He played at the University of Oklahoma, where he made history as the runner-up for the Heisman trophy as a freshman and was the Vikings first-round draft pick in 2007. All he did from there was become the emotional leader of the Vikings, and a fierce pass rusher from the inside of the line. Regarding staff, 95% of players felt the Vikings had enough athletic trainers (ATCs), and 92% said they had enough physical therapists (PTs). Smith's previous career high had been 104, which he recorded as a rookie in 2012. EAGAN, Minn. Led by Harrison Smith, the Vikings safeties made an impact throughout the 2018 season. As the conquering King of England, Denmark, and Norway, Kntr (a.k.a. In his first game, he made history as the only NFL quarterback to pass for four touchdowns during their first start and led the Vikings to a legendary win. EAGAN, Minn. The Vikings combined a mixture of veteran experience and youth at the safety position in 2021. He even helped push the Vikings to all four of their Super Bowl appearances and four championship victories, playing in the Vikings most successful era and demonstrating an impeccable work ethic and sportsmanship. I couldnt justify keeping Barr off the list just due to the rich history of other players. Bush has 17 tackles over the last two seasons on special teams. While he earned a reputation for his tumultuous personal life and numerous legal battles, his formidable speed, athleticism, and talent are undeniable. Woods provided the experience the Vikings hoped for in the secondary, but he also was targeted most by opponents who likely veered away from a six-time Pro Bowler in Smith, who played more at the line of scrimmage than Woods. Minnesota signed Woods to a one-year deal, meaning he's slated to become a free agent in March. His strength was the run defense, where he was the third-best league-wide at his position. Randy Moss was born in West Virginia on February 13, 1977, and was a first-round draft pick from Marshall University in 1998.He played with the Vikings for seven seasons as a wide receiver from 1998-2004 and for a brief stint in 2010, setting records and collecting accolades along the way. Over the course of his tenure, Thomas intercepted 22 passes, which is good for seventh place on the team's all-time list. The Minnesota Vikings received strong reviews in both staff and facilities. Griffith, who was the Vikings' starting strong safety for six years, was one of the most feared defenders in the NFL. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2019. The eight categories included: treatment of families, nutrition, weight room, strength staff, training room, locker room, and travel. Art Monk 5. He became their starting quarterback in his rookie season and began a relentless career that landed him in the history books and at the top of our list. As was the case for Anthony Harris, Smith had to do more with less around him. After some legal trouble and a devastating end to his promising college career, the wide receiver found himself in the supplemental draft, where he was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles. The Vikings ended up falling just short in the Week 9 contest, but Bynum's big play helped give them a chance. Browner was later named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Team of the '80s. The Minnesota Vikings opened this years training camp on Friday and one position they appear to be all set for the season is safety. Honorable mentions: Roy Winston, Wally Hilgenberg and Chad Greenway. Jones was perhaps the best at his position in the NFL during the early part of the decade, exemplified by being voted to the . The team's first-round draft choice in 1983, he came from USC to the NFL and quickly established himself as one of the best players in the league on special teams. Blairs most valuable trait was his ability to cover tight ends and running backs in passing situations. Another name to monitor who shares that familiarity is Adrian Amos if he has a smaller price tag and is open to continuing his journey in the NFC North after stops in Green Bay and Chicago. He nabbed his first career interception, picking off 2019 NFL MVP Lamar Jackson with a savvy play down the middle of the field. Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onAll Minnesota Sports and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. His heady presence in the secondary served to make him a leader on the defense, even though he's one of the youngest players on the field. Over his entire career, he racked up 159.5 sacks, which ranks fourth in NFL history. And with Dorn and Metellus now having two seasons under their belt, will they become more regular contributors on defense in 2022? Williams is vastly underrated and is simply one of the NFL's top free safeties right now. When he came to the Vikings prior to the 1968 season, he had already intercepted 28 passes as a member of the Washington Redskins. He played in eight consecutive Pro Bowls and was selected for the 1990s All-Decade team.In 2002, at the time of his retirement, he was the NFLs second all-time leading receiver, held 19 team records for the Vikings, 1,101 receptions for 13,899 yards, and 130 touchdowns.His career is not only a testament to his skill but the gratification of hard work and discipline. Little known fact about Alan Page: he blocked 28 punts and kicks in his careeras an interior lineman. Players had no complaints regarding the Vikings new locker room. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Certain players, such as Mike Morris and Scott Studwell, would have fit perfectly in that era. Moss played with the Vikings from 1998-2004 and again for a year in 2010. Some changes have been in an effort to reduce the number of hard hits and potentially career-ending injuries that come along with some of the NFL's roughness. Yet, here stands perhaps the best collection of defensive linemen the NFL will ever know. 98% of players also said there is enough hot and cold tub space. Deon Bush has made a nice role for himself as a backup safety in the NFL since 2016 and has some ties to the Vikings in place if he decides to leave Kansas City. He received only a brief suspension during his legal battle and continued to play with the Vikings until 2016 before signing a contract with the New Orleans Saints. Eller is credited with the most sacks in Viking history, and, despite his 66 247 lb frame, possessed surprising speed and agility. Top 10 BEST SAFETIES of All Time And How to Shoot Them 56,661 views Dec 16, 2020 1.2K Dislike DrDaveBilliards 240K subscribers Dr. Dave recreates and analyzes the 10 best safeties of all time. Earlier this week, he covered the safety position. A list of the best Minnesota Vikings of all time. A fairly steady tackler, Thomas was known more for his pass coverage than his fierce hits. Kassulke was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 1963. Sendejos contract option was $5.4 million in 2019 and it ended up being a price too high for the Vikings as Harris looked more than capable in his nine starts last year. The team selected him from Louisiana-Lafayette and plugged him immediately into the defensive rotation. Minnesota returned All-Pro safety Harrison Smith for his 10th NFL season, and. The Vikings have had a number of superstars wear the purple and gold. Since the Vikings will be under new leadership, it will be interesting to see if the powers that be opt to re-sign Woods or move another direction. The Washington Commanders have a long way to go. He was a first-round draft pick in 1964 for both the Vikings and their rivals, the Buffalo Bills, but made the decision to stay in Minnesota and began a fourteen-year career with them that ended in 1978.During that time, he became a crucial element of the Vikings famed defensive line.. He had 51 interceptions in 13 years and had four defensive touchdowns. In addition to his prowess at intercepting passes, he proved his nose for the ball by recovering 19 fumbles, including 11 as a Viking). In 1997 he led the NFL with 15.5 sacks, and a year later signed a $32.5 million dollar contract with the Vikings, the largest contract for a defensive lineman up to that point. The Minnesota Vikings' defense could be different at all levels in 2023, depending on how radical they decide to be when it comes to personnel changes. Five minutes into the fourth quarter, Woods recorded a strip sack of Rush, and linebacker Anthony Barr was able to recover the fumble. Dexter Manley 8. Harrison Smith, Minnesota Vikings. 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. No receiver went over the middle against Minnesota without paying the price. NFL-record four career safeties Recorded 136 career sacks (No. 9. In addition, he compiled 7.5 sacks in Minnesota, including four in 1999. As a tackling machine, Atwater compiled more than 120 tackles during his first five NFL seasons. He never missed a game over the span of his lengthy career and started in a consecutive 240 regular-season games.He took on some of the NFLs best linebackers and was a highly skilled blocker, helping teammates like Fran Tarkenton and Chuck Foreman make their way into the record books. His overall total in Minnesota was 635 tackles. Speak your mind in the comments section below. Alan Page. Who are the best cornerbacks in Minnesota Vikings history? The eight categories included: treatment of families, nutrition, weight room, strength staff, training room, locker room,andtravel. The Vikings enter March way over the salary cap. The Hall of Famer was with the Vikings from 1968-1979 after three seasons with the Redskins. The Vikings, Dolphins and Raiders consistently ranked among the top three in those eight categories while the Commanders (dead last), Cardinals (second worst) and Chargers (third worst) fell well . Harrison Smith & Anthony Harris, Minnesota Vikings. Greenwood. He rose to the occasion with grace, demonstrating determination and discipline over his 12 seasons. Bush could be a solid replacement on the market. In addition to leading the team in tackles with eight, Woods intercepted QB Cooper Rush early in the second quarter. He finished his career with 37 interceptions, fourth in team history. Bynum answered the bell after finding out the morning of the Ravens game that he'd need to make his first NFL start. Bynum flashed in an extremely small sample size. For his intense field presence, his contributions to some of the best defenses in history and his longevity with the club, Karl Kassulke moves past Orlando Thomas into the No. Click on as we power rank the top safeties in Minnesota Vikings history. They were also 2nd in the league for their post-game gathering area. Sammy Baugh 2. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. If he played at that level at a 17-game pace, Peppers would have . It was a smart move. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Over his fourteen-season career, he had a 202-game starting streak, was selected for the Pro Bowl twelve consecutive times, and was nominated to the 1990s All-Decade Team. The criteria used includes games started, interceptions and fumble recoveries, touchdowns scored, and their approximate value (AV) assigned by Pro Football Reference. We are concluding this series with safeties. He replaces A . The goal: assemble the most explosive offensive powerhouse possible with the great Vikings throughout history. The Commanders were at the bottom of the rankings, with the Cardinals 31st and the Chargers 30th. Dolemans 150 career sacks gave him All-Pro honors three times, earning his place on the 90s team of the decade. This purple pack of players isn't limited to the most skilled or the most iconic Vikings. Yes, he has some big-time competition in both Paul Krause and Joey Browner, but the consistency and. "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.". John Randle came into the league as an undrafted rookie free agent from a small Division II school. It also called Kevin OConnell one of the most player-friendly coaches., The overview finished saying that the Vikings are a shining example of what is possible when a concerted investment is made in both staffing and facilities.. That won't be happening here. Minnesota Vikings news fromFanSided Daily, Vikings Training Camp 2019: Top 4 takeaways from Day 1, Stefon Diggs is excited to play in the Vikings new offense, 15 Worst Free Agents Signings of All-Time, Minnesota Vikings defensive end suffers Achilles tendon tear. Ronnie Lott 4. Joe Theismann 11. Then check out this list of Minnesota Vikings cornerbacks with photos and seasons as starters. Please rank the players based only on their time with the Vikings, The Best Quarterbacks to Never Win a Super Bowl, The Best Notre Dame Football Players of All Time. We rank the best safeties in the NFL. Larry Wilson Highlight Video 3) Ken Houston In 2021 Peterson set another record when he scored a rushing touchdown with the Seattle Seahawks, making him the first player in history to score a rushing touchdown with six different NFL teams.Peterson has cemented himself as one of the greatest running backs of all time, and his career with the Vikings is a crucial part of his legacy. King of Denmark, Norway, and England. For years, the Purple People Eaters, the nickname for the Vikings defensive line, were one of the most intimidating in the league. Honorable mentions: Jim Marshall, Jared Allen and Kevin Williams. They've drafted two of the best players ever in Randy Moss and 2012 NFL MVP Adrian Peterson. Still, theres a reason he has stayed in the league this long. Regarding food quality, the Vikings come in 9th place. The Vikings had several Hall of Famers suit up for them during their Super Bowl years like Fran Tarkenton, Alan Page and Ron Yary. Copyright 2017-2023 Rookie Road Inc. All rights reserved. From 2019 to 2020, Peppers recorded 167 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and five quarterback hits across 26 games. He managed to play all 1208 defensive snaps for Zimmers defense in 2021 and led the whole team in snaps. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. The Minnesota Vikings need to be efficient in the offseason. The crash left him paralyzed from the waist down, ending a stellar career. The Minnesota Vikings continue to reshape their defensive coaching staff under new defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Joey Browner was a fantastic all-around player, but his ability to hit as a strong safety easily stands out as his most impressive skill. Some have been ball hawks, while others have been huge hitters. Smith also wears the same number that belongs to the best safety in Vikings historyPaul Krause. Paul KrauseNo. Players felt the training staff went above and beyond to help them. In 2021 . Jevon Holland was a prime example of this during Flores' time with the Miami Dolphins . Steve Atwater was the greatest run-support safety of all time. He earned his reputation as The Scrambler because, in an era when it was practically taboo, Tarkenton was unafraid to run for the ball. Bush spent some time in Chicago with Minnesotas current safeties coach Roy Anderson. Players also do not have roommates during their trips. Bynum certainly showed promise in his first season, especially considering the Vikings converted him from cornerback. By the time Randle was finished, he had 114 career sacks, made six straight pro bowls as a starter and made the NFL team of the decade in the 90s. The Vikings weathered another season of COVID-19 protocols and called on Bynum to step in as a starter in Weeks 9 and 10 after Smith tested positive on the morning of Minnesota's game in Baltimore. Ken Houston 15. Currently, the team is roughly $24 million over . Not including a player from the modern era felt painful. He is still regarded as one of the best QBs in the league. The Vikings offered a good amount of first-class seats, and 95% of players felt they had enough room to spread out. In the pass, Studwell came away with 11 interceptions despite his lack of elite physical traits. He played for the University of Georgia and was drafted to the Vikings in 1961 when the team was just getting its start. NFL Best Safeties in the NFL 2022: Derwin James, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Antoine Winfield Prove Value of Versatility Modern NFL defenses rely on coverage, and the best defenses have the top safeties in the NFL. He played in nine Pro Bowls, and in 1975, he secured both the NFLs MVP and Offensive Player of the Year Award. Three Seahawks named among NFL.com's top safeties of all time Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans AFC. 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. Photos and seasons as starters this list of the best collection of defensive the... Or the most feared defenders in the second quarter early in the NFL & # x27 ; time with Vikings. 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