When it comes to defense, a lot of teams that run a 4-3 like the Vikings start by building up front. Look at the 2011 Giants. And even though the Seattle secondary got plenty of credit for its Super Bowl championship, that secondary received some major assistance from the Seattle front four, who managed to harass Peyton Manning all day.
The defensive line used to be a point of personal pride for the Vikings, especially when the "Williams Wall" was in place for the 2000s. Now, in 2013, the last Williams is a free agent, as with about half of the Vikings 2013 defensive line. Needless to say, this position needs quite a bit of work.
Here's the official breakdown of the Vikings current defensive line:
On the Roster: Brian Robison, Sharrif Floyd, Letroy Guion, Chase Baker, Justin Trattou
Brian Robison was scheduled to be a free agent like many of his fellow lineman, but the Vikings locked him up early in the season with an extension. Robison seems like a great player in the situation he is in right now. He is a fantastic left end (meaning he lines up against the opposing right tackle) who is very productive with what he is asked to do. He's a hard nosed, high motor guy who I feel like Mike Zimmer is going to love. Keep Robison penciled in exactly where he's at, because if the Vikings decide to try him on the right side that would likely be a bad move for both him and the team.
Sharrif Floyd came to the Vikings as an extremely heralded draft pick, as he inexplicably fell from a presumed top five selection to the Vikings at No. 23. Many thought Floyd would make an immediate impact for the Vikings, but a knee injury he suffered during the preseason seemed to set him back all year. Floyd seemed to grade out as an average tackle in the snaps he played last year, but in his second season he will be asked to make strides and be the Vikings starter at undertackle, Kevin Williams' old spot. Floyd still has plenty of potential, but he'll have to show it this year to prove he was a draft steal.
Letroy Guion has been a slightly below average tackle for the Vikings, and he could be a cap casualty with his high cap number ($4.3 million). Part of Guion's problem may be that he was miscast by the previous coaching staff, as he has been the Vikings starter at the nose tackle spot for the past few seasons, even though he was originally an undertackle. Guion will likely have to take a pay cut to stick around, but with so many free agents at this position the Vikings can't really afford to lose another one. Guion should be a rotational player who can back up both tackle spots, not a starter in 2014.
Chase Baker was an undrafted free agent in 2012 that did not make the Vikings roster, but he joined the team in 2013. With tackle Christian Ballard unexpectedly walking away from football, Baker was placed on the roster to be a backup tackle. Baker ended up playing five games for the Vikings, making a total of four tackles. Since he is still young, Baker may stick on the roster again in 2014, given that he can develop further with Mike Zimmer.
Justin Trattou was a waiver wire pickup by the Vikings from the Giants, as they were looking for a backup defensive end for depth purposes. Trattou only played in one game this season and recorded just one tackle, and he doesn't look like a lock at all to crack the 2014 roster. Trattou will need to work if he wants to stay with the Vikings, because so far he has shown almost nothing despite being around for a year.
Free Agents: Jared Allen, Everson Griffen, Kevin Williams, Fred Evans
Jared Allen will later be remember as one of the best defensive ends to every play for the Vikings, and he seems like practically a lock for a future Ring of Honor spot. That said, it seems like it's time for the Vikings and Allen to part ways. Allen seemed to lose a step in 2013, and at age 31 (32 by the time the season starts), he's likely to hit a wall pretty soon. Allen has to be aware he doesn't have many years left, so he seems really likely to join a contending team like Denver or Seattle to try to win a ring in his career.
As I've already mentioned on my list of Vikings free agents, Everson Griffen is one of the most interesting decisions the Vikings will make this offseason. On one hand, he has great athletic ability and could step into Jared Allen's shoes as the Vikings left end and primary pass rusher. On the other hand, he's never played every down before and he may not be a great fit at end. Some think his best fit is in a 3-4 defense at linebacker. Another possibility is the Vikings don't sign him to be a defensive end, they sign him to be a linebacker. Mike Zimmer took pass rushing 3-4 end James Harrison last year, and converted him into a linebacker in his 4-3 system. Harrison played the same position as Chad Greenway, so the Vikings would have to move Greenway or cut him to make this work, but it's just another possibility if the Vikings decide Griffen's talent is just too tantalizing to let walk away.
Kevin Williams is another free agent that is destined for the Ring of Honor, but he isn't expected to be back with the team in 2014. Williams will be 34 by the time the regular season starts, and Rick Speilman doesn't like to spend a lot on aging veterans. Williams could be brought back as a veteran presence who can play both undertackle and nose tackle potentially, but Guion would likely have to outright leave the team to make that a realistic possibility.
Fred Evans has been rotating with Letroy Guion at nose tackle for the past few seasons, and he has actually done a much better job than Guion in the role. While Evans will not come close to a Pro Bowl in his career, he is a plus player who has been a productive veteran and could be brought back at a very cheap price. I think it's likely Evans comes back for depth purposes, and is rotating with another veteran or a draft pick in 2014.
What should Rick do? (WSRD?)
A lot. The Vikings have a ton of work to do at this position, as they have only five players on the roster right now. Coming out of training camp last year, the Vikings had nine defensive lineman on their roster, and so did the Bengals and Mike Zimmer, for that matter. Guion will have to take a pay cut, but he will man the undertackle position for the team behind Floyd but ahead of Baker. I expect Evans to be re-signed to a cheap deal as well, with another cheap free agent (like B.J. Raji) or a draft pick also joining him at nose tackle.
At defensive end, the Vikings know they have a sure starter in Brian Robison at left end. As I mentioned earlier, I don't think the Vikings should shift Robison to the other side of the line just to fill the need there. Justin Trattou is the only other body at this position on the roster, but he's going to have to work to the make the team again in 2014. At left end, I think the Vikings best route may be to sign a free agent at the position. There are no sure-fire end prospects outside of Jadeveon Clowney in this year's draft, so it might be better for the Vikings to sign someone and then draft a developmental player.
I would really like the Vikings to sign Michael Johnson, from Zimmer's old team, but if the Vikings believe in Everson Griffen and his potential I will have no problem re-signing him as well. Re-signing Griffen would be less of a cap hit than signing Johnson would be as well, and it could leave the Vikings enough money to sign a more complementary end like Robert Ayers from the Denver Broncos.
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