>>>ALL THINGS VIKINGS<<<

Gladney, Dantzler and some of the younger ones will benefit from the veteran FA's the Vikings brought in. Should be a much improved secondary.... lets hope so anyway.

Vikings play defense with that offense, they could be a force in the North.

One of the major sports networks had the Vikings graded the highest in the North in terms of FA moves this off-season... I tend to agree.

 

Xavier Woods eager to play with Harrison Smith, Patrick Peterson

New Vikings safety Xavier Woods said one of the biggest reasons he chose to sign in Minnesota was the players he be paired with in the team’s secondary.

Via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Woods said that playing with Harrison Smith and Patrick Peterson was a big draw for him. Woods said he took time to study Harrison’s play before his former team, the Dallas Cowboys, prepared to face the Vikings last season.

“Just as much as I was preparing for Minnesota’s offense, I was watching Harrison,” Woods said. “That was one of the main reasons why I wanted to be here, to be able to learn from him, be able to play (with him). And not only Harrison, but (Patrick Peterson).”

Woods has started 44 games for the Cowboys over the last three seasons before making his way to Minnesota. He reached a deal with the Vikings over the week before signing officially on Monday. Woods had a career-high 77 tackles in 2019 and has five career interceptions during his four seasons with the Cowboys.

In addition to playing with Smith and Peterson, Woods is reuniting with defensive backs coach Karl Scott, who coached Woods in college at Louisiana Tech

“The Vikings wanted me,” Woods said, “I talked to (head coach Mike Zimmer) and he told me that I had an opportunity to come and play. That’s all I can ask for.”

Woods would presumably slot into the role at free safety vacated by the departure of Anthony Harris to the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason.

NBC

 

GO VIKINGS

 

The Vikings are bringing back Dakota Dozier.

Per NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero, Minnesota is re-signing the veteran offensive lineman to another one-year contract for the 2021 season.

Dozier started all 16 games for the Vikings at left guard in 2020 — his first season as a full-time starter. He first landed with the Vikings in 2019 and played all 16 games, starting four.

Dozier was a Jets fourth-round pick in the 2014 draft, and spent his first five pro seasons with the club. He appeared in 38 contests for New York, starting seven.

The veteran offensive lineman will turn 30 on April 30.

NBC

 

Oh no he WAS TERRIBLE why would Vikings sign him Dakota Dozier as a starter he was like ugh and I don't think he was a good backup either, bet Capt Kirk is just thrilled at this news

 

Are the Vikings serious about fixing the O-line it's the same thing every year why can't the coaching staff fix this

 

I have a question are the Vikings stuck with Mike Zimmer I wonder about him can he take the Vikings to next the level I have my doubts cause it never changes

 

Zimmer is here to stay for now. I dont think he sucks... This season will tell tho as the Vikings are quietly summizing a good football team on both sides of the ball.

 

Mike Zimmer draws comparisons to Kevin Stefanski for new OC Klint Kubiak



The Minnesota Vikings will have a third different offensive coordinator in as many seasons as Klint Kubiak takes over the role his father, Gary, held last season.

The elder Kubiak returned to a role as offensive coordinator last year for the Vikings as prior coordinator Kevin Stefanski was named head coach of the Cleveland Browns after the 2019 season

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said Thursday that he sees similarities between the way Klint Kubiak operates when compared to Stefanski.

“Klint, he’s a lot like how Kevin was when he was there,” Zimmer said, via Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. “He’s very detailed. He brings up the subject that they want to discuss [in offensive meetings]. He’ll have his opinions. He’ll listen to the other guys’ opinions in the room and then kind of go from there.”

Klint served as quarterbacks coach under Stefanski for one season in 2019 before Stefanski left the team. He remained in the same role last season as Gary took over the coordinator role for one season before announcing his retirement.

Klint was an offensive assistant and quarterbacks coach for the Broncos from 2016-2018. He joined the team during his father’s last season with the team as head coach and remained on the staff under head coach Vance Joseph for two seasons.

It will be Klint’s first time running an offense during his career. Stefanski was a first-time play-caller as well when he ascended to the role of offensive coordinator late in the 2018 season after the firing of John DeFilippo.

“He’s done a good job,” Zimmer said. “Everybody’s going to wonder what it’s going to be like when you’re a first-time play-caller, but at the end of the day every one of us was always a first-time play caller at one point.”

NBC

 

After Vikings' nightmarish defensive season, Mike Zimmer rejuvenated following free agency

It didn't take but one week for the Vikings to realize their season of defensive transition would be difficult in 2020.

Minnesota gave up a whopping 522 yards of total offense to the rival Green Bay Packers in the season opener, a 43-34 loss that quickly exposed the newfound weakness of the Vikings' turned-over secondary. What was a small sample size ended up proving to be a precursor of a slog of a season in which the Vikings finished 27th in yards allowed per game and 29th in points allowed per game.

Mike Zimmer's team dealt with plenty of losses and necessary on-the-fly adjustments that made for a difficult campaign, and when he took a moment to scan his roster for opportunities to improve late in the season, he ended up "down in the dumps," he recalled Wednesday.

"I'm not used to that level of performance from one of our groups," Zimmer said. "Honestly, we've had some of the best meetings that I've had in eight years probably. I mean we're dissecting every little thing we do, going through everything with a fine-toothed comb. I've been really impressed with the coaches that are in there. You know, the offenses have changed so much in the last four, five years. It's time that we need to do some things differently and change and adapt. I'm actually really excited. I can't wait to get the players back on the field and get them going."

Following the offseason departures of Mackensie Alexander, Trae Waynes and Xavier Rhodes, Zimmer turned to Mike Hughes to start at one corner and selected from a young pair of corners in Cameron Dantzler and Jeff Gladney for the other opening. Less than two months later the oft-injured Hughes was again on injured reserve, and fellow defensive back Holton Hill wasn't able to stay healthy enough to be available, forcing Zimmer to turn to Gladney and Dantzler full-time.

That, in itself, would have been a challenge in today's pass-friendly NFL. But for the Vikings, it only further compounded what was already expected to be a year of transition with anticipated growing pains. Minnesota had said goodbye to longtime defensive stalwarts Everson Griffen and Linval Joseph in the offseason, and thought it scored a great replacement in Yannick Ngakoue, but he fell short of his own expectations before the Vikings shipped him to Baltimore. Danielle Hunter also missed the entire season due to injury, essentially decimating what was once a strength in Minnesota.

Fast forward to March, and Zimmer is feeling much better about his team. Minnesota welcomed Alexander back to the Twin Cities after his one-year stint in Cincinnati, signed veteran corner Patrick Peterson -- an addition Zimmer called "probably a really lucky break" -- picked up defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson and linebacker Nick Vigil, and bolstered the edge rush by inking defensive end Stephen Weatherly.


With Anthony Harris off to Philadelphia, general Rick Spielman made a potentially savvy signing when the Vikings convinced safety Xavier Woods to move north, getting younger at the position and saving Minnesota cap space following a disappointing franchise tag season from Harris amid the widespread failures. Woods excites Zimmer because he believes he has untapped potential after spending his first four seasons in Dallas.

"I think he's got another level to go to, and I think he has a chip on his shoulder as well," Zimmer said, via Will Ragatz of Sports Illustrated's Vikings site. "I like that about guys."

In all, the Vikings used the offseason to fill a variety of holes with the hopes they aren't caught with a nearly barren cupboard -- Zimmer actually used the term "barren" Wednesday when describing his team's state near the end of 2020 -- in 2021.

"When we looked at the defense after the season, evaluated it, it was pretty barren in there," Zimmer said. "So we had to address that. Honestly, at the end of the season, I was pretty down in the dumps when I kept looking at the depth chart and knowing what kind of salary cap space we had. Like I said, Rob (Brzezinski) and Rick (Spielman) have done an unbelievable job doing that, and they've got me rejuvenated with the guys they've brought in."

That was the prevailing theme Wednesday: Zimmer seems more juiced up to attack a new season than he has in years. A taste of mediocrity will do that to a coach, especially when the struggles come in his area of expertise. Now it's up to Zimmer and his retooled roster to ensure it doesn't happen again.

NFL.com

 

Bet they have the same ass O-line as they had last year,surprised Kirk Cousins ain't bitching about the pounding he's been taking some of it's his fault also for holding on to the ball...I don't know the coaching staff seems to think the O-line will get better this mind set is just insane

 

Zimmer is playing poker here he's going all in,if he doesn't make a deep run in the playoffs like the NFC Championship Game..you are no longer at the table you lost your busted

 

What are Vikings waiting for develop Kyle Hinton to play center maybe light a fire under Bradbury to up his game

 

Man I just heard about 3rd degree assault facing up to 2 or 10 Jeff Gladney HOW STUPID CAN YOU BE even if you beat the charges,you are no longer a member of the Vikings football team and I wonder would any team touch him after this,did the Vikings FO know about his off the field situation cause I did not know WOW

 

From the I can't believe it file the bust known as Troy Williamson he still wants to fight Brad Childress the knucklehead,I remember him and Brad Johnson he would pass him the ball he would drop the ball and Brad Johnson would just stare at him like really....MOVE ON AND LIVE YOUR LIFE ANGER AND HATE is not good for you....and Childress wasn't all that man this was years ago just amazing lol

 

Vikings hiring Robert Steeples as assistant special teams coach

The Minnesota Vikings are hiring Robert Steeples to serve as their new assistant special teams coach, .

Steeples, who played briefly for the Vikings in 2013 on the very special teams unit he’ll help oversee, fills the vacancy created by Ryan Ficken’s promotion to the head special teams coordinator role. Ficken replaces Marwan Maalouf, who was not retained after last season.

Steeples has spent the five seasons as head coach of the De Smet Jesuit High School in St. Louis, where is his alma mater. The school announced his departure to join the Vikings’ staff.

“Obviously, the Vikings helped me realize a childhood dream being an NFL player and so it’s awesome to see it come full circle and them helping me realize an adulthood dream of me becoming an NFL coach,” Steeples said, via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “So, it’s an exciting opportunity for me and my family and I just really want to help them build and do the best I can to help that organization reach their aspirations and goals.”

Steeples appeared in two games for the Vikings in 2013 after going undrafted out of the University of Memphis. He briefly spent time with the Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs and St. Louis Rams as well but never appeared in a game for a team other than the Vikings.

NBC

 

The Vikings announced the promotion of Andre Patterson assistant head coach.

Patterson will continue to coach Minnesota’s defensive line as well as share co-defensive coordinator duties with Adam Zimmer, who also coaches the team’s linebackers.

Patterson is a trusted confidant to head coach Mike Zimmer and has provided leadership for the Vikings Social Justice Committee.

He has had two stints in Minnesota, the first from 1998-99 before rejoining the team in 2014.

Since 2014, the Vikings Defense ranks ninth in the NFL in sacks (283), third in rushing touchdowns allowed (76) and fifth in opponent yards per game (332.0).

The Vikings also announced the hiring of Robert Steeples as assistant special teams coach.

Steeples played for the Vikings, initially joining the team as a member of the practice squad in September 2013. He was elevated to the 53-player roster for the final three weeks of the season and made his NFL debut on Dec. 15 in a win against Philadelphia.

He was released during the 2014 preseason and spent time with Kansas City and the Cowboys but did not play in another regular-season game.

Steeples has spent the past five seasons as head coach of De Smet Jesuit High School, his alma mater in Missouri. Steeples led the Spartans to a state title in 2019 and back to the championship game in 2020.

Steeples fills the role created after the Vikings promoted Ryan Ficken to special teams coordinator. Ficken, who has been with the Vikings since 2007, had served as assistant special teams coach since 2013.

Marquis Johnson also is joining the staff as an assistant strength and conditioning coach.

Johnson was an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Jackson State in 2020. He spent 2017-19 with the 49ers and 2019 at the University of Houston in his hometown.

NBC

 

Holy shit. The reported details are heinous....If everything is reported accurately, he absolutely belongs in jail.

Sorry Vikings, you deserve better than that.

 

WOW I just found out Jeff Gladney is still a member of the Minnesota Vikings he will be nothing but a distraction and the front office did know about his off the field situation and they still drafted him,I wonder can you trust him to do right and will he make the cut?