The Viking Age
FanSided

5 Minnesota Vikings players with nothing to prove in 2019

By Adam Carlson

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 09: Harrison Smith #22 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates after recovering a fumbled ball in the second quarter of the game against the San Francisco 49ers at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 09: Harrison Smith #22 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates after recovering a fumbled ball in the second quarter of the game against the San Francisco 49ers at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 6
Next
(Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) Eric Kendricks - Minnesota Vikings
(Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) Eric Kendricks /

4. Eric Kendricks, linebacker

Drafting Eric Kendricks in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft was something that was met with some hesitation by fans. There were concerns about his size as well as his ability to defend against the pass at the NFL level.

However, Kendricks has been an absolute production machine for Minnesota since joining the squad. His last three seasons with the Vikings have seen him accumulate over 100 tackles each year, only missing the mark by eight takedowns during his rookie year.

His sure tackling is one reason he is so valuable to the Vikings but he’s also been very productive in pass defense. Last season, he was credited with seven pass breakups, two short of his career-high in 2016.

Any questions fans may have about Eric Kendricks should be put to rest. Although he doesn’t have the accolades of the previous players included on this list, the lack of hardware doesn’t translate to how important it is that he be on the football field.

Home/Minnesota Vikings News