Vikings: Stay Within the Lines

By K.E. Smith

The defensive line is the heart of this top notch Vikings defense and this year it’s shown why it’s one of the best.  This is one of the positions on the Vikings team that I see little to no change coming into 2016.  So lets take a look and see why. 

Defensive Line: DT Linval Joseph (27), DE Everson Griffen (28), DT Sharrif Floyd (24), DE Danielle Hunter (21), DE Brian Robison (32), DT Tom Johnson (30)

I feel this is one of the best rotations in the NFL and is still young to an extent.  I don’t see too many big moves being made with this 6-man rotation except for the snap majority moving over from Robison (32) to the younger and more productive Hunter (21). This should happen and I totally expect Zimmer to do it.  If he doesn't, I will eat tacos until he does (more than likely I will just eat tacos for enjoyment anyways, but still).  You could see later in the year Zimmer putting in Hunter on more 2nd and 3rd downs due to his incredible athletic ability, but also his capability of learning Zimmer’s system in such a short period of time.

(USA TODAY Sports:Brace Hemmelgarn) 

Linval Joseph is arguably one of the best defensive tackles in the game (according to Zimmer and I believe him) "One thing about him that I'm very impressed with -- and I hope that our whole football team gets this mentality -- is that he does an awful lot of dirty work that doesn't show up in the stat book," Zimmer said on Joseph.  He’s the definition of and underappreciated workhorse.  The Vikings wouldn’t be so good against the run if it wasn’t for him but no stat sheets are filled with gaudy numbers because of it.  Taking on two to three defenders at a time to fill lanes isn’t recorded on the stat sheet, but that’s what Joseph does and does it well.  He is a dirty, dirty man.  Wait, not like that.  You know, like, does the dirty, workhorse stuff.  

Sharrif Floyd is another one of those players for me (dirty, dirty man).  He proved that even having a smaller frame in the NFL could be looked over because of brute force and technic.  Though he had a bit of drop off in production from 2014 (42 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 2014 compared to 34 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 2015) but it can be expected due to playing next Linval Joseph.  I think that another year in Zimmer’s system and we will continue to see development from both our interior defenders.  

Those two in the middle can easily be considered one of the top DT duos in the NFL and (baring health) should be for the next 5-6 years (I'm hopeful, what can I say). Tom Johnson has proven to be a solid fill in at either positions and can be a run stopper and a pass rusher (5.5 sacks in 2015).  This core will be the heart of the future Purple People Eaters. Yes, the PPE.  It’s back because I said it’s back, so there.  

(USA TODAY Sports: Brad Rempel) 

Everson had a disappointing year compared to what he was expected to do after last year (10.5 sacks to last year’s 12.0). He did play in one less game, but the productivity wasn’t what everyone was expecting.  I see him coming back around to the player we wanted him to be in 2016.  Watching him play in Zimmer’s scheme has been exciting because even if he isn’t getting the stats like a sack or a tackle, he’s still keeping the quarterback in the pocket and not allowing it to break down, which is huge.  That alone allows other players to collapse on the pocket and giving the defense a better chance of closing out.  He is an overall great player with a great attitude towards the game which goes a long way into today's NFL where morals are going downhill with players like Hardy, Manziel, and whoever else is getting in the spot light for the wrong reasons.

Now Robison (5.5 sacks) still has some power churning in his gears, but would be better suited to back up rookie Hunter (6.0 sacks) at the other end.  Hunter surprised everyone coming onto the scene in 2015 so quickly when he was considered to be such a raw talent coming out of college.  He had the ability, but it didn’t exactly translate with only 4.5 total sacks in his college career at Louisiana State.  But, “In Zimmer We Trust,” and it seems to have paid off because Hunter is definitely looking like the “raw ability” tag is moving to a “solid player” tag and he’s only 21.  With Zimmer showing the way, I think Hunter is going to be on course for a great career coming off the end for the Vikings.  I'm so excited thinking about it I almost screamed like a little girl, but then I remember I was a big boy and I don't do that.

(Associated Press: Tony Gutierrez)

There may be some room to add in another man into the rotation, but isn’t a need at this moment and I don’t expect the Vikings to make a big splash in free agency or the draft at this position.

Skol!