Adrian Peterson is back, Mike Wallace looks ready to run, Teddy Bridgewater is a candidate to have a breakout Sophomore season and Mike Zimmer's defense continues to add first-round size and athleticism. These are the headlines that Minnesota Vikings fans have been reduced to reading over and over again while the national media neglects to dig deeper into why everyone is so upbeat about this team. As exciting and convincing as these storylines are, any coach will tell you that they need all 53 players to be hitting on all cylinders in order to achieve the expected level of success. Writing another piece oriented around the "superstars" would be the sports writing equivalent of giving your 9th-grade book report based on the spark notes you memorized at midnight the night before. You can tell some effort was put into the presentation, but it's painfully clear that the research and overall knowledge isn't quite there. There is still some harbored resentment about that "C-" in Freshman English class though, Mr. Niemuth. Anyway, before we get too sidetracked with old high school shenanigans, here is an oasis of sorts in this news desert that we call the NFL off-season. For all of you die hard fans out there that want a fresh insight on the Vikings roster that you won't see on TV or in your local newspaper, this article is for you.
Here are three veteran players that will have a big role in the (projected) success of the 2015 Minnesota Vikings, despite entering the year with little or no recognition.
1. Zach Line- Fullback:
This former undrafted free agent has no career carries, no career touchdowns and a whopping total of eight career receiving yards. You are probably questioning my credibility as an analyst right about now, but before you hit that back button allow me to explain.
When Jerome Felton opted out of the last year of his contract and bolted to the Buffalo Bills, he left a void at a fullback position that has had the luxury to block for potentially the greatest running back of all-time in Adrian Peterson. To be fair to Jerome, at the time of his decision it actually looked more likely that Peterson wouldn't return to Minnesota, so his choice to head east to join LeSean McCoy and Fred Jackson wasn't the worst career move.
Regardless of how or why Felton left, the reality is that a new face will have an opportunity to clear the way for Peterson, who is once again shooting for a 2,500 yard season. This writer is not one to doubt that man. Coming off a ACL tear, Peterson nearly rushed for an NFL single-season record and single handedly catapulted the Vikings into the playoffs in 2012. After yet another career setback last season, Peterson is fresh and ready to make up for lost time. Line will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the tenacious style of play that Peterson will surely bring to the table.
Line is no stranger to success as he finished his NCAA career with 4,185 rushing yards and 47 touchdowns. He rewrote the SMU record books when he surpassed the great Eric Dickerson for the most all-purpose yards and tied him in most career touchdowns. Yes, the same Eric Dickerson that held onto the all-time record for rushing yards in a single NFL season when Peterson came within nine yards of eclipsing it in 2012. Now Zach Line will have yet another opportunity knock Dickerson down a peg in the record books and elevate himself and his teammates into football immortality.
If Peterson runs for even a fraction of his prediction, it will inherently make Line look incredibly successful and allow him to earn the type of national respect Felton enjoyed during his time in Minnesota. This writer is not expecting a huge body of work with the ball in his hands due to the amount of weapons the Vikings have on offense, but Line will bring a level of athleticism to the fullback position that could make him sneaky good in the red zone. The fantasy football guru side of me is twitching just thinking about those vulture scores he may take from Peterson owners.
2. Audie Cole- Linebacker:
Audie Cole may be best know around the league as having the greatest :22 second span in NFL pre-season history, especially considering he was a mere seventh-round pick.
However, the 2012 selection from North Carolina State is ready to prove himself on Sundays that count as well. Despite a limited body of work in the regular season, Cole has shown flashes of greatness. He did manage to get a start under his belt last year in the finale against Chicago, a win that helped Minnesota avoid being the bottom dweller of the NFC North. Week 17 saw Cole total 14 tackles, tally a pass defended and play a physical brand of football that has come to be expected from a Mike Zimmer led defensive unit. His downhill style of play makes him vicious in run defense, and as the above clip eludes to, he is more than serviceable in pass defense as well. Having these assets, along with the toughness intangible coveted by his head coach, Cole's quest to secure more playing time in Zimmer's scheme should prove to be successful.
As of right now, Cole is listed ahead of highly-touted rookie prospect and second-round pick Eric Kendricks on the depth chart at middle linebacker. Obviously, Kendricks is the intended future in the middle, but there is no reason the two cannot co-exist (at least for this season) while Kendricks adds bulk and learns how to be a pro. Kendricks is effective in coverage and will likely see time in nickel packages and passing downs, but he may need time to adjust to the phyiscality of the NFL.
There is nothing set in stone right now, but Audie Cole should play a huge role in the flexibility of this defense on the rise. Even if the rookie catches up intellectually and physically before year's end, Cole's special teams presence will be felt around the league. As one of the best special teams units in the NFL, the Vikings and special teams coordinator Mike Priefer will lean on players like Cole to round out the third phase of the game and set up the offense/defense for success.
3. Brandon Fusco- Offensive line:
After starting at right guard for 16 and 15 games in 2012 and 2013 respectively, Fusco saw his season come to a close after just three games in 2014. Ok, so maybe this isn't an under the radar player per se, but coming off a torn pectoral in addition to being moved from right to left guard qualifies the Slippery Rock alum as under appreciated. It was also an excuse to point out that he indeed went to a college named Slippery Rock. The former sixth-round pick's versatility on the offensive line could prove to be the biggest factor in seeing if this highly criticized group can improve on a tumultuous 2014. Minnesota allowed the face of the franchise to be sacked 39 times last year in just 12 starts (seventh most in the NFL). Teddy "Two Gloves" Bridgewater impressed with his mobility during his rookie campaign, but Norv Turner and the rest of the offensive staff would prefer him delivering the ball from pocket and remaining upright.
An aspect of Fusco's move to the left side of the line that cannot be understated is the security he will supply for one of the biggest (and only) draft disappointments of GM Rick Spielman's career. After a pro-bowl rookie season, Matt Kalil has dealt with injuries and has been generally ineffective in pass protection the past two years. Fusco should help to secure Bridgewater's blind side and assist in Kalil's journey back to NFL relevancy. It also opens up a spot on the right side for several linemen that are still wet behind the ears or simply fit better on the right side. T.J. Clemmings was a fourth-round pick in this year's draft despite earning a much higher grade from many teams. An old foot injury that surfaced during the pre-draft process resulted in Clemmings falling to Minnesota. The Pittsburgh product will now have a better chance at finding some playing time on the side that better suites his skill set. It is worth noting that in the first depth chart of the year, Clemmings is listed at right tackle instead of right guard. However, this writer has a gut feeling that could change either by coaches decision or due to the inevitable injuries that seem to strike offensive lines on every team. As of today, the lead dog in the battle for the starting right guard position is veteran Mike Harris.