His size and aggression on the field,paired with his intelligence and agility, made him the ideal offensive lineman.He was known to play through injuries and only missed two games throughout his career. 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 . A fairly steady tackler, Thomas was known more for his pass coverage than his fierce hits. He was drafted in the first round by the Vikings in 1988 as an offensive guard. For his outstanding performance throughout most of the '80s and his high rankings in the Vikings record books, Joey Browner outdistances Robert Griffith for second place on the list of great Minnesota safeties. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. His skill kept him on the field even when his reliability was brought into question. What College Football Team Did John Wayne Play For? Eller is credited with the most sacks in Viking history, and, despite his 66 247 lb frame, possessed surprising speed and agility. 0. His strength was the run defense, where he was the third-best league-wide at his position. Buy Vikings Tickets. Smith totaled a career-high 114 tackles (83 solo), which ranked second on the team behind linebacker Eric Kendricks. Ron Yary was born on July 16, 1946, in Chicago Illinois, and was the first player selected by the Vikings in the 1968 AFL-NFL draft. Table of Contents Who are the Best NFL Safeties of All Time? The Best Minnesota Vikings Cornerbacks Of All Time. Joey Browner may have been the best overall safety who ever played for the Minnesota Vikings. Kam Chancellor NFL rules have changed throughout the years. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. INDIANAPOLIS (AP)The Minnesota Vikings treat their players best, according to a new NFL Players Association survey. Darren Appleton hide behind small ball with distance, with Mark Gray [3:27]: https://youtu.be/w8DF4lqN6IQ?t=23955. The eight categories included: treatment of families, nutrition, weight room, strength staff, training room, locker room, and travel. Honorable mentions: Roy Winston, Wally Hilgenberg and Chad Greenway. Studwell didnt receive many accolades for his play, but the tape suggests that was a mistake. Ed Reed 2. (Photo By JUDY GRIESEDIECK/Star Tribune via Getty Images) Orlando Thomas and Robert Griffith, (Photo By Jerry Holt/Star Tribune via Getty Images) Harrison Smith and Andrew Sendejo. Five minutes into the fourth quarter, Woods recorded a strip sack of Rush, and linebacker Anthony Barr was able to recover the fumble. Knud, Knut, Canute, Cnut) is without a doubt one of the most influential Vikings in history, establishing a Norse rule in the North Sea for the first and only time in history. 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. The report card mentioned that all players felt like owner . This purple pack of players isn't limited to the most skilled or the most iconic Vikings. Browner was later named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Team of the '80s. 22 in the videowas the greatest ball hawk in NFL history. Those are the quintessential Vikings to many fans. Tarkenton was the first Viking ever to be inducted into the Hall of Fame and is recognized for his skill, consistency, and innovation as one of the greatest QBs of all time. Minnesota, 13-4 in 2022, is 30th in cap space at $24.4 million over the cap. As he got older, Winfield became the best tackling corner back in the NFL, and was stout against the run. Browner forced 18 fumbles over his career and recovered 16 of them. His total of 53 picks as a Viking is a team record. Not many safeties were more complete than Larry Wilson. 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. While stats are taken into account, there are other, more subjective criteria as well. Maybe one day Smith will join Browner and Krause as one of the all-time great safeties. 955 - 1035. In seven seasons, Bush has just 12 starts, three interceptions, and 100 tackles. Justin Bergman carom off three rails for hide and distance, against Niels Feijen [10:43]: https://youtu.be/aNZJURtAflE?t=161010. He played in all four of the Vikings Super Bowl appearances and helped the team win two NFL Central Division titles, three NFC titles, and nine NFC Central championships. 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. Please check your email for a confirmation. Not including a player from the modern era felt painful. 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. The Vikings could lose their top punt gunner in Kris Boyd, which would be a tough loss for a team that created plenty of mishaps on special teams the past few years. Kassulke was a big hitter and one of the backbones of the famed Purple People Eaters. Krause not only tops the Vikings franchise record for career interceptions with 53, but he also owns the NFL record with 81 career picks. He managed to play all 1208 defensive snaps for Zimmers defense in 2021 and led the whole team in snaps. The crash left him paralyzed from the waist down, ending a stellar career. A season ago, Harris (91.6) and Smith (91.4) produced PFF's top two coverage grades among players at the position. King of Denmark, Norway, and England. Demand for cruises on Viking reached all time highs last month when the cruise line had their best booking month ever and recorded 18 of their top 20 sales . Just like part one, this roster will be both awesome and arguable, and I await your comments (@eddiechisham). Ed Reed's impact should not be downplayed, however. Players offered heaps of praise for the Vikings strength coaches, stating that the strength coaches go above and beyond to support them and add to their success. Every player also believed they received an individual plan, which tied for 1st in the league. 1. 10. NFL-record four career safeties Recorded 136 career sacks (No. 2. Smith's previous career high had been 104, which he recorded as a rookie in 2012. Vote or rerank this list of the greatest Minnesota Vikings ever, then head over and check out some of the best Vikings kickers ever. Here is how the Vikings graded out in each category. Troy Polamalu 3. 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. Yet, here stands perhaps the best collection of defensive linemen the NFL will ever know. 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. Part one of the Greatest Minnesota Vikings of All Time focuses on the offense. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. These lists are filled with players who epitomize what it means to be a Viking. The Minnesota Vikings new training staff was a welcome change from the previous regime. The report card stated that several players had a negative experience with the old head trainer. No pair of safeties has performed better or lifted their defense higher than the Vikings' tandem of Harris and Smith. "Lewis is in a great spot right now, he's well ahead of his . Minnesota Vikings: Greatest All-Time Defense From the Purple People Eaters to Purple Reign, the Minnesota Vikings have struck fear into opposing offenses for over 50 years. Gil Brandt from NFL.com ranks Krause as the 11th-best safety in NFL history. 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. For Bush, the NFL journey has been full of backup time and special teams, a role that is more valuable than the respect it receives. Jones was perhaps the best at his position in the NFL during the early part of the decade, exemplified by being voted to the . Key stats: 909 tackles, 52 INTs. 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. He was undrafted out of San Diego State and spent a year in the CFL before arriving in Minnesota in 1994. The 25 Best Safeties In NFL History. 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. The top five teams went a combined 43-41-1 in 2022. Featuring 2018-2019 Vikings andsome of thegreatest NFL cornerbacks of all time,the best VikingsCBs include Antoine Winfield, Trae Waynes, Xavier Rhodes, Fred Smoot, and Cedric Griffin. Minnesota Vikings. Carnell Lake. 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. Greenwood. Mario He jump safe, against Bashar Hussain [0:35]: https://youtu.be/8l22PVMLcds?t=20992. 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. Who are the best cornerbacks in Minnesota Vikings history? Justin Hall kick and stick with stun forward, against Nikos Ekonomopoulos [2:30]: https://youtu.be/omQ35O_N_co?t=18264. Seasons:2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, Seasons:1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987, 1986, 1985, Seasons: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, Seasons:1980, 1979, 1978, 1977, 1976, 1975, 1974, 1973, 1972,1971, 1970, 1969, Seasons:1978, 1977, 1976, 1975, 1974, 1973, Seasons:1971, 1970, 1969, 1968, 1967, 1966, 1965, 1964, 1963, 1962. Who Is The Best Wide Receiver In The NFL Right Now? On other plays, they need to display elite coverage skills to stop the pass. Few players wanted to continue playing after taking a Browner hit. In his time with the Vikings, Krause made six Pro Bowls and had 53 interceptions, a franchise record. But despite that and three more Super Bowl appearances, the Vikings have yet to win a Super Bowl championship. Speak your mind in the comments section below. As Easley is often looked past due to his short career in the NFL, his play on the field was at a top level and one that had in the elite group . Also among the position group were 2020 additions Josh Metellus (sixth round) and Myles Dorn (undrafted). He was a first-team All-Pro three times over that span. The Vikings ended up falling just short in the Week 9 contest, but Bynum's big play helped give them a chance. If anyone can get past that nasty defensive line, they wont get much farther. Krause was named All-NFL four times, started in four Super Bowls and has a Minnesota Vikings record with 10 interceptions in a year. As free safeties go, Williams is a physical player who is very helpful in defending the run. Karl Kassulke may be best known for the tragic motorcycle accident he suffered on his way to training camp in 1973. Cousins is a player who typically looks for a shorter deal in extension talks, favoring two to three year contracts with plenty of money guaranteed. The Vikings have been blessed with some fine safeties over the years. Gil Brandt's greatest NFL safeties of all time NFL.com senior analyst and personnel guru Gil Brandt ranks the greatest safeties in football history. 1 / 100 Minnesota Vikings 2 / 100. The Vikings had several Hall of Famers suit up for them during their Super Bowl years like Fran Tarkenton, Alan Page and Ron Yary. Bryant was also an excellent special teams player, making him even more of a threat after an interception. The Vikings weight room was built in 2018 and received glowing reviews. The Minnesota Vikings were the valedictorians of the survey, finishing first among all 32 NFL franchises. Is someone on the list who shouldn't be there? This week, we'll focus on safeties. In the past two years, he has played on deals . Players felt the training staff went above and beyond to help them. While individual stats don't hold as much weight if the Vikings didn't accomplish a team win, it's tough to deny the performance Woods had against the Cowboys in Week 8. Its early in his career, but its worth keeping an eye on current Vikings safety Harrison Smith. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. In the 1996 Pro Bowl, he made history as the first guard to catch a touchdown pass. In the run, Studwell was the first body to the hole. His overall total in Minnesota was 635 tackles. Reed ranks 10th all-time in interceptions, and had nine Pro Bowl selections. 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. Both types are represented on this list. Though not known as a formidable tackler, Krause's presence in the deep middle of the secondary allowed the Purple People Eaters to unleash a scary pass-rush on opposing quarterbacks. He nabbed his first career interception, picking off 2019 NFL MVP Lamar Jackson with a savvy play down the middle of the field. He detailed the play for media members, noting that the defense was in middle-open coverage, so he expected Baltimore to try attacking the middle of the field. 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. Gil Brandt of NFL Network continued his breakdown of the top players all-time at every position on Wednesday when he rolled out a list of the best safeties to ever lace up their chinstrap.. "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.". Tingelhoff was one of 11 players to have played in all four Vikings Super Bowl appearances in the 1970s and is considered the best center of his era. Players had no complaints regarding the Vikings new locker room. He was named to the Pro Bowl six times in Minnesota and was a first-team All-Pro selection in 1975, when he picked off 12 passes. Will the Vikings' offense be better or worse in 2019? Joe Jacoby 13. On Halloween night and the prime-time stage, he had a spook-tacular outing against his former team. He earned his reputation as The Scrambler because, in an era when it was practically taboo, Tarkenton was unafraid to run for the ball. The Vikings have drafted well over the years. He is still regarded as one of the best QBs in the league. Featuring 2018-2019 Vikings and some of the greatest NFL cornerbacks of all time, the best Vikings CBs include Antoine Winfield, Trae Waynes, Xavier Rhodes, Fred Smoot, and Cedric Griffin. Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2019. 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