2014 Minnesota Vikings

[TwentyTwo]

In 2013 the Vikings featured the Whitest opening day 53-man roster with 25 players. Like teams from the past that got too close to that elusive number 27 ...the 2014' Draft...the Vikings selected 10 players....NONE were white! Coincidence just like the Packers, Patriots, Colts, etc?? I predict the Eagles to have the Whitest Opening Day Roster this season...

Of course Jared Allen went to the Bears...& thankfully Toby Gerhart finally gets his chance as a Featured Back for the Jaguars! Hard to believe it had already been 4 years where his talents were wasted behind Adrian Peterson!

The 2014 Summer Training Camp 90-man roster looks to have 36 whites; 53 black & 1 poly...should be interesting to see the Opening Day Roster looks like compared to last year.

WR's probably battling for the 5th & 6th spots include
*Adam Thielen,
*Josh Cooper
*Erik Lora

It will be difficult to dismiss the talented 6'-1" 233 hybrid Fullback/Running Back Zach Line!

TE Kyle Rudolph has the skill set that could make him a Pro Bowler!

DE-Brian Roberson is becoming a team leader after coming off his best season
OLB-Chad Greenway led in tackles a team record tying 6 straight seasons despite broken wrist
FS-Harrison Smith is on the verge of becoming a PRO BOWL player...he is instinctive w good speed, power & nasty side!

Andrew Sendejo is listed as Smith's back-up...however Sendejo actually started a game together w Smith(before the injury) last season...Sendejo surprised many & could easily beat out overachieving Jamarca Sanford for the other starting safety spot if given the chance!

DB Brandan Bishop hopefully lands on the 53 man roster; or at least practice squad.

The starting MLB spot should be up for grabs... Audie Cole simply produces in his limited opportunities; Jasper Brinkley is ok vs. the run but a liability in pass coverage...Michael Mauti is healthy again; called a rugged throwback!

 

[Don Wassall]

Adam Thielen is the favorite right now to be the Vikings' fifth receiver. He's battling a bunch of others, including Josh Cooper and Erik Lora.

Thielen enters training camp fighting for WR spot

by Brian Wierima

When the Minnesota Vikings report to their annual training camp in Mankato Thursday, the spotlight will be on a couple of areas, which include the quarterback position and the defense in general.

No doubt, the path the quarterback battle between incumbent Matt Cassel and rookie Teddy Bridgewater will directly determine how smooth a transition it will be for the first-year coaching staff, led by Mike Zimmer.

Add in the fact of the remaking of the defensive unit under the D-minded Zimmer, those two items will occupy the majority of sports pages regarding the Vikings’ preseason in the next couple of months.

But in the Detroit Lakes area, another camp competition will be in the forefront of importance and that’s who will be securing the No. 5 slot in the wide receiving corp.

After surviving the entire 2013 season on the Viking practice squad, a rare feat in itself, Detroit Lakes’ own Adam Thielen will be entering his second training camp as one of the favorites to win the potential No. 5 wide receiver.

Thielen had a spectacular offseason, which started by him signing a future’s contract, which ensured his spot on the Vikings’ roster through OTA’s and minicamps.

He took full advantage of the opportunity, as he became one of the players who stood out during these camps under the watchful eyes of Zimmer and offensive coordinator Norv Turner.

Thielen was seen leading drills during the rookie and undrafted players’ camp, while he continued his progression as an NFL wide receiver by polishing up his already solid route running.

The former Laker’s name is popping up on Viking fan message boards as one to watch during training camp, as he battles for a spot on the opening day roster, which would make Thielen the first-ever player to make an NFL roster from DL.

But it’s still a long road for Thielen, as it is for any other undrafted player trying to make the cut of an NFL team.

Unlike last year, Thielen has been able to train the entire time at Winter Park with the Vikings. He has over a year of practicing with established NFL players such as Greg Jennings and tight end Kyle Rudolph, as well as wide receiver coach holdover George Stewart, who was a big supporter of Thielen during last year’s training camp.

But there are several realistic signs entering training camp that Thielen has an inside track of securing his spot on the highly-coveted opening day roster.

The first one, obviously, is that Viking general manager Rick Spielman decided to offer Thielen a future’s contract, after he successfully showed he belonged on the professional stage by earning his spot on the practice squad for the entire year in 2013.

The second true sign which is working in Thielen’s favor is the fact despite this year’s NFL Draft being one of the deepest in wide receiver talent, the Vikings bypassed on the position with all 10 of their picks.

That shows the coaching staff and Spielman are more than comfortable with the depth and talent which was on the team pre-draft.

To be able to survive the transition between the changing of an entire coaching staff, is impressive in itself.

Spielman was quoted as saying during a KFAN broadcast in June that, “Adam kind of really stuck out,” when asked to name someone that’s progressed from last year.

Entering training camp, there will be 11 wide receivers on the roster.

Barring injury, the top four slots are virtually secured, led by veteran Jennings and followed by last year’s rookie sensation Cordarrelle Patterson, with third-year player Jarius Wright and veteran Jerome Simpson holding the three and four slots.

History shows that a Turner-led offense has usually at least held five receivers on the roster, this seems the case this year, as well.

That basically leaves one spot open for seven prospects, including last year practice squad players Thielen and Florida State’s Rodney Smith and first-year Vikings Kain Colter (Northwestern), Josh Cooper (Oklahoma State), Donte Foster (Ohio), Kamar Jorden (Bowling Green) and Erik Lora (Eastern Illinois).

Through OTA’s and minicamps, Thielen and Smith had the advantage and it looks like entering July 24, it’s a two-horse race out of the gates for the final WR spot.

Jorden and Lora have good potential as pass catchers, with Jorden actually resembling Thielen in size and speed.

But unless one or both of them absolutely unleashes in the preseason, the best bet for either is a spot on the practice squad for development.

With Smith, he possesses something no Viking wide receiver has and that’s size. His 6-5, 200-pound frame does make him a desirable red zone target and that’s what helped him get called up last year in the latter half of the season.

What could work against Smith, though, is the acquisition of undrafted tight end A.C. Leonard out of Tennessee State.

Leonard was graded out as a fourth or fifth round draft pick, but trouble off the field slid him right out of the draft.

But his athletic dimensions of 6-2 and 250-pounds and the ability to jump out of his shoes, could give the Vikings a very tasty red zone duo of Rudolph (6-6, 259) and Leonard, thus lessening the need for a big, tall WR target like Smith.

Thielen has plenty of advantages building in his favor, as well.

His size isn’t a detriment since he is 6-2, 195 pounds. He has separated himself from the competition with his crisp, accurate route running and hands which haul in everything, especially his ability to make the acrobatic catches, something he has shown since his days playing on Mollberg Field in DL.

Thielen also has the football intelligence coaches love, he can digest a playbook and be a quarterback’s best friend.

Add in the fact he has the work ethic to succeed and the chance to show it in practice every day has only aided his chances.

Another big factor tilting in Thielen’s direction is his ability to play special teams, which in the end, could be the ultimate factor of him making the team.

Another little nugget to think about, as well, is the potential four-game suspension of Simpson, who has already served a suspension a couple of years ago and now found himself in trouble again last year with a DUI.

If that is the case, it opens up two spots on the wide receiver rotation, that is of course, if the Vikings don’t pick up any other free agents through first-round and final preseason cuts leading up to the opening date of Sept. 7, in St. Louis.

The majority of the attention will be on the quarterback position, but plenty of interest will be brewing in the lakes area of who will snag one of those wide receivers spots.

The hope in the area is it will be No. 19 by the end of preseason.

http://www.perhamfocus.com/content/thielen-enters-training-camp-fighting-wr-spot-0

 

[Leonardfan]

It's amazing how ponder has been totally written off. Bridgewater inspires no confidence as a long term starting qb. Skinny, not overly athletic, average Arm but of course the Minnesota dwfs have yet another beloved black quarterback like their beloved Tavaris and daunte

 

[PamelaOC]

They're letting Cassel have a shot? I heard earlier that Bridgewater had already been anointed.

 

[PamelaOC]

Cassel has been named the starter over Bridgewater. Looks like 26 white quarterbacks and 6 quotas.

 

[Extra Point]

Cassel has been named the starter over Bridgewater. Looks like 26 white quarterbacks and 6 quotas.

That means about 19% of the starting quarterbacks are black. Blacks are about 13% of the general population so blacks are already overrepresented at the quarterback position.

The anti-whites continue to promote black quarterbacks in an attempt to replace whites as part of their genocidal ethnic cleansing program.

 

[whiteathlete33]

That means about 19% of the starting quarterbacks are black. Blacks are about 13% of the general population so blacks are already overrepresented at the quarterback position.

The anti-whites continue to promote black quarterbacks in an attempt to replace whites as part of their genocidal ethnic cleansing program.

Yep still to high if you ask me. If the dwfs and media had their way half the starters at qb would be black by now.. Next year they again have five blacks in the top 10. Don' t expect Cassel to remain the starter for long unless he plays lights out.