Written by Chris Schad
Last season, the Minnesota Vikings were one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL. They lead the league in touchdowns allowed (37) and were tied for 25th in interceptions (12). In a division that is loaded with franchise quarterbacks, this was a recipe for failure.
Much has been made since then with the ditching of Leslie Frazier and his conservative Cover-2 scheme and the incoming Mike Zimmer scheme that is more aggressive. However, it’s impossible to switch schemes without adding the personnel to make it work.
This is why the Vikings made it a priority to sign cornerback Captain Munnerlyn last offseason.
During a five-year stint with the Carolina Panthers, Munnerlyn wasn’t the biggest guy on the field (5’9”, 182 pounds), but he was able to make plays and become one of the best slot defenders in the league. While he hasn’t been able to show his knack for getting his hands on opposing receivers, he made it clear after being activated from the PUP list due to a bad hamstring that he couldn’t wait to get on the field.
“I got a little ansy.” Munnerlyn explained to reporters on Wednesday. “This is the first time I’ve ever started on the PUP list. I want to compete, but I don’t want to battle a hamstring injury all year either. That can be tricky, but I can’t wait to put my hands on somebody.”
That’s exactly what the Vikings are hoping Munnerlyn can bring to their defense. After drafting another physical cornerback in Xavier Rhodes a season ago, Munnerlyn can bring a mean streak to the inside of the field where Randall Cobb and Golden Tate pay huge dividends for their respective offenses.
With a rebuilt defensive line that should be younger and faster and the rest of the secondary making strides over training camp, Munnerlyn believes that he can help a defense that allowed the most points in the NFL (480) make a quick turnaround.
“I got high expectations and a lot of people have high expectations for me coming into this defense.” Munnerlyn stated. “This team is just getting better as I sit back and look and we’re just getting better each and every day.”
Hopefully for the Vikings, Munnerlyn will help them make giant leaps rather than baby steps.
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Chris Schad contributes to 105 The Ticket and has had his work featured on the Bleacher Report and Yahoo Contributor Network. He serves as the Vikings Lead Writerfor Pro Football Spot. Find him on Twitter @crishad. |