Vikings Training Camp 2019: Previewing the defensive line
By Chris Schad
The Minnesota Vikings will hope that 2019 is not the beginning of the end for some of the mainstays on the defensive line.
One of the biggest strengths of the Minnesota Vikings during Mike Zimmer’s tenure as the team’s head coach has been the play of their defensive line.
With an emphasis on winning the battle in the trenches, the unit has helped elevate the play of everyone around them and has developed into one of the top defenses in the National Football League.
Last year, the Vikings’ defensive line continued their rich tradition of rushing the passer by ranking third in the NFL with 50 sacks. While the season included breakout performances by Danielle Hunter and Stephen Weatherly, it also showed off the depth the Vikings have as Everson Griffen and Linval Joseph missed time due to personal reasons and injury.
This season, the Vikings will hope that the depth they have acquired continues to take a step forward. Defensive line coach Andre Patterson has helped mold some of the Vikings’ linemen into the best in the NFL, and while some of the other key cogs are getting long in the tooth, Minnesota believes they have the horses to continue to terrorize quarterbacks.