The eight categories included: treatment of families, nutrition, weight room, strength staff, training room, locker room,andtravel. 2022 Team: Kansas City Chiefs Deon Bush has made a nice role for himself as a backup safety in the NFL since 2016 and has some ties to the Vikings in place if he decides to leave Kansas City.. According to On3 Sports' Matt Zenitz, the Vikings are hiring Colorado's defensive tackles coach Patrick Hill to be their new assistant defensive line coach. An important part of the Minnesota defensive backfield, the CB position requires fast players to cover receivers, defend against pass offenses, and make tackles. Known for his strength and endurance, Yary is widely considered the Vikings greatest defensive tackle of all time. It's all about being a Viking. One name that is well worth mentioning among the Top 10 Strong Safety All-Time list is the former Seattle Seahawks and Pro Football Hall of Famer strong safety Kenny Easley. Pages most ridiculous accomplishment was earning MVP in 1971 as a defensive player. Carnell Lake performed swimmingly for 10 seasons as a Steeler in the Burgh. Adrian Wilson snubbed from list of best all-time safeties Schedule Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Steelers Ravens AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans. The report card mentioned that all players felt like owner Zygi Wilf is willing to spend money to upgrade their facilities. His signature face paint became part of this persona, and he played with guts and abandon that rallied his teammates and terrorized opponents.. Each week will feature a different position, and the best Vikings to take the field at that position will be ranked from fifth to first. Bryant was also an excellent special teams player, making him even more of a threat after an interception. The Vikings need to clear $23 million of 2023 salary to get under the cap. Inducted into the hall of fame in 1988. The organization ranked 7th in support of players families, with the NFLPA citing that the Vikings offered a family room and daycare. Tarkenton was the first Viking ever to be inducted into the Hall of Fame and is recognized for his skill, consistency, and innovation as one of the greatest QBs of all time. Here is every player who has ever held the position of Minnesota Vikings starting cornerback. Safeties are the hybrids of NFL defenses. 7. February 28, 2023. He was second on the team's all-time sack list with 92.5 and played in 191 consecutive games every game for 12 consecutive seasons. That won't be happening here. 9. A season ago, Harris (91.6) and Smith (91.4) produced PFF's top two coverage grades among players at the position. 2. He finished his career with 37 interceptions, fourth in team history. The best NFL safeties of all time are the ones that could lock down the league's best wide receivers in coverage while also delivering big hits to stop the run game. EAGAN, Minn. Led by Harrison Smith, the Vikings safeties made an impact throughout the 2018 season. . Gil Brandt from NFL.com has been rattling off his best at each position group this offseason. Woods provided the experience the Vikings hoped for in the secondary, but he also was targeted most by opponents who likely veered away from a six-time Pro Bowler in Smith, who played more at the line of scrimmage than Woods. Last week, we covered the tight ends. Smith totaled a career-high 114 tackles (83 solo), which ranked second on the team behind linebacker Eric Kendricks. Niels Feijen tough bank hide with distance, against Albin Ouschan [5:09]: https://youtu.be/ptmqWFCU-FA?t=9206. He scored twice on interception returns as well. We rank the best safeties in the NFL. The report, released Wednesday during the league's annual scouting combine, rated teams in eight categories - everything from meals and . The data was averaged for the number of years each duo players together. For his physical and mental contributions to the Vikings during his rookie year, Harrison Smith receives Honorable Mention on the list of the greatest Vikings safeties of all time. Hopefully, the former Golden Bear will make another jump headed into Year 2. The Vikings ended up falling just short in the Week 9 contest, but Bynum's big play helped give them a chance. The Hall of Famer was with the Vikings from 1968-1979 after three seasons with the Redskins. Alan Page. While he earned a reputation for his tumultuous personal life and numerous legal battles, his formidable speed, athleticism, and talent are undeniable. Asked on Tuesday morning at the NFL Combine about a potential contract extension for Jefferson this offseason, Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made himself clear. They've drafted two of the best players ever in Randy Moss and 2012 NFL MVP Adrian Peterson. Players felt the training staff went above and beyond to help them. Troy Polamalu 3. Even though he was limited to part-time duty during his first two seasons, he still managed three interceptions and an amazing seven fumble recoveries. Albin Ouschan 3-rail bank hide, against China team [1:30]: https://youtu.be/xi2KtnHkp8k?t=613. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. The safety is the last line of your team's defense, but elite talents are capable of making big plays on pass rush duties, too. We are concluding this series with safeties. NFL teams were graded on eight categories with a grading range of F to A+. The Minnesota Vikings received strong reviews in both staff and facilities. Five minutes into the fourth quarter, Woods recorded a strip sack of Rush, and linebacker Anthony Barr was able to recover the fumble. Have a player you'd like to nominate? As he got older, Winfield became the best tackling corner back in the NFL, and was stout against the run. Some have been ball hawks, while others have been huge hitters. The Best Minnesota Vikings Cornerbacks Of All Time. He rose to the occasion with grace, demonstrating determination and discipline over his 12 seasons. He received only a brief suspension during his legal battle and continued to play with the Vikings until 2016 before signing a contract with the New Orleans Saints. In 1990, the team successfully claimed Cris Carter off waivers. Since the Vikings will be under new leadership, it will be interesting to see if the powers that be opt to re-sign Woods or move another direction. From 2019 to 2020, Peppers recorded 167 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and five quarterback hits across 26 games. Earlier this week, he covered the safety position. Randall McDaniel was born December 19, 1964, in Phoenix, Arizona, and spent four years as a starter at Arizona State. Paul Krause was the original ball hawk of the Minnesota Vikings. Not including a player from the modern era felt painful. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2019. When the opposing quarterback inevitably has to get the ball out early, Krause will be there for the interception. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. Browner was later named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Team of the '80s. The Vikings weight room was built in 2018 and received glowing reviews. Smith is slowly making his case for being the best safety in Minnesota Vikings history. 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He became a special teams star in his first two seasons, and took over the safety spot full-time in 1996. Those are true Vikings. Antoine Winfield Jr. wasted no time making a name for himself as one of the best young safeties in the league. This group all brings individual strengths that mesh perfectly together for an unstoppable force that extends to special teams as well. Charles Mann 16. This week, we'll focus on safeties. A list of the best Minnesota Vikings of all time. What College Football Team Did John Wayne Play For? In the run, Studwell was the first body to the hole. Cousins is a player who typically looks for a shorter deal in extension talks, favoring two to three year contracts with plenty of money guaranteed. He detailed the play for media members, noting that the defense was in middle-open coverage, so he expected Baltimore to try attacking the middle of the field. The criteria used includes games started, interceptions and fumble recoveries, touchdowns scored, and their approximate value (AV) assigned by Pro Football Reference. The Minnesota Vikings were the valedictorians of the survey, finishing first among all 32 NFL franchises. Ron Yary was born on July 16, 1946, in Chicago Illinois, and was the first player selected by the Vikings in the 1968 AFL-NFL draft. Mick Tingelhoff was an undrafted free agent when he started in his rookie season with the Vikings at center, a position he maintained over his exemplary 17 seasons, and earned him recognition as one of the best the NFL has ever seen. 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