6 players the Vikings should have never let get away
By Adam Patrick
Chris Doleman – DE
Chris Doleman was a sack machine during his time with the Vikings. After Minnesota drafted him with their first-round pick in 1985, Doleman went on to spend the first nine years of his NFL career in the Twin Cities.
From 1985 to 1993, he accumulated a total of 88.5 sacks while also earning two First-Team All-Pro selections and six trips to the Pro Bowl.
Then came the 1994 NFL Draft when the Vikings decided to trade Doleman to the Atlanta Falcons for a pair of early-round draft selections.
Minnesota attempted to replace their veteran pass rusher with their first-round pick in the 1995 NFL Draft when they went with Florida State defensive end Derrick Alexander. The Vikings’ plan didn’t exactly work as Alexander only managed 17.5 sacks in four seasons.
Meanwhile, Doleman went on to add 54 sacks to his career total during the next five years as a member of both the Falcons and San Francisco 49ers.