For the past decade, players from rookies to free agents have come and gone, while Chad Greenway has been the one constant when it comes to the Vikings linebacking unit. Greenway, who is entering his ninth season with the team, has been voted to two Pro-Bowls, and should reach 1,000 career tackles by seasons end. Its clear from Greenway’s track record he is the most complete linebacker on the team from both an experience and talent standpoint. That being said, many claimed Greenway had hit his peak last year, showing a late first step, and a decrease in overall production. Fans are balking at that assumption, and in turn are banking on the idea that the recent hire of defensive-minded coach Mike Zimmer can salvage what gas Greenway has left in the tank.
Fans are also hoping he won’t stop there and will be able to develop the rest of a young, raw, linebacking core. While I can’t speak for all of the linebackers on the team, Anthony Barr will surly be the new head coach’s favorite prized possession, after the Vikings selected him with the ninth-overall pick. Zimmer was a large influence on the selection and will garnish extra attention with Barr off the field, allowing the ultra-talented linebacker to live up to the potential that the coach saw on film.
With the league still trending towards the pass, like most teams the Vikings will run out of a nickel formation, with just two linebackers on the field, a large part of the time.
The short response and ideal scenario for the future is to lineup Barr and Greenway when the defense is in their nickel formation. Questions loom quickly however, like if Barr will be ready to jump in that soon to the starting rotation. Looking even further outside the box asks if Zimmer would prefer to plug Barr in at defensive end with his hand in the dirt during passing situations.
Based off Zimmer’s history with exotic sub-packages, common sense tells us he will move Barr like a chess piece, including plugging him in on the defensive line. When that time comes, which linebacker will be ready to step up?
General Manager Rick Spielman has tried his best over the last few years trying to rebuild a linebacking unit with mid-to-late round picks. Mixing in rookies with proven veterans like Desmond Bishop seemed like an okay idea in theory, but when rookie mistakes and injuries plagues the unit, the defensive play struggled because of it. With another year under their belt and playing time on the horizon linebackers like Audie Cole, Gerlad Hodges, and Michael Mauti are all ready to prove their worth.
A seventh-round pick, Cole enters his third-season with high expectations. After showing big promise during preseason games his rookie year, coaches let him play near the end of the season and he didn’t disappoint, totaling a 20 tackle performance in a two-game span. Meanwhile, former Penn State teammates Hodges and Mauti both have starting potential but have questions to answer first. Hodges has the athleticism and strength, but needs to grasp the quickness of the NFL, and should improve from a mental standpoint leaps-and-bounds in year two. Mauti has everything in place from the speed to the smarts, but needs to show he can stay healthy after having surgery on his knee three times over the past three years.
From the moment Zimmer arrived his fiery attitude sparked the players as much as the fan base, with his goal to maximize the talents of every player on the roster. He’s already experimenting by moving Greenway to the inside during first-weeks OTAs. The feedback has been great so far with Greenway excelling in the middle of the defense. While we don’t know exactly when, we do know Barr will be in the starting rotation and likely lined up at linebacker the majority of time, often playing next to Greenway. Cole is the next man up and should slide into Greenway’s weak-side position based off his strengths, giving the team a solid 4-3 base linebacking unit. Hodges and Mauti provide excellent depth and special teams studs while they continue to grow and learn under Zimmer, in their second year.
With a new coach who is known for stingy defenses, and new young and talented faces, the Minnesota Vikings linebacking core has plenty of potential to succeed with their mix of veteran presence and young explosive athletes. What this unit comes down to is if Greenway can dust off last seasons haters proving he can still play at a pro-bowl level, and with Zimmer sailing the ship, its tough to bet against. If not, which young upcomer is ready for the spotlight? While Cole should continue to progress, Hodges and Mauti may be forced to grow up quickly, and do their part on the field.
Like any team with holes, the Vikings have numerous questions regarding their linebackers, but is the unit a weakness? You certainly wouldn’t have been in the minority if you preached that statement last year. But, in a league that is ever evolving and changing by the day, Mike Zimmer’s defensive touch should have a monumental impact not just on the linebackers, but the team as a whole, so lets just let his track record answer that question.