Written By Chris Schad
The moment that fans of the Minnesota Vikings have been waiting for since December is almost here. On Saturday, players will report to Mankato for Training camp as the Vikings look to make the jump from mediocre team to playoff contender in 2015.
There are plenty of things to look forward to heading down to Mankato, but most of the time is filled with practices in gym shorts and cliched answers from players and the coaching staff. So why is a three-week scrimmage period interesting to even the most casual of football fans?
Because everybody loves a good fight.
I’m not talking about the one that will likely erupt in the second week of training camp, but the ones that happen for guys trying to make the roster. While Adrian Peterson and Teddy Bridgewater can rest easy, the guys on the lower end of the totem pole will be trying to impress the staff and add one of the most important components a team can have: depth.
As the Vikings enter training camp, there are four position battles to keep an eye on with the potential for more as injuries and other unexpected circumstances arise.
Right Guard: T.J. Clemmings vs. Tyrus Thompson
The Vikings filled one hole on their offensive line by moving Brandon Fusco from the right side to the left. The problem with that is it was like robbing Peter to pay Paul as they must find somebody to replace Fusco.
During OTAs, the Vikings tried out fourth-round pick T.J. Clemmings at guard, but he has little experience at the position after playing right tackle at Pittsburgh. After a little experimenting, it was sixth-round pick Tyrus Thompson who showed his versatility by running with the first team as OTAs came to a close.
The wildcard here could be Fusco’s transition. If Fusco struggles on the left side of the line (a possibility after tearing his pectoral muscle last season) the Vikings could look to the free-agent market where the presence of former All-Pro guard Evan Mathis could make things interesting. A signing here would allow Fusco to return to the right side and add another bulldozer to pave the way for Adrian Peterson and Jerick McKinnon.
If the Vikings don’t pick up Mathis, Thompson should have the upper hand with some guard experience during his collegiate days. It wouldn’t be a terrible thing for Clemmings, however, as current starting right tackle Phil Loadholt is also coming off a torn pectoral and might need insurance in case he stumbles out of the gate.
Strong Safety: Robert Blanton vs. Antone Exum
Cold Omaha’s Sam Ekstrom took a look at this battle earlier in the offseason, and it figures to be one of the most closely monitored of training camp. The Vikings already have one stud safety in Harrison Smith, but they need to find him a tag-team partner for the secondary to truly take off.
Robert Blanton took the opportunity and tried to run with it at the beginning of last season but started to fade down the stretch, which led fans to call for a replacement. As of now, there doesn’t look to be much competition on the roster.
The main threat figures to be Antone Exum Jr., who has had an eventful road to Minnesota. As a projected first-round pick heading into his senior season at Virginia Tech, Exum suffered a torn ACL playing basketball and didn’t look to be the same player when he came back late in the 2013 season. He fell to the sixth round and only played 16 snaps on defense last year.
However, the Vikings didn’t add a safety over the offseason and general manager Rick Spielman has noticed Exum’s development, saying he’s someone they’ll “keep a close eye on.” If he can come close to his level of play at Virginia Tech, Spielman may have another steal to add to his resume and a new starting safety.
Tight Ends: MyCole Pruitt vs. Rhett Ellison vs. Chase Ford
Kyle Rudolph is going to make the roster, but he’s also missed roughly half of the Vikings’ games over the past two seasons. While it’s entirely possible that he’ll enjoy his first healthy season since 2012 (where he was second in the league among tight end receiving touchdowns), there has to be some quality depth at tight end.
The Vikings took a step toward this by selecting FCS star MyCole Pruitt in the fourth round of the NFL draft. A player similar to the mold of Charles Clay, Pruitt has receiving skills to help take pressure off of Rudolph or step in should he become injured. His blocking needs some work, but it would be surprising if he didn’t make the roster.
Outside of Pruitt and Rudolph, the battle for the final tight end spot could be between Rhett Ellison and Chase Ford. Ford seems to have the same skill set as Pruitt and Rudolph, but could still make the roster if the Vikings decide that Ellison’s superior blocking would be better suited for a fullback role (in which case, he’d be thrown into another battle with Zach Line).
This battle will determine which direction the coaching staff will want to go, so it’s one that could be decided early in camp.
Punt Returner: Marcus Sherels vs. Stefon Diggs
It seems like every year there’s a question about whether Sherels will make the team, but every year he shows up in Mankato and impresses his way onto the roster with determination and grit. Since the Vikings have added more depth to the cornerback position, Sherels was used strictly as a punt returner in 2014 and seems to have carved out a niche there as he’s ranked in the top 10 in yards per return in each of the past two seasons.
But he’ll have competition again this year as the Vikings added Diggs in the fifth round of the draft. Seen as a “swiss army knife” type of receiver, he’s one of those athletes that can make plays with the ball in his hands. If he’s able to handle returning punts well, it’s possible that Sherels’ roster spot could be in jeopardy.
Then again, Sherels has always found a way to survive and this year might not be any different.