Minnesota Vikings named 5th most talented team for 2016

The Minnesota Vikings are one of the youngest teams in the NFL, but that doesn’t mean they lack talent, as NFL.com ranked them #5 in overall team talent.

It took a couple of years, but the Minnesota Vikings have gone out and accumulated quite a group of talented young men to represent the team on the football field. Much of this can be attributed to their solid draft picks and smart free agency moves, but that hasn’t always been the case for Minnesota.

The roster the Vikings put together for the 2015 season ended up in the playoffs and winning the NFC North. Now, with another solid draft under their belt and some beefy moves in free agency, the squad is ready to make another run at the playoffs.

According to a list on NFL.com compiled by NFL Media Analyst Bucky Brooks, the Minnesota Vikings are the fifth most talented team in the league this season. Brooks praised the team’s players and mentality as well as coaching and management in the article.

"“The Vikings are built to be a heavyweight contender in the NFC for the next few seasons. Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer have assembled a championship-caliber roster that features a number of blue-chip talents with a blue-collar mentality at the marquee positions.”"

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Every NFL team wants to think of themselves as contenders. Whether they are pushing for division titles, the playoffs, or the Super Bowl, each team wants to believe they have a chance at winning. But it is something completely different when national media starts putting that title on a squad, especially a smaller market team like the Minnesota Vikings.

Brooks went on to break down the best parts of the roster, praising several players and singling out some potential stars. But he really loves what the team is doing defensively.

"“On defense, the Vikings have a set of energetic pass rushers (Griffen and Barr) to complement a rock-solid defensive tackle adept at swallowing up blockers (Joseph). Smith is the NFL’s best-kept secret between the hashes. The fifth-year pro is not only a wily ballhawk, but he delivers devastating blows to pass catchers venturing over the middle. With Rhodes showing promise as a CB1, the Vikings’ defense can spearhead a Super Bowl push with little assistance from an offense that’s led by the unstoppable Peterson.”"

Next: Minnesota Vikings 2016 NFL Draft class

You can see the Minnesota Vikings this season as they look to defend the NFC North crown at their new home in U.S. Bank Stadium. Hopefully, this young and talented roster can take the next step and become even scarier contenders to threaten the best teams in the NFL.

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