Continuity on defense a major asset for Minnesota Vikings
By Adam Carlson
Having a defensive unit that sticks together for several seasons can be great for a team like the Minnesota Vikings hoping to make a big impact in 2017.
There was a time when the Minnesota Vikings defense seemed like a revolving door. The team was trying anything to find players to earn an extended stay as a starter but struggling to find anyone who sticks for the long haul.
Fast forwarding to 2017, the team has found several long-term answers. Both Xavier Rhodes and Harrison Smith are young superstars while others like Eric Kendricks, Anthony Barr, and Trae Waynes show a lot of potential.
Recently, Vikings safety Andrew Sendejo spoke on the official Vikings website about the importance of a team finding familiarity with each other in order to know what to expect and where teammates will be.
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"“The more you’re playing together, the more experience you have together, the more certain types of plays you’ve seen together, so you kind of know where to warn certain guys about things because it’s happened to you in certain games,” Sendejo said. “Everything just kind of jells, the communication, the fits, it makes everything a lot smoother.”"
Of course, Sendejo himself has been a starting safety for the Vikings for several seasons now, but the team has still brought in competition through the draft. Minnesota has drafted several big, athletic players to compete for the position, but the savvy special teams ace has essentially locked down the spot next to Harrison Smith for the foreseeable future.
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Of course, there are still some spots where the Minnesota Vikings will need to find regular starters. The exit of Chad Greenway and Captain Munnerlyn this offseason opened up a few holes, but with hope the team can find some great players to fill the gaps left by these veterans.