills
- Marcus Sherels, CB, Vikings. Age: 28. — Re-signed with Vikings (2 years)
- Matt Asiata, RB, Vikings. Age: 29. — Re-signed with Vikings
- Zach Line (RFA), FB, Vikings. Age: 26. — Tendered by Vikings
- Jason Trusnuk, OLB, Vikings. Age: 32.
- Josh Robinson, CB, Vikings. Age: 25. — Signed with Buccaneers (1 year)
- Casey Matthews, ILB, Vikings. Age: 27.
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