Please check your email for a confirmation. An important part of the Minnesota defensive backfield, the CB position requires fast players to cover receivers, defend against pass offenses, and make tackles. Pages most ridiculous accomplishment was earning MVP in 1971 as a defensive player. Either way, safeties are usually the last line of defense. The goal: assemble the scariest, most talented roster from Vikings historya group that promises to make the crowd roar without allowing a score. 22 in the videowas the greatest ball hawk in NFL history. Big fan of Minnesota football? He proved his merit over time, beginning a 176 consecutive-game streak with 133 straight starts in 1992.It wasnt until around 1996, though, that he truly came into his own. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Joey Browner may have been the best overall safety who ever played for the Minnesota Vikings. He adopted intimidation tactics, trash-talking, and a larger-than-life presence on the field that waged absolute psychological warfare. Krause was named All-NFL four times, started in four Super Bowls and has a Minnesota Vikings record with 10 interceptions in a year. 2. Flores sees safeties as an integral piece on the chess board and uses them in a variety of ways. Anthony Barr converted to linebacker late in his college career from running back, and has quickly become a top-tier 4-3 outside linebacker in the NFL. Joe Jacoby 13. They were also 2nd in the league for their post-game gathering area. Off the field, however, he was troubled and faced child abuse charges in 2014. For the first time, the NFL Players Association released their team report cards on Wednesday. L.C. 0. Wilson is a Hall of Famer, picked off 52 passes . He nabbed his first career interception, picking off 2019 NFL MVP Lamar Jackson with a savvy play down the middle of the field. He made a name for himself immediately, setting the NFL record for most rushing yards in a single game (296) in his very first season, earning himself Rookie of the Year in 2007. 1. Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onMinnesota Vikings and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. All he did from there was become the emotional leader of the Vikings, and a fierce pass rusher from the inside of the line. There's a certain feel to those classic Vikings standing on the sideline at Met Stadium in freezing conditions with steam coming out of their face masks. His strength was the run defense, where he was the third-best league-wide at his position. When it comes to the greatest Vikings quarterback, Fran Tarkenton tops just about every list.He is considered the best quarterback the franchise has ever seen, and he led the team to three Super Bowls during his latter seven years with them. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. In seven seasons, Bush has just 12 starts, three interceptions, and 100 tackles. Adrian Peterson was born on March 21, 1985, in Palestine, Texas. 15. Here's a look at the best Vikings safety duos of all-time. Asked on Tuesday morning at the NFL Combine about a potential contract extension for Jefferson this offseason, Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made himself clear. Few players wanted to continue playing after taking a Browner hit. Griffith was named to the Pro Bowl after the 2000 season and was an All-Pro selection in 1998 and 1999. Reed ranks 10th all-time in interceptions, and had nine Pro Bowl selections. In some circumstances, they need to hit like linebackers to stop the running game. He spent eleven seasons with the Vikings, played in seven Pro Bowls, and finished the last couple years of his career with the Seattle Seahawks before retiring in 2003, and is remembered for his energy as a true defensive force. Harrison Smith & Anthony Harris, Minnesota Vikings. Part two of the Greatest Minnesota Vikings of all time focuses on the defense. Eller is credited with the most sacks in Viking history, and, despite his 66 247 lb frame, possessed surprising speed and agility. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Lake, who the Steelers drafted out of UCLA with the 34th choice in 1989, was a five-time Pro Bowler, four-time second-team All-Pro and he is a member of the 1990s All . Jones was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and seven-time All-Pro. Orlando Thomas was a second-round pick for the Vikings in the 1995 NFL draft. All Minnesota Sports news fromFanSided Daily, Minnesota Vikings: Bye Week Pondering during Week 6, Deep Dive into Andrew Wiggins Overall Game, Minnesota Vikings: Greatest All-Time Offense, Minnesota Twins bullpen will be their downfall, Kyle Rudolph signing gives stability to Minnesota Vikings offense, Jake Odorizzis emergence fueling Twins starting staff, Former Minnesota Twins player David Ortiz shot, Packers reportedly meet with TCU WR Quentin Johnston at NFL Combine, Keidel: Seahawks-Patriots Super Bowl Rematch Worth The Hype, Patriots Rumors: Thoughts and the romance of a Tee Higgins trade, 7 Takeaways from Packers' GM Brian Gutekunst speaking at NFL Combine, Red Sox Hot Take: Alex Verdugo could be the leadoff solution. Then check out this list of Minnesota Vikings cornerbacks with photos and seasons as starters. Born August 7, 1945, in Canton, Ohio, Alan Page was a first-round draft pick from Notre Dame in 1967.His philosophy was that a defensive player should think of himself as an aggressor, not as a defender. He was a key element of the notorious Purple People Eaters defensive line and a nightmare for opposing teams. According to The Top Tens, a website that allows fans to vote, Smith currently tops the as the best safety of the 2018-2019 season. Ken Houston 6. This was by far the most difficult position group to select. Kassulke was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 1963. Following two stints and ten seasons with the Panthers, Julius Peppers is without question the franchise's best defensive player ever. His signature face paint became part of this persona, and he played with guts and abandon that rallied his teammates and terrorized opponents.. Need I say more? Please check your email for a confirmation. The Washington Commanders have a long way to go. They held teams to just 10.3 points per game, and in their championship game they held the Giants to just ten points. Top 50 Washington Redskins Players of All Time By Clark Boinis | Aug 28, 2021, 12:32pm 1. Carnell Lake. Marcus Williams, New Orleans Saints. 14. The Minnesota Vikings were praised for their cafeteria, with 100% of players saying there is enough room. The report, released Wednesday during the league's annual scouting combine, rated teams in eight categories - everything from meals and . He tallied 130 career sacks in purple and was All-Pro five times. Paul Krause | S. The NFL's all-time leader in interceptions spent 12 of his 16 years in Minnesota. Certain players, such as Mike Morris and Scott Studwell, would have fit perfectly in that era. The survey . That rookie year was the highlight of his seven-year career with Minnesota. If you think someone should be on this list of the best Vikings of all time, then feel free to add him to the list. Cris Carter was born November 25, 1965, in Troy, Ohio, and played college ball at Ohio State University. The Vikings have had a number of superstars wear the purple and gold. His pass coverage, meanwhile, lowered his overall rating. Blairs most valuable trait was his ability to cover tight ends and running backs in passing situations. Listed below are the top ten best Minnesota Vikings players of all time. 14 Chris Doleman Defensive End. Behind the Purple People Eaters of the 70s was one of the best safeties the league has ever seen. February 28, 2023. At the time of his retirement, he ranked third and fourth in NFL history with 982 receptions for 15,292 yards and 156 touchdowns. According to On3 Sports' Matt Zenitz, the Vikings are hiring Colorado's defensive tackles coach Patrick Hill to be their new assistant defensive line coach. Over the course of his tenure, Thomas intercepted 22 passes, which is good for seventh place on the team's all-time list. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. With 148 career sacks (as an interior linemanI cant stress that enough), four Super Bowl appearances, and four defensive player of the year honors, Page was one of the most impactful players of the era. Peppers recorded 97 sacks in black and blue and forced more than 30 fumbles, both of which are by far team records. O'Connell gave a positive update on Cine's recovery process, noting the young safety's clear excitement about the upcoming season. He is still regarded as one of the best QBs in the league. Projected to line up alongside him is Anthony Harris who took over as the starter in 2018 after Andrew Sendejo suffered a groin injury that eventually ended his season as well as his career with Minnesota. The report cards polled 1,300 players, who provided information about their current teams. But nevertheless, it's always less than idea to lose your top safety for back-to-back games. His fierce hits caused receivers to think twice about going across the middle of the secondary. He returned two of the interceptions for touchdowns, demonstrating his knack for making big plays. Blitzers, nickel defenders, single-high, or the classic cover 2 shell Flores needs a diversity of skill sets and depth at safety to make his scheme work. 114 tackles (83 solo), 3.0 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, 7 passes defensed, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble; started all 15 games he played; on field for 1,049 of Minnesota's 1,280 defensive snaps (86.8 percent), 108 tackles (72 solo), 1.0 sack, 1 tackle for loss, 3 interceptions, 10 passes defensed, 2 forced fumbles; started all 17 games he played; on field for all 1,280 defensive snaps (100 percent), 28 tackles (20 solo), 1.0 sack, 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception, 3 passes defensed; started 3 of 14 games he played; on field for 211 defensive snaps (17.5 percent), 13 tackles (8 solo), 1 pass defensed; played in 16 games (0 starts); on field for 54 defensive snaps (4.5 percent), 3 special teams tackles (1 solo), played in 9 games (0 starts); did not play any defensive snaps. Not including a player from the modern era felt painful. Browner was later named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Team of the '80s. Click on as we power rank the top safeties in Minnesota Vikings history. That record has lasted over 37 years. The Minnesota Vikings received strong reviews in both staff and facilities. He managed to play all 1208 defensive snaps for Zimmers defense in 2021 and led the whole team in snaps. Part two of the Greatest Minnesota Vikingsof all time focuses on the defense. "So that was just a good job on both safeties, and the whole secondary doing [its] job was able to free me up for the play.". His total of 53 picks as a Viking is a team record. He had 51 interceptions in 13 years and had four defensive touchdowns. In similar fashion to the defensive line . He scored twice on interception returns as well. While he managed 19 interceptions over his career, his ferocious tackling made him a vital component of one of the greatest defenses in NFL history. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. The Minnesota Vikings opened this years training camp on Friday and one position they appear to be all set for the season is safety. In this defense, based heavily off pass rush, intelligent corners with good press ability will wipe out quick passes and stop outside runsWinfield fits that description. Welcome to the latest in a series of slideshows that power rank the greatestMinnesota Vikingsof all time by position. He retired at the peak of his career in 1978 and held every significant NFL passing record, and still ranks in the top ten for many. He went on to win the starting job at free safety in 1979, and would finish his career as arguably the greatest. Hopefully, the former Golden Bear will make another jump headed into Year 2. Minnesota returned All-Pro safety Harrison Smith for his 10th NFL season, and. Chris Hanburger 9. Gil Brandt from NFL.com has been rattling off his best at each position group this offseason. A Super Bowl winner, Reed is a name that can be overlooked when discussing the best safeties of all-time. Jackson had one of the best seasons we have ever seen at the safety position back in 2018, earning an overall PFF grade of 93.2 and a coverage grade of 94.7, but since Vic Fangio left town to coach the Broncos, Jackson's elite play has evaporated and he has posted seasons of 67.0 and 59.5 in terms of PFF grade. 15 Worst Free Agents Signings of All-Time. Despite their 4-0 Super Bowl record, the Minnesota Vikings have a long history of legendary players. Yes, he has some big-time competition in both Paul Krause and Joey Browner, but the consistency and. The rest is Vikings history. No receiver went over the middle against Minnesota without paying the price. Vikings Are a Perfect Fit for Top Free Agent. It includes every starting cornerback from throughout Minnesota Vikings history, including current cornerbacks and past ones. 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