Coming off an unexpected playoff berth after the 2012 season, the Minnesota Vikings can go in two distinct directions: onward and upward into possibly becoming a contender for the NFC North title and becoming one of the better young teams in the league, or they could step back and slip into NFL purgatory as a mediocre team with not enough talent to make the playoffs but enough skill to keep them out of the top of the NFL draft. Which direction will they end up going? In large part it will depend on these key members of the squad, whose performances this season are currently unpredictable but will have a huge hand in determining the fate of this squad.
2013 Draft First Round Triple-Dip
The Vikings had perhaps one of the most exciting nights in draft history in April, using three first round picks to grab three talented players at positions of need on their roster. However, it is now almost September, the excitement of draft night has faded, and now it's time to provide excitement on the field. All three are going to be counted on as contributors throughout the season, and how quickly they acclimate to the NFL game will have a large impact on the fate of this team.
Shariff Floyd, a defensive tackle out of Florida, tumbled in the draft from being almost a consensus #3 overall selection in most drafts to being in the Vikings lap at pick #23. Known for his disruptive skills in the interior, Floyd was slated to back up and learn from the aging Kevin Williams, a former All-Pro, for a year and then most likely step into a starting role in 2014. However, Kevin Williams took a nasty cut-block Sunday against San Francisco in the preseason, and now Floyd might be thrust into a key role for the Vikings defense from the get-go. Reports from training camp had Floyd dominating against backup lineman (he also looked good in the preseason until a knee injury sidelined him until week one) but how he fares against starters will be the difference in whether the Vikings grabbed a steal late in the first round.
Using Seattle's draft pick they received in the Percy Harvin trade, the Vikings selected Florida State cornerback Xavier Rhodes at #25 overall to try to shore up their thin secondary. A big, physical corner, Rhodes projects to possibly start on the outside for the Vikings right away against team's number #2 receivers. While Rhodes physicality and coverage skills has led to several big moments in camp and preseason (including tipping a pass up so Vikings safety Jamarcus Sanford could get the interception), it can also lead him into trouble as he learns how much he can get away with at the NFL level without leaving guys open downfield or drawing flags. He might have to learn extremely quickly because with Chris Cook, a guy who has only started 16 games since being drafted in 2010, starting at the #1 spot, it is not hard to imagine a scenario where Rhodes is being asked to cover Calvin Johnson and Brandon Marshall, some of the best receivers in the league, very early in his NFL career.
While most people thought the Vikings were done after using two picks on the first day of the draft, General Manager Rick Speilman decided to go all-in and used four draft picks to trade with New England and get back into the first round to select Tennessee wide receiver Cordarelle Patterson with the 29th overall pick. An explosive athlete in the open field with practically unlimited potential but very raw ability, Patterson was brought in to add play-making ability to a Vikings receiving course that was extremely talent-dry in 2012. Patterson still has a lot to learn in terms of running NFL routes, but his speed and instincts with a football promise to give him many opportunities as a returner and on special plays like reverses and end-arounds. While the initial reports from the team sounded like Patterson was expected to be a slow study, he has performed admirably under the lights during the first few preseason games, and while he still has much to learn, the Vikings hope he will make it very hard on them to keep him off the field.
Jeff Locke
Another Vikings draft pick this spring has a chance to have a huge impact on this team, but in a much different way than the previous three. 5th round punter Jeff Locke from UCLA has largely looked like a smart addition this preseason, no matter how many people scratched their head during the draft. While he has a chance to continue the Viking's streak of great special teams play and make sure opposing offenses see long fields, he will also contribute in another role: holder for the Vikings All-Pro kicker Blair Walsh. Walsh, who set an NFL record by making ten field goals longer than 50 yards last season (out of ten attempts) needs this rookie to step in right away into the kicking unit so the Viking's special teams units stays a potent, and extremely reliable, weapon.
Josh Robinson
2012 3rd round draft pick is tasked with filling some awfully big shoes this season for the Vikings, in fact, according to Pro Football Focus, the 2nd year cornerback is filling the shoes of the best cornerback in the league, the departed Antoine Winfield who was cut this offseason and moved his aging talents to Seattle. Robinson is being asked to step into Winfield's old role as the Viking's slot corner, a position that is completely new to him. In the modern pass-happy NFL, the slot corner is going to see a lot of action on the field and NFL offenses will look to exploit him if they sense he isn't comfortable. An underrated aspect will also be how Robinson fares in run defense in his new position, as Winfield was always near the top of the team in tackles and was consistently ranked as one of the best cornerbacks in run defense. How Robinson transitions into his new role will be crucial to the success of the Viking's defense throughout the course of this season.
Erin Henderson
Like Robinson, Henderson is transitioning to a new role on the Viking's defense, shifting from their weak-side linebacker to their middle linebacker. Henderson has long been one of the top linebackers when it comes to stopping the run, but his coverage skills leave much to be desired and will be the biggest area of focus for critics during this season. By all accounts, Henderson has loved his new role and become a vocal leader on the Viking's defense and may be trusted to make the defensive calls during this season, but time will tell how well he can execute covering running backs and tight ends every single down. Like Robinson, Henderson's transition possibly paints a target on his back that opposing offensive coordinators will look for to see if they can pick up easy yards, and Henderson will have to show he can make them look elsewhere.
Christian Ponder
This is the biggest player to watch this season, and it isn't even close. Make no mistake: how all the above players perform may not matter depending on how Ponder performs. Ponder is going to decide where this team goes this season, and how the future looks beyond. He deserves an entire article dedicated to him and the implications of this season, so I'll leave him for now.
These are the seven players whose performances this season could either push this team over the edge, or lead to its downfall. You can be sure Leslie Fraizer will be watching their game film with great interest this year.
Thanks for reading and check back soon for potential breakout players for the Vikings in 2013!
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