NFL All Quarter Century Team: A very good Viking showing

[purplefaithful]

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/4504...-ray-lewis

[viking012]

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/4504...-ray-lewis

They lost me when they put Priest Holmes as their top RB over LT and AD.  AD doesn't even get honorable mention.

It'd be fun to do this for a best quarter century team for the Vikings.

[JR44]

So AD has 7,000 more all purpose yards that both Holmes and McCaffrey and 4,500 more than Henry and he is not on the list? Have no idea how McCaffrey can possibly be on the team, don't you have to actually be on the field to be considered great, he has played in half his teams games. I did not follow Hutchinson when he was with Seahawks, but thought he was on of the most overrated players to play for Vikes, did not see the nasty streak he was said to have, nor did I see a dominant player, never understood all the accolades, seemed to be built on a reputation before he got here.

[comet52]

ESPN engagement farming at its finest.

[MaroonBells]

They lost me when they put Priest Holmes as their top RB over LT and AD.  AD doesn't even get honorable mention.

It'd be fun to do this for a best quarter century team for the Vikings.

That was my thought as well. I remember Holmes being pretty good, but not on the level of LT or AD. And McCaffrey and Henry over them too seems like recency bias.

[purplefaithful]

That was my thought as well. I remember Holmes being pretty good, but not on the level of LT or AD. And McCaffrey and Henry over them too seems like recency bias.

^^^

That's exactly what it is, and lazy journalism too.

Vikings have had some GREAT individual players on both side of the ball...More than so many teams. But they didnt have the QB to take them over the hump in most years. That certainly led them to KC in 2018.

[medaille]

I’d be curious if you took each teams version on this (players with the best 3 years for a team, and the same guy can’t be on two teams), how it would all shake out. I feel like the Vikings put out a lot of super stars at a variety of positions except the most important one. Would having a super star QB like Brady or Mahomes still trump a team full of super stars but fielding a lesser QB like Culpepper.

That said, I remember Holmes being good, but that stat line is pretty peak.

[badgervike]

So AD has 7,000 more all purpose yards that both Holmes and McCaffrey and 4,500 more than Henry and he is not on the list?  Have no idea how McCaffrey can possibly be on the team, don't you have to actually be on the field to be considered great, he has played in half his teams games.  I did not follow Hutchinson when he was with Seahawks, but thought he was on of the most overrated players to play for Vikes, did not see the nasty streak he was said to have, nor did I see a dominant player, never understood all the accolades, seemed to be built on a reputation before he got here.

They gave Henry the nod due to yards per carry?  Peterson had the same 4.9 yards per carry as Henry in his first 8 years.  It was only at the end of his career when he needed the money that his yards per carry dropped.  Peterson was game changing in his day.  Henry is very good.

[pattersaur]

AP, LT, Holmes in that order for me at RB. Bizarre rankings by the author.

I did like seeing Hutch in there. As talented and consistent as you'll find in the NFL.

EDIT- Speaking of AD... looks like he got into a bit of a tussle at a poker game (?) recently. He really would do himself a favor by staying out of the news at this point.

[viking012]

Thought it'd be fun to put together a Vikings All Quarter Century Team.  Here is my stab at it, going to do Offense first.  Got all of my stats from AI, so assuming some errors.  Only counting years from 2000, not full career with Vikings.

QB:  1) Daunte Culpepper 6 seasons, 24K pass yds, 149 TDs, 106 Ints, 2600 rush yards, 34 TDs, 3 probowls
       2) Kirk Cousins 6 seasons, 23K pass yds, 171 TDs, 55 Ints, 3 probowls
       3) Brett Favre 2 seasons

Tough call between Culpepper and Cousins.  Give the edge to Culpepper.  I think if Culpepper were around in todays game and had someone like KOC guiding him vs Tice, we'd be talking multiple superbowls.  With Favre, 2009 awesome year, but not enough years for me to put above Cousins and Culpepper.  I was a huge fan of Jeff George, loved his cannon arm, not his hustle though.

RB: 1) Adrian Peterson 10 seasons, 11.7K rush yds, 97 TDS, 232 rec, 2K rec yds, 5 TDS, 7 Probowls, 1 MVP
      2) Dalvin Cook 6 seasons, 6K yards, 43 TDs. 224 Rec, 1791 rec yds. 5 Tds, 4 PBs
      3) Chester Taylor 4 seasons, 4.7K yds, 26 TDs, 299 Rec, 2324 rec yds, 6 Tds

1st two are easy and no brainers.  AD definitely one of my favorites of all time. I loved Chester Taylor's game more than others (Michael Bennett, Mo Williams).  Lightening and Thunder with him and AD.  If Robert Smith didn't hang up his cleats so early, prob would have him at 3.

FB:  1) Jimmy Kleinsasser, 12 seasons, Vikings lifer
       2) CJ Ham, 8 seasons, 2 PB

Put Kleinsasser at FB, so I could get others at TE.  Loved Jimmy, Viking lifer!  CJ has been reliable and consistent for the Vikes.

WR: 1) Justin Jefferson 5 seasons, 495 rec, 7432 rec yds, 40 Tds, 4 PBs
       2) Randy Moss 6 seasons, 438rec, 6554 rec yds, 64TDs, 3 PBs
       3) Adam Thielen 9 seasons, 534rec, 6682rec Yds, 55TDs, 2 PBs
       4) Percy Harvin 4 seasons, 280 rec, 3302rec yds, 20TDs. 683 rushing yds, 4TDs, 5 KR TDs
       5) Stefon Diggs 5 seasons, 365 rec, 4623 rec yds, 30 TDs

Again first 2 are no brainers, but definitely debatable who is #1.  Never thought I'd put someone over Moss, but you have to love everything JJ does and not playing with the diva WR attitude. With this being a quarter century team, expect Jefferson to have another huge year and widen the statistical gap he has on Moss on yds/rec and tighten the TD gap.  Had to put Thielen at 3, he is Minnesota thru and thru!  Thought he'd be a Viking lifer, but unfortunately didn't work out.  Placed Harvin (one of my all time favs) and Diggs on the list, even with the headaches (pun intended) still tremendous players.  Wish Harvin had a Jefferson by his side, along with McCardell and KOC coaching him. 

LT:  1) Bryant McKinnie 9 seasons, 1 PB
      2) Christian Darrisaw 4 seasons

McKinnie was a solid guy for several years, still didn't live up to his potential.  Still consider him to be one of the top 10-15 LTs when he played.  Only reason I have McKinnie over Darrisaw is because of the number of seasons played.  Hoping Darrisaw can return back to his dominant level after the injury.  If Kalil could've lived up to his potential, would've been on this list.

LG:  1) Steve Hutchinson 6 seasons, 4PBs

Duh!! No one else considering in my opinion, just several fill ins.  LG has been tough for us to fill, hopefully Jackson changes that.  Hutch was a great FA add.

C:  1) Matt Birk 8 seasons, 6PBs
     2) John Sullivan, 7 seasons

One great one and another reliable one.  Wish we made would've made Birk a Viking lifer like Kleinsasser.  We had a nice streak of good/great C's, Christy before this, Lowdermilk, Tingelhoff.  Hopefully start again here with Kelly.

RG: 1) David Dixon  5 seasons and many more before this
      2) Anthony Herrera 7 seasons, Viking lifer.

Loved Dixon in the run game and barely missed any games.  Herrera had some decent years, key blocker for several years for AD.

RT:  1) Brian O'Neill, 7 seasons, 2PBs
       2) Phil Loadholt, 5 seasons
       
O'Neill has been very reliable.  Loadholt, key blocker along with Herrera for several years for AD.  Korey Stringer would definitely be on this list if he wasn't taken away from us way too early. RIP.

Other serviceable lineman: Joe Berger, Brandon Fusco, and Reilly Reiff

TE: 1) Kyle Rudolph 10 seasons, 453 rec, 4.5K rec yds, 48 TDs, 2PBs
      2) TJ Hockenson 3 seasons, 196 rec, 1.9K rec yds, 8 TDs
      3) Visanthe Shiancoe, 5 seasons, 208 rec, 2.4K rec yds, 24 TDs

Easily can have Kleinsasser on this list.  If Hockenson had more years, definitely would have him above Rudolph.  I think he's in line for a PB year.  Shiancoe was an nice TE, consistent 500 yd seasons.

Will do defense this weekend.