It has been a tumultuous training camp for the Minnesota Vikings. The recent medical issues pertaining to Percy Harvin’s migraines and Sidney Rice’s hip surgery have added more questions to the mix. With Brett Favre’s late arrival and all of the missed time for Adrian Peterson, the Minnesota Vikings have not taken many snaps together as a cohesive offensive unit this preseason.
The Vikings’ receiving corps has obviously suffered some major blows recently, but the front office has attempted to offset these somewhat by the recent signing of Javon Walker. He’s of course an old target for Brett Favre with the Green Bay Packers, but he is currently on the wrong side of thirty and has some unproductive seasons recently.
Greg Lewis is another receiver on Minnesota’s roster. The Big Ten product out of the University of Illinois has made some big catches with this franchise, but seems to be undersized to have the kind of impact that Rice could consistently have in the red zone.
By: Patrick Herbert
Bernard Berrian is a solid veteran who still remains to solidify the roster. Sidney Rice finished last season with over thirteen hundred yards and eight touchdowns. He had begun to live up to the hype that came with him as a second round draft pick from South Carolina. Sidney Rice’s recent hip procedure in Vail, Colorado will likely put him on the shelf for at least half of the regular season. He probably will recover as quickly as can be expected physically and then will have to work on his timing with Favre to become a key component for the upcoming season.
With these injuries now in the equation, the offense may turn more to the running game. The recent addition of Toby Gerhart out of Stanford will aide Adrian Peterson. Hopefully, the former can show him how to hold on to the football.
Either that or the team could hire Tim McGraw’s character from Friday Night Lights for consulting purposes. The offense will miss the presence of Chester Taylor. He provided a steady demeanor and production that was very complementary to that of Adrian Peterson.
This franchise seems to be a magnet for speculation and it’s not even located in New York or Los Angeles. Looking back on the days of Onterrio Smith’s whizzinator and the unfortunate passing of lineman Korey Stringer, this organization is used to media and fan scrutiny on a regular basis. Part of the problem with this attention is that it now seems acceptable for national media outlets to speculate on news rather than having the story rock solid before airing it. It started with the Lebron James saga early in the summer and continued with the possible return with Favre.
The bottom line is that the team is in position to make a strong push for first place in the NFC North. Despite all the drama, the team is looking for some innovative ways to score points. With the depletion in the receiving ranks, Ryan Longwell may be busier.