Minnesota Vikings Player Power Rankings: 2008 Final Edition

by Gonzo on Jan 19, 2009 9:06 AM CST in Vikings Comment 27 comments

Back at the halfway point of the season, I put forth a set of Player Power Rankings for everyone's viewing pleasure. Now that the season is over and we've had a chance to see some of our players grow and mature while some others fell off the map, it's time to take a look at how those have changed since late October. The table comes after the jump. Remember, these are strictly my opinions, and are certainly open for discussion. . .in fact, discussion is encouraged, as I'm sure there will be some disagreements.

Player Power Rankings
Rank	Player	Mid-Season Rank	Change	Comment
1	Jared Allen, DE	4	+3	When you're made the highest-paid defensive player in the National Football League, you'd better be prepared to go out and prove why that was. Jared Allen did that this season, and then some. 14.5 sacks and three forced fumbles during the regular season, followed up by two sacks and a forced fumble in the playoff loss to the Eagles, showed the world what Jared Allen was brought here for. He's clean, he's tough, and he's the best pass-rushing DE in football. Oh, and he turns 27 in April.
2	Adrian Peterson, RB	2	0	I know he's getting the ball, you know he's getting the ball, the guys in the booth know he's getting the ball, everyone in the stands knows he's getting the ball, everyone on the other team knows he's getting the ball. . .and he led the NFL in rushing anyway. Sure, he had a case of the yips toward the end of the season. . .but is there a running back in the National Football League that you'd trade him for right now? Yeah, I didn't think so.
3	Kevin Williams, DT	1	-2	Tailed off a little bit at the end of the season, certainly, but still finished with 8.5 sacks and was his usual tremendous self against the run. Albert Haynesworth is going to end up getting paid more than #93 this off-season. . .but given the choice, I wouldn't trade Kevin Williams for him. In my opinion, Kevin Williams is still the best all-around defensive tackle in the NFL.
4	Pat Williams, DT	7	+3	The game against the Giants at the end of the year showed us what a valuable asset Pat Williams is to the Minnesota defense. As a run-stuffer, he's absolutely without peer, and was a huge part of the reason why the Vikings' defense was #1 against the run for the third consecutive year. One has to wonder how many more years we can get out of the big man, but if Ted Washington played at a fairly high level until he was 85 years old, I think Pat Williams can do the same.
5	Antoine Winfield, CB	5	0	The biggest little man in the NFL has finally been rewarded for his high level of play with his first trip to Honolulu for the Pro Bowl. Everyone knows about his ability against the run, but this year the Vikings' pass defense was 5th in the NFL in DVOA against #1 wide receivers, and the #1 guy on the other team almost always lined up against #26. It's about time he got the recognition that he deserves.
6	Steve Hutchinson, G	5	-1	Having the best guard in the NFL this far down on the list isn't so much about how he played in 2008. . .it's more about the high level that the five guys in front of him performed at. He's blocked for a 1,000 yard rusher every year he's been in the NFL, and as long as Adrian Peterson is in Minnesota, that streak should continue for a few more seasons, at least.
7	Ryan Longwell, K	8	+1	Tremendously consistent, and in fact might be getting better with age. He was 6-for-6 from 50+ yards this season, including the kick that put the Vikings into the post-season. Why? Because that's what Ryan Longwell does.
8	Chad Greenway, LB	17	+9	One of the big risers on the list, Greenway was an absolute monster over the second half of the season, despite the absence of fellow LB E.J. Henderson. He led the Vikings in tackles with 115, managed to throw in 5.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and got markedly better in coverage as the season went on.
9	Visanthe Shiancoe, TE	11	+2	Shank has developed into a serious threat at the TE position, particularly over the second part of this season. He was in the top 10 in receiving yards at the tight end position, and averaged 14.2 yards/reception. The only two TEs in the NFL that had more touchdowns than he did are a couple of guys that you might have heard of. . .Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates. Finally appears to be worth the money that was spent on him in 2006.
10	Bernard Berrian, WR	6	-4	Berrian certainly did what he was asked to do when the Vikings signed him away from the Chicago Bears. Minnesota wanted him to come in and stretch the field, and his 20.1 yards/reception says that he did just that. But he did have a couple of games where he completely disappeared, and is probably more suited to be a #2 guy than a true #1. Hopefully we can find that true #1 here very soon and let Berrian do what he does best.
11	Madieu Williams, S	NR	NA	After he finally got himself healthy, he got on the field and was pretty effective for the most part. With the likely departure of Darren Sharper this off-season, Williams will likely move into more of a free safety/center fielder type of position, with Tyrell Johnson moving into the strong safety spot.
12	Matt Birk, C	9	-3	Another player that has, more than likely, played his last game for the Vikings. While still one of the best at his position, it certainly appears that he's lost a little bit. He'll turn 33 in July. . .he's the last holdover from the 1998 squad. . .and it probably won't be cost-efficient to bring him back at this point. Stranger things have happened, though.
13	Bobby Wade, WR	18	+5	The Vikings caught a lot of flack for signing this guy after the 2006 season, but you know something? This guy can play on my team any time. He led the Vikings in receptions again this season, he makes tough catches, he gets first downs, and he knows what his role in the offense is. I'm quite happy to have him here for another couple of years.
14	Ben Leber, LB	10	-4	Leber was his usual understated self in 2008. He goes out there every week and does his job in a solid, but not spectacular, fashion. He might be someone that the Vikings need to look at replacing in the near future, as he'll turn 31 this season, but he's still a good veteran leader and an asset to the defense at this point.
15	Cedric Griffin, CB	25	+10	Another big riser here, Griffin looked like a completely different player in the second half of the season. It appears that the coaching staff finally realized that Griffin isn't a "lay back and play zone" cornerback. He needs to be allowed to get up in people's faces and be physical. With Antoine Winfield getting up in age, Griffin will probably face more of a burden in the near future. . .oh, and he has a contract year coming this next season, too.
16	Artis Hicks, OL	15	-1	Played well in Bryant McKinnie's stead when he was called upon to do so, and filled in on other spots in the line as well. His versatility makes him a valuable part of the roster, but injuries clearly hampered him down the stretch, causing him to miss some time.
17	Gus Frerotte, QB	12	-5	Gus was brought here to be the backup, and he performed the way a backup quarterback would be expected to. He had some moments of brilliance, coupled with some throws that make you wonder how the heck he's lasted in the league as long as he has. His comments after the Eagles' game were particularly grating, since I really don't think he would have given us any more of a chance than Tarvaris Jackson.
18	Tarvaris Jackson, QB	28	+10	In the last 4 1/2 games of the season, we caught a glimpse of both what's so intriguing about Tarvaris Jackson, and what absolutely drives us crazy about him. Again, he's got all the physical ability in the world, but at this point, I don't think he's going to be able to put it all together as a consistent NFL QB. He gets bumped up the list, though, based on his performance at the end of the regular season when the Vikings were fighting for a division title.
19	Darren Sharper, S	14	-5	The greatest safety in Green Bay Packer history has probably played his last game in purple. As the season progressed, Sharper looked older and slower than he has at any point in his career, and started taking bad angles to the football. He's given us a few great seasons as a member of our secondary, but it doesn't look like he can get it done any more. If Sharper does prove me wrong, he'll more than likely have to do it in another uniform.
20	Chester Taylor, RB	23	+3	He didn't get nearly the number of touches that he got over the past couple of seasons, but Taylor proved why he and Adrian Peterson are still the best 1-2 running back punch in the National Football League. One of the best pass-catching backs in the league and a vital asset on third downs, he's approaching that 30-year old point where running backs tend to start declining, but he hasn't had a lot of carries over his career for the most part. We'll have to keep an eye on him.
21	Bryant McKinnie, OT	16	-5	Paid like an elite LT. Not an elite LT. Not to mention one stupid, drunken incident away from taking a year's vacation from the NFL. There are few players on the Vikings' roster as disappointing as Bryant McKinnie. Need more proof? I listed three other offensive linemen, one of whom is a backup, before I got to him.
22	Brian Robison, DE	29	+7	An interesting study. . .he played well this season, largely when spelling Pat Williams at DT on obvious passing downs. He also played pretty well when called upon against the Eagles as well. If nobody else is brought in this off-season, I firmly believe that he should be starting opposite Jared Allen at DE in 2009, but we'll have to see.
23	Tyrell Johnson, S	13	-10	His drop isn't because he played horribly or anything. . .but with Madieu Williams insertion into the lineup, he simply didn't get to contribute in the same way he did during the early part of the season. I think he's still got some promise as an in-the-box type of safety, and he's likely going to be a starter in 2009.
24	Anthony Herrera, G	19	-5	Still solid against the run, but his pass protection seemed to slip a bit in the later stages of the season. It seemed that whenever the quarterback had pressure on him, it was generally coming from his right. . .although I'm not sure how much of this is a function of Herrera's play as much as the play of someone we'll get to here in a while.
25	Ray Edwards, DE	21	-4	Talked a lot in the pre-season about Michael Strahan's single-season sack record. Came up roughly 17 sacks short of that mark. He's solid at DE, but with the talent that he's playing next to, he should be significantly better. The competition between him and Brian Robison in training camp in 2009 should be interesting.
26	Fred Evans, DT	24	-2	Again, solid, but not spectacular. At least he managed not to get tasered this season, which is always a plus. He is a pretty valuable backup, however, all joking aside.
27	Jim Kleinsasser, TE	27	0	How much fun was it watching ol' Jimmy K rumble downfield with that little slip screen in the Eagles' game? But his purpose here isn't to catch passes, it's to crush people as a blocker, something he still does tremendously well. Hopefully he'll be back next season.
28	Naufahu Tahi, FB	22	-6	I've said it before, and I'll say it again. . .good blocker, but for the love of God, STOP THROWING HIM THE FOOTBALL!
29	Napoleon Harris, LB	NR	NA	Same Napoleon Harris we saw the first time he was in Minnesota. . .solid against the run, can't blitz, can't cover. Good depth, but I really hope we don't have to rely on him to start for any length of time.
30	Charles Gordon, CB	31	+1	Showed some real juice as a punt returner, and was starting to improve as a cornerback as well. . .up until he got his ankle mangled against the Packers. His comeback from that injury is going to be interesting to watch. He really gives us a solid nickel option if he can come back.
31	Cullen Loeffler, LS	35	+4	Hey, let's give the guy some more props. . .again, I ask, when was the last time we saw a bad snap on either a field goal or a punt? It was before Cullen Loeffler came along, that's for sure.
32	Marcus Johnson, OL	30	-2	Played well in the early part of the season, particularly against Indianapolis, when he was asked to play LT (a position he had no experience at). Just didn't get a lot of chances as the season wore on. Still, he's the only member of Minnesota's 2005 draft class that has any chance of being worth anything in the NFL.
33	Benny Sapp, CB	41	+8	He committed some dumb penalties, to be sure, but overall wasn't completely awful or anything like that. He should be back competing for a spot next season.
34	Ryan Cook, OT	20	-14	By far the weakest link on the offensive line. Seems to be good for at least one drive-killing false start penalty a game, and gets beaten far more often than a third-year guy should be getting beaten. He probably won't be starting in 2009, and it wouldn't surprise me if he was off the roster all together.
35	Chris Kluwe, P	26	-9	A very disappointing season for Kluwe, to say the least. After the Eagles' game, DeSean Jackson came right out and basically said, "Man, that guy outkicks his coverage on almost every play." And you know what? He's right. Part of the Vikings' punt-return woes this year came from lack of special teams discipline, but a lot of it came from opposing returners having a lot of space to work with after they catch the ball, too.
36	Husain Abdullah, S	37	+1	Minnesota's leading special teams tackler in 2008. Given the state of the Minnesota special teams, I'll let you decide whether that's good or bad.
37	Vinny Ciurciu, LB	32	-5	This guy, on the other hand, was brought in a few years ago to be almost exclusively a special teamer, and he hasn't been up to snuff. Should be fighting for his job this coming training camp.
38	Marcus McCauley	42	+4	Actually wasn't all that bad when he got on the field. . .but for someone that was a third-round pick and showed a lot of promise a year ago, he should be getting on the field more frequently than he is.
39	Eric Frampton, S	38	-1	Another guy whose main job is to bolster the special teams. Have you noticed that a lot of these "special teams" types are going to be fighting for their jobs next season? Curious, that.
40	Ellis Wyms, DT	48	+8	Hey, at least I noticed he was on the field in the later part of the season. . .that's more than I can say for him over the first half.
41	David Herron, LB	33	-8	Played well in place of E.J. Henderson until Napoleon Harris was brought in. Then we really didn't hear from him much.
42	John Sullivan, C	47	+5	Barring a change via the draft or free agency, this is probably our starting center in 2009. Didn't do much this year.
43	Sidney Rice, WR	36	-7	Like I said on the mid-season list, it absolutely kills me to put Sid the Kid this low, but he had a terrible season. Injured for most of it, and when he did play, he didn't perform terribly well. . .and the route he ran on the play against the Eagles that wound up being a pick-6 was as horribly lazy a route as you're ever going to see. I don't know how much of that was the lingering effects of his knee injury, but he's on the verge of being a bust here.
44	Maurice Hicks, RB	43	-1	I expected nothing, and he delivered. Bravo, Maurice.
45	Otis Grigsby, DE	39	-6	Was actually hoping for big things out of Grigsby this season, but with the way the line rotation set up, he just didn't get a lot of chances.
46	Jeff Dugan, TE	45	-1	Probably should be a little bit higher, but I'm not sure where else I'd slot him at this point.
47	Erin Henderson, LB	44	-3	Has the potential to be more than "E.J's little brother," but didn't get a lot of opportunities to show it this season. He's one to watch for the future, though.
48	Aundrae Allison, WR	34	-14	Another guy that had huge expectations going into the season, and had next to nothing in production. There were questions about his work ethic when he came out of college, and it appears that it might be catching up to him once again. I hope he snaps out of it here soon, or he might find himself without a job.
49	Garrett Mills, TE	40	-9	Again. . .3 catches for 49 yards in the season opener. 2 catches for 16 yards the rest of the way, and spent most of the second half inactive.
50	Letroy Guion, DT	NR	NA	Was expected to be a project, and spent most of the year inactive.
Non-Ranked Players/Incomplete Grades
Rank	Player	Comment
NA	E.J. Henderson, LB	The Minnesota defense was #6 in the NFL in total yardage, #1 against the run, one of the best in terms of DVOA for the season. . .and they played without this guy from Week 5 onwards. I can't wait to see him back next season.
NA	Heath Farwell, LB	Based on the performance of the Vikings' coverage units this year, Heath Farwell may be the greatest special teams player in the history of the universe. Hopefully he'll be back healthy in 2009.
NA	Dontarrious Thomas, LB	He was here. I don't know how many games he was active for, but he was here.
NA	Drew Radovich, OL	Future prospect. Went on IR with a "shoulder injury" early in the year. Should compete for a spot in training camp.
NA	John David Booty, QB	Didn't see the field after the pre-season finale. Thank goodness.
NA	Robert Ferguson, WR	"Veteran leadership" and "downfield blocking" will only get you so far in this league.
NA	Jayme Mitchell, DE	It would have been nice to have him around to work into the line rotation.
NA	Michael Boulware, S	IR'd in pre-season. Hasn't seen the field as a Viking.
NA	Kenderick Allen, DT	IR'd in pre-season. Hasn't seen the field as a Viking.
NA	Thomas Tapeh, FB	Epic fail. What else can be said, really?
NA	Jimmy Kennedy, DT	Interesting signing, I think. . .brought in late in the year as Pat Williams insurance. Was a first-round pick a few years ago, so he's got some talent. I think he might stick. . .because, hey, if anybody can tap into the talent that he has, it would be Karl Dunbar. Keep an eye on him this off-season.

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Chester...

needs to be at least 10 spaces higher on the board i would have him arond 8 or 9.

I get you puttin big bad Jared Allen at number 1 but it’s AD all day everyday. Every single yard we get on offense is because of him in some ways.

MAYN HOL UP!

by MAYNHOLUP on Jan 19, 2009 11:51 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

awesome list

Great work Gonzo! I love power rankings, and what an awesome idea to do a player power ranking within the organization.

I’m not sure I would rank Hicks above McKinnie. I think most of your feelings there are based on the expectations we have of Mt. McKinnie (his not being as great as we all assumed he would be) and the early season suspension. However, based on “on the field” production in the second half of the year, I don’t think you can slight the man THAT much. I mean… at least McKinnie can stay on the field. Hicks has been a carousel of injuries since he came here.

Other than that, I don’t see anything I’d really disagree with much. Perhaps a couple guys shifting one or two spots here and there, but I think overall you pretty much nailed it on the head.

Very fun post to read!!!

V-I-K-I-N-G-S! Skol Vikings, Let's Go!!

by TheViking83 on Jan 19, 2009 1:09 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Don't have anything to quibble with

in this listing. This isn’t a player-by-player issue but next year the Vikings absolutely have to do something about the abominable kick coverage that killed the team time and again this past season including that 62 yarder DeSean Jackson reeled off in the playoff game. I know it hurt not having Farwell on these units but the technique was horrible. The gunners couldn’t keep contain and everyone else would get out of their lanes. This is a coaching issue that has to be addressed.

by VikingBillArlingtonVA on Jan 19, 2009 1:45 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Punt Return Coverage

Most punter stats look at average punt distance, but I think there’s a couple other criteria that are at least as important and almost impossible to officially track;

Accuracy and Hang-time

Kluwe doesn’t do either of those things very well. It doesn’t matter if he averages 60 yards if the kick gets there so far ahead of the coverage that the returner has lots of time to line up his angle of attack and blockers. And we saw Chilly lose it over the accuracy issue (Chilly’s behavior was pathetic, even if the point was valid).

Watching those punt-return TDs piling up did NOT give me a warm fuzzy feeling inside. One NFC North team setting an NFL record for screwing up is enough for one season. I have a feeling the Vikes will be entertaining some punter competition this off-season.

by DCPurple on Jan 19, 2009 2:47 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Good Point but

I don’t get why our special teams was so unutterably awful compared to the previous season. Yeah, we lost a stud in Heath Farwell but one man doesn’t make or break special teams. It seems like Kluwe was fine punting with special teams until Chilly and ~~the joker of a~~ special teams coach started tinkering with his kicking.

by cutlassbob on Jan 19, 2009 5:02 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t know. IU think he did better AFTER they tinkered with his kicking to be honest. After that New Orleans game, which is when I think they had that punter competition, you really didn’t see as bad of special teams play. With the exception of the Chicago game.

Up to that point, we had given up the TD to Blackmon that was a game-sealer in week 1, the two to Reggie Bush, and I want to say there was another one, but I’m not entirely sure. Still 3 TDs in the first 5 weeks, was garbage, and it would have been 4 if Bush hadn’t slipped.

by Frost on Jan 20, 2009 12:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Question

I would love to see Matt Birk back for another season or two, hopefully under a smaller contract with the mutual understanding that he is here to mentor John Sullivan (or whoever they plug in to center). The dude has bled Purple and been a great asset to the team off and on the field. Same with Jimmy K. Hopefully these guys are willing to come back for reduced roles/salaries. Darren Sharper…love the guy but Gonzo is right – he’s lost a step. I would advocate a similar approach to what I said about Birk and Jimmy K, but Tyrell Johnson filled in fine and Madieu Williams is great so there is less of a “mentoring” need, if you will.

by cutlassbob on Jan 19, 2009 5:08 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I don't know why...

Birk wouldn’t resign with the Vikings for less money. He is a local guy whose played every game in his career in purple; he is raising a family and he has been paid handsomely in the past. I can’t think of a player with less incentive to make drastic changes to their living situation and family life. He might end up being a bargain (or after 10 or so seasons, retire).

by LoveHate on Jan 19, 2009 10:28 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Birk isn't Done

He’s still one of the top prospects in FA this year, the #1 rated offensive lineman coming available. Maybe he doesn’t have another decade left in him, but I don’t see why the Vikes wouldn’t want to keep him for at least a couple more years.

I’m curious to know what they are willing to pay him, and I certainly hope it’s enough for him to stay.

by DCPurple on Jan 20, 2009 6:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Brian Robison

An interesting study. . .he played well this season, largely when spelling Pat Williams at DT on obvious passing downs. He also played pretty well when called upon against the Eagles as well. If nobody else is brought in this off-season, I firmly believe that he should be starting opposite Jared Allen at DE in 2009, but we’ll have to see.

Totally agree with Gonzo here. I know the Vikings have a treasure chest full of DTs and DEs, but I’d love to see them draft DT Mitch King from Iowa. Being a Hawk’s fan I’ll admit I’m biased, but then I was advocating for Greenway a few years ago too! Anyway, back to King. He’s 6’3", 280 lbs with a sound game and a high motor just like….Robison. I can’t even imagine the awesomeness of King, Robison, and Allen in passing situations.

by cutlassbob on Jan 19, 2009 5:15 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Hawk fan here as well.

It sure would be awesome to have Mitch play for the Vikes, although after signing Kennedy it would be unlikely to get em.

Gonzo2

by Gonzo2 on Jan 19, 2009 6:00 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

A couple of guys.

First of all Adrian Peterson is the best player on this team. There is no one in the NFL that defenses pay attention to more than peterson. Kevin Williams is devistating but his play went down when big pat went out.

Chad Greenway is a much better player than given credit for. Although he is not perfect in coverage he is a playmaker. And the best thing about his playmaking is that it comes at some of the most needful times. he is the guy that jump starts this defense.

Chester Taylor is one of the most valuable parts of this offense. A blocker, a reciever and a very smart runner. And has been a great mentor to Adrian Peterson.

by mattscards77 on Jan 19, 2009 6:05 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Agree

This is a very cool post Gonzo. Great work breaking it down. I do have to take issue with a couple of rankings though. Marcus Johnson over Ryan Cook? I hate Cook as much as the next guy but Johnson shouldn’t even be on the roster. My grandmother would have more impact on this team than Johnson has had. Also (more just to point it out) I think David Herron should be the lowest rated of all our special teams guys. Every time we almost downed it at the 1 this season Herron would come rushing down and touch the ball while stepping on the line when there was no need to. I actually threw a shoe at my TV on one of those trying to hit him with it. Otherwise, good stuff. I love Jared Allen at #1. No one personifies Viking football better than Allen. AP is great, but Allen edges him out.

by NYCVike on Jan 19, 2009 7:16 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Nice list, Gonzo

Completely agree about Ryan Cook.. Personally, I think they drafted him to be Birk’s replacement, and he slides into the C slot next season.

How many false start penalties could he have from there?

Thoughts on the Vikings, Buckeyes, and Cardinals

www.purplebuckeye.blogspot.com

by MilCardFan on Jan 19, 2009 11:22 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

JA number one because...

Hey Gonzo also would like to mention Jareds four points he contributed with the two safeties this season … hell I would reward him seven just for sacking Aaron Rogers in his own endzone ,,he doesnt have to put a helmet in the spine just keep putting quarter backs on their backsides ……how many times over the years have we got to see our defence put opponents backs against the goal post or step out of the endzone and get a few points for it….yes and( Orlovsky) was worth 14 points and a 12 oz cool one.

by AHHHWoooooo on Jan 20, 2009 12:42 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

One guys opinion

Nice list. It’s fun to read another viking fans take on players etc. Although it’s hard to argue with most of the player placements there were a couple of opinions that I wanted to throw out there.

Ryan Longwell – Great job with consistency on point afters and field goals. True pro when it comes to the clutch kicks. In my opinion one of the few ice man type kickers in the league. On the down side. I’m not nearly as impressed with him as his ranking might warrant. Terrible kick offs. The guy gets no real hang time. Has to drive the ball to get any distance. Out kicks his coverage to compensate for the lack of air underneath the ball. Opposing kick returners have a good head of steam by the time they field the ball.THE main reason for the awful coverage problems with that unit. Makes me feel that we need a kickoff specialist just for that purpose as absurd as that may sound.

Jim Kleinsasser – I think he should be placed higher, well, simply because he’s Jim Kleinsasser and I just love the guy. Seriously, I think that it’s easy to overlook just what this guy brings to the table. He’s very disciplined and seems willing to do what ever is asked of him. Not to mention that the guy is a lights out road grader.Simply put he’s the kind of guy that I would want in the trenches with me.

Ben Leber – Was absolutely impressed with the way he stepped up his game after EJ went down. I had know idea that he possessed the coverage skills and range that he has. I thought he had the best season of his career. By far.

Cedric Griffin – Glad to see that your giving him the recognition he deserves. My vote for most improved. Showed the ability to be a shut down corner. Next year will be the benchmark either disprove or support that last statement.

Matt Birk – As much as I hate to say this it’s over. Anything less is sentimental poop. Now bear in mind that I reserve the right to change my mind after I hear what others have to say but based on what this casual observer has seen the last couple of years – times up. It seemed to me that when the Vikings were struggling earlier in the season that he was playing soft. Almost like he was saving his body. When they started to put some wins together he seemed much more aggressive. Don’t know if that’s a good thing or not.

Bryant McKinnie – I thought he played his best football this season. He faced some brutal competition and fared well. I didn’t hear his number called for many penalties and gave the qb’s nice room to step up in the pocket. Most of the pressure that I saw came from the middle. Unlike some of the other o lineman he didn’t require help.

Chris Kluwe – Spot on. Didn’t read all of your reviews for individual players until now but looks like Kluwe impresses you as much as he impresses me ,which is not very much.
Although I have to say it appears that there is some potential there. I just get the sense that he doesn’t take his job very seriously. Again, don’t know if that’s a good thing or not.

by employer on Jan 20, 2009 1:58 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Darren Sharper Greatest Viking Safety!

Pretty sure the packers had some pretty good safeties though. Ours just have sucked :(

by LoveBoat1 on Jan 20, 2009 1:22 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Um, no

Paul Krause was better.

Thoughts on the Vikings, Buckeyes, and Cardinals

www.purplebuckeye.blogspot.com

by MilCardFan on Jan 20, 2009 6:01 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

quite

V-I-K-I-N-G-S! Skol Vikings, Let's Go!!

by TheViking83 on Jan 20, 2009 6:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

For Sure

Paul Krause is still the all time interception leader in the NFL with 81. Hard to argue with that…

by purplegrey on Jan 20, 2009 9:21 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Joey Browner

I still remember him picking up a player from the endzone and dropping him on the 1 yard line. He reminded me of Ronnie Lott

Norm Green still sucks!

by diok9 on Jan 21, 2009 1:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Strongest grip in the NFL

I’m waiting for some TV personality to make the comparison between Browner’s “the strongest grip in the NFL” and Peterson’s “strongest handshake”. Which Viking can turn this piece of coal into a diamond fastest?

by Tuba on Jan 21, 2009 2:38 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Power Rankings

Gonzo, I love the idea of the rankings and there’s not a lot to argue on with your rankings, but it’s hard to see with both offense and defense lumped together. When I look at Taylor sitting at #20, it’s kinda mind-blowing to realize that, as a great a player as CT is, on the 2008 Vikings roster, there’s 19 guys who are considered better than he is. I mean, wow! That really speaks to how many really superior players the Vikings are fielding right now, but how much of that is apples and oranges? Comparing the impact of Taylor vs Sharper, for instance, is hard to do.

by DCPurple on Jan 20, 2009 7:07 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

This list!!

Thanks Gonzo, for keeping us going during the offseason!!! Every comment I have read so far have some valid points. Kleinsasser is a valuable guy, can’t believe you had him ranked below Tahi at midseason, I didn’t think much of Tahi as a blocker(compared to T.Richardson anyway), but he did seem to get better as the season went on(as a blocker!!!). I also agree with "NYCVike about David Herron, I wanted to throw more than my shoe at his bonehead special team gaffs!! The Mckinnie thing did seem a little low.. I also thought he held his own.. He just has to get the rest of his life in order. I don’t think Sharper is our greatest safety either… I love Sharper, I have him 3rd, behind #1a and 1b.. Paul Krause and Joey Browner, Browner could do it all, wished he would have played a little longer, then he would have been a no brainer hall of famer(still made all decade team) I’m not sold on T.Johnson yet, kinda want Sharper for at least 1 more year…. Thanks again for the rankings Gonzo!!

by Marvin T on Jan 20, 2009 7:23 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

No, no

Sharper is the greatest safety in PACKER history, not in Vikings history.

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by Gonzo on Jan 20, 2009 8:38 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yo Gonzo!!

Lol, I got what u said about Sharper the best Packer safety, one of the other guys mention he was the greatest Viking safety, we was responding to him… its all VIKING love!!

by Marvin T on Jan 22, 2009 3:51 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Ta'shi

I think this air blocking butter ball is #32 no higher. Why do u this AD prefers no FB? Becuz this loser is too slow, misses blocks or is just in the way! We wasted Cap space on him, for what, 16 recs. for a whopping 30 yards! What a joke.

SKOL! Dawgs

by WarriorViking on Jan 27, 2009 4:45 PM CST reply actions 0 recs