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The Vikings' new leadership will have many roster decisions to make, including how to approach a handful of prominent players scheduled to become free agents in March.
1. Linebacker Anthony Barr: Upon the front office asking him to take a pay cut, Barr renegotiated his contract to stay in Minnesota for what might've been an eighth and final Vikings season. The former Pro Bowler dealt with more injury issues when his right knee started giving him trouble in training camp. He sat out a few weeks before undergoing arthroscopic surgery in late August, delaying his debut until Week 5 vs. Detroit. He played 704 defensive snaps (62.5%), missing two additional games against the Chargers in Week 10 and the Lions in Week 13 when knee and hamstring issues arose. Still managing the knee injury through midseason practices, Barr wasn't very effective in his first four games. He missed nearly as many tackles — five — than the seven solo takedowns he made. His lone impact play was the clutch, tipped interception off Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson in overtime.But Barr said he got healthier, and improved, the more he played. In the last five games, he was credited with 22 solo tackles, one for a loss, two sacks, two quarterback hits, two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
https://www.startribune.com/vikings-top-...600135811/
2. Cornerback Patrick Peterson: The longtime leading Cardinals defender signed a one-year deal in free agency when Arizona let him walk. He instantly became the leader in a young, patchwork cornerback room, taking Cameron Dantzler and Kris Boyd under his wing. He played 803 defensive snaps (71.3%). He was flagged for three penalties, including a third-down holding in the Nov. 28 loss at San Francisco. Not the most aggressive or surest tackler, he missed seven tackles, including six in coverage.
The least-targeted Vikings corner, averaging eight snaps between throws, Peterson surrendered 37 catches and deflected five passes on 64 targets. They included three touchdowns — two in the Sept. 19 loss against his former team in Arizona; one was a scramble drill by the ridiculously-mobile Kyler Murray, while the other was a busted coverage by Peterson on a 77-yard catch and run by receiver Rondale Moore.
Peterson got his first interception of the season in the Jan. 9 finale, when Bears quarterback Andy Dalton lobbed up a prayer that Peterson returned for a 66-yard touchdown. The pick ensured he has at least one interception in each of his 11 NFL seasons.
"I thought my season was pretty solid," Peterson said before the season finale. "I expected to get targeted a little bit more. I was really pumped for a little bit more, having an opportunity to get my hands on a couple footballs. ... I feel like my coverage has been tight, I feel like my technique has been tight. I feel like I could tackle a little bit better."
4. Tight end Tyler Conklin: The one-time special teams contributor and backup stepped into the starting role when Irv Smith Jr. underwent knee surgery just before the season opener. Conklin played a career-high 892 snaps (81.6%) on offense, and just one on special teams. He finished third on the team with 61 catches on 87 targets, and fourth with 593 yards and three touchdowns — all career highs in the last year of his rookie contract. He was penalized four times, including a third-down hold that negated a 37-yard completion to Justin Jefferson in the Oct. 3 loss to the Browns. Conklin's season-high 70 yards came against the Seahawks, with nearly half after the catch. He had his first multi-touchdown game in the Nov. 14 win against Chargers, including a fourth-and-goal scoop to take the lead. He had the surest hands on the team, dropping just one pass, but is not elusive, breaking two tackle attempts.
Conklin didn't step into Smith's role, exactly. He was mostly deployed as an in-line blocker for as coordinator Klint Kubiak's offense pivoted to three receivers. Admirably led all NFL tight ends with 98 pass-blocking snaps for an offensive line that needed the help. It was more like the old Kyle Rudolph role, which meant undesirable matchups against defensive ends that didn't always work out for the Vikings.
"He puts in all the dirty work," running back Dalvin Cook said last month. "He blocks, he just be quiet, he does his job. I think Conklin is the true definition of a pro. Just giving him the credit."
5. Safety Xavier Woods: He replaced Anthony Harris as the primary deep safety in single-high coverages and was a reliable starter after signing a one-year deal last offseason. Woods played a team-high 1,234 snaps, the only defender to play all 1,126 snaps, in addition to 108 snaps on special teams. He delivered some big hits and was penalized four times, including twice for unnecessary roughness; one flagged hit put Panthers receiver Terrace Marshall in the concussion protocol. Woods missed six tackles and forced two fumbles, including one deep in Panthers territory that led to a Vikings touchdown in the Oct. 17 win at Carolina.
He had a career-high 10 deflections and three interceptions in coverage, including a pick against his former team when Harrison Smith deflected a pass by Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush. Woods surrendered four touchdowns — two in the Nov. 21 win against the Packers; receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling ran past him for a 75-yard touchdown.
"I just wanted to win," Woods said this month. "I wanted to win and make the playoffs, so it didn't turn out as well as I thought it would be. I had my ups and my downs, but I just wanted to win and make the playoffs, but we didn't do that. So, I consider [the one-year contract] a fail."
3. Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson: The veteran signed a one-year deal in June to be a backup defensive tackle for the first time in his nine-year NFL career, but he ended up starting seven games — at defensive end, where options were thin without Danielle Hunter, Everson Griffen or Stephen Weatherly. Richardson played 637 defensive snaps (56.6%), second on the D-line. He was penalized three times, all for early jumps, and missed just three tackles. He knew to get his hands up against Browns quarterback — and former teammate — Baker Mayfield, deflecting two third-down throws in the Oct. 3 loss to the Browns. Richardson was second on the team with 37 quarterback pressures, with three-quarters of that production in the second half of the year.
His impact became greater as the season progressed. He turned 31 in November, just as he started an impressive transition to the edge, where his size helped the defense gain some control at the line of scrimmage. From the edge, Richardson broke through more frequently with four of his six tackles for losses. But he was still playing out of position; the 290-pounder didn't offer much speed on the edge. However, he chased down Bears running back David Montgomery to force a fumble in the Dec. 20 win at Chicago — made official only after he convinced Mike Zimmer to challenge the missed call.
"The dude just can play all up and down the line," nose tackle Michael Pierce said last month. "Being able to understand all the calls, drops in coverage sometimes. You're gonna be hard-pressed to find too many guys that can do that."
With a new GM and HC, I think they are going to want to shape this team with their own players, look to get younger and manage the cap very carefully. From that list, I think they would love to have Conklin, but are not going to pay him what he will get on the market. Bynum needs to play, so I don't see any chance of signing Woods. Don't see any chance of them paying Barr. Richardson or Peterson would need to be on very reasonable one year contracts.
Quote: @JR44 said:
With a new GM and HC, I think they are going to want to shape this team with their own players, look to get younger and manage the cap very carefully. From that list, I think they would love to have Conklin, but are not going to pay him what he will get on the market. Bynum needs to play, so I don't see any chance of signing Woods. Don't see any chance of them paying Barr. Richardson or Peterson would need to be on very reasonable one year contracts.
Agreed....I do like P2 for another year, just for his presence in the backfield and in the DB room. Richardson splashed here and there, his versatility and experience is something I like.
The old regime has overpaid for GOOD veteran players for too long. Time to get younger and faster.
Barr- The only way I keep him is at a deep discount, if the knee isn't degenerative, and we move to a 3-4 to finally use him as god intended.
Gronklin-about 99% sure he hits the FA market.
P2-I'd try to keep him at a reasonable contract. He's about 75% of what he used to be, but leaders are scarce and he wants to be here.
Richardson-nope. Willekes needs more reps, same with Jones and JRob.
Woods nope. Bynum has shown enough to unseat him.
Quote: @JustinTime18™ said:
Barr- The only way I keep him is at a deep discount, if the knee isn't degenerative, and we move to a 3-4 to finally use him as god intended.
Gronklin-about 99% sure he hits the FA market.
P2-I'd try to keep him at a reasonable contract. He's about 75% of what he used to be, but leaders are scarce and he wants to be here.
Richardson-nope. Willekes needs more reps, same with Jones and JRob.
Woods nope. Bynum has shown enough to unseat him.
I agree with all of this this. Conklin will be paid more by a team who needs a TE1 than a team who already has one in ISJ. Barr was probably the most underrated player on the Vikings, but the knee is a problem and he, perhaps more than anyone else, was uniquely connected to Zimmer's defensive philosophy. If Zimmer ends up somewhere in '21, I think Barr ends up there as well.
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