Minnesota Vikings Have NFL’s 8th Best Roster, Say PFF and ESPN
By Dan Zinski
The Minnesota Vikings have taken a significant leap in terms of talent according to the evaluators at Pro Football Focus.
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In a joint feature with ESPN, available only with an Insider subscription, PFF ranked every NFL team’s current roster. The Vikings came out looking pretty rosy (via ESPN):
"Minnesota Vikings: 82014 Ranking: 29Top five players: Adrian Peterson, Harrison Smith, Sharrif Floyd, Everson Griffen, John SullivanStarters who should be upgraded: Brian Robison, Chad Greenway, Matt KalilAnalysis: Getting Peterson back in the fold will do wonders for this team, but the Vikings’ biggest reason for optimism is how Teddy Bridgewater finished the 2014 season at quarterback. Over the final five weeks, he was PFF’s highest-graded passer, one spot better than Rodgers. Over the final six games, he was second only to Drew Brees. If he plays in 2015 the way he ended 2014, the Vikings are a legitimate threat to make the playoffs (particularly if Kalil rebounds from a poor 2014 campaign).Under Mike Zimmer, the defense has taken significant steps forward and could get even better with another step from guys like Xavier Rhodes, who flashed elite talent last season."
The skepticism about the Vikings’ roster going into 2014, when PFF ranked the Vikes 29th, has been replaced by huge optimism.
Teddy Bridgewater’s emergence late in 2014 is obviously a big reason why people are now so high on the Vikings. The way Xavier Rhodes, Anthony Barr, Everson Griffen and Sharrif Floyd came on last year is also a big part of why many now consider the Vikings legit contenders.
The 8th place finish in PFF’s ranking is a huge reflection on the work of both Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer. Spielman has made some good picks the last couple years, and Zimmer has done a good job developing the defensive talent on the roster.
Here’s hoping PFF’s glowing assessment of the Vikings’ talent will be validated once the season starts. Offseason kudos are nice, but wins are better.
Next: Peterson's rant aimed at union, not Vikings
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