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An Economical, Long-Term Plan For The Offensive Line

Accustomed to watching a top tier running game since 2007 and tired of watching their brand-new franchise QB run for his life, Vikings fans are anxious to see the team make moves to improve the offensive line. But even with USC LT Matt Kalil expected to be the Vikings 1st-round pick next month, Vikings fans want more.

And it’s understandable. Christian Ponder was sacked 30 times in just 11 games, plus the Vikings released RG Anthony Herrera and LG Steve Hutchinson this past weekend, opening up a pair of vacancies in the starting lineup.

As a result, Ben Grubbs and Carl Nicks – a pair of OGs who have 3 Pro Bowls and 2 All-Pro selections between them – are in high demand among Vikings fans. Both are scheduled to become free agents at 3:00 p.m. CT today, and both play positions of need for the Vikings.

While both players would serve as upgrades at their position, don’t expect the Vikings to enter the bidding for their services. The Vikings do have a considerable amount of salary cap space, but signing Nicks would eat much of it up and the Vikings have more than just one player on their wish list; Grubbs will likely command an expensive salary as well. With other needs on the roster, the Vikings would be better-served, in my view, to use their free agency money on other positions, such as CB or WR.

A big part of my opinion on the matter is the plan I’d like to see the Vikings put into place this offseason to improve the offensive line. No, there may not be high-priced and Pro Bowl-caliber free agent signings on the horizon, but I still foresee the Vikings solving their offensive line woes. And I see them solving it by going young. Hear me out…

– Take Kalil in the 1st round, which will provide a starting LT and yield a replacement for Hutchinson at LG with Charlie Johnson sliding over. He will play better and will feel more comfortable at LG.
– John Sullivan has emerged as a Top 5-7 center in the NFL according to those who know more about it than me, and the Vikings locked him up to a contract extension last season. He becomes the leader of this young group, especially with Hutchinson no longer in the picture.
– At RG the Vikings can lean on veteran Joe Berger and 2nd-year player Brandon Fusco. I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews from coaches and players about Fusco’s progress last year and his prospects for the future.
– To round out the line, Loadholt will be back as the starting RT. He had a down year in 2011 and he’ll be the first to acknowledge that. But 2012 is a contract year for him, he’s been around Winter Park for much of the offseason, and OL coach Jeff Davidson is determined to help him improve. I like that situation.
– Lastly, other youngsters such as Chris DeGeare and Pat Brown can compete for playing time along the line should one of the proposed 5 starters falter or suffer an injury.

Are there questions here? Certainly. And there’s no guarantee my proposed solution will work. But for this Vikings team, coming off a 3-13 record with several holes to fill in the starting lineup – particularly the wide receiver position to help Ponder – I believe a young and affordable offensive line with some upside is a better group than a veteran, expensive collection of veterans who are being paid more for past production than they are for expectation.

Nicks and Grubbs are names most fans recognize, and I understand why Vikings fans demand the team pursue them. But you can’t have All-Pros at every position, or at least you can’t sign All-Pros in free agency at every position. I have confidence in the plan I laid out above, and more importantly I have confidence in the young players on the roster and the experience and tutelage Davidson can bring to the meeting room.

What do you say, Vikings fans? Are you okay with the team going young on the offensive line so they can pursue more talented players at other important positions? Let us know what you think by leaving your thoughts in the comments section below this entry.

Vikings Sign Seven Reserve/Future Free Agents

The Vikings on Monday signed the following 7 players to Reserve/Future Free Agent contracts:

WR Kris Adams
G Chris DeGeare
DB Reggie Jones
G Butch Lewis
LB Tyrone McKenzie
TE Allen Reisner
WR Kerry Taylor

These players will be on the Vikings roster for the offseason and are eligible to participate in the offseason program, minicamps and Organized Team Activities (OTAs) and training camp.

Competition On Offensive Line Remains Thick; Practice Notes

The Vikings returned to the practice fields on Monday afternoon after playing in their first preseason game of 2011 on Saturday night in Tennessee. Training camp has shifted from the University of Minnesota, Mankato to Winter Park’s outdoor practice fields at the Vikings home facility.

“It was nice to be able to have a practice here at Winter Park on our field,” Frazier said after practice. “The first time we’ve actually worked with our players on this field. It’s hard to believe…it’s what, August 15 and this is our first time standing on this field together as a team. It was good work for us, good for our coaches to be around our players in this environment and it feels good to be back at Winter Park.”

Aside from being back “home” again for practice, it was also nice to see RG Anthony Herrera back in the action. Herrera didn’t participate in the Mankato portion of training camp and he didn’t play in Saturday night’s preseason opener because of injuries, but on Monday Herrera was back in the action and he was working with the first-team offense.

Herrera wasn’t the only one working with the first-team at RG, though. In fact, I noticed quite a bit of rotation at first-team RG and at second-team RT. Herrera and Scott Kooistra spent time with the first-team at RG, while Chris DeGeare, who started at RG on Saturday night, was actually playing RT with the second-team. Also playing with the first-team at RG was Ryan Cook.

It was a bit of a surprise to see Kooistra at RG because he’s played primarily OT during training camp. He does have experience playing guard, though, so it wouldn’t be a total surprise to see him make the move inside. For now, Frazier indicated Kooistra will concentrate mainly on OT.

At this point Herrera appears to be the team’s choice at RG, but there is uncertainty with whether he’ll be able to play by Week 1. With that being the case, both DeGeare and Cook are also in the mix for the starting position.

“You don’t want to eliminate Ryan Cook,” Frazier explained. “Cook still has an opportunity to compete for that position and it’s competition right now because we’re not certain where Anthony is going to be. We just have to see how he progresses.”

Expect to see the Vikings continue to experiment with different combinations along the first- and second-team offensive lines; that’s why we have training camp and the preseason. The goal is to get the best five guys playing along the first-team offensive line and then a group of reserves who have position flexibility.

Let’s get to a few practice notes…

– The Vikings worked for about an hour and 10 minutes under mostly cloudy skies, warm temperatures and a slight breeze. Frazier had his players working in helmets, shoulder pads and shorts and the team worked in front of part of the Vikings ownership group.

– After a quick warm-up and individual position drills, there was a special teams period. It was interesting to watch RB Adrian Peterson working on the side with RBs coach James Saxon during the special teams period. Obviously Peterson doesn’t play on special teams, but it was good to see him and coach Saxon work on some footwork-related issues during the time off.

– Of the seven players who were held out of Saturday’s preseason game, only LB Kenny Onatolu and TE Visanthe Shiancoe didn’t practice on Monday. Onatolu continues to be sidelined by a foot injury and Shiancoe tweaked his hamstring late in the Mankato portion of training camp. Frazier said the goal is to get Onatolu back for the Dallas preseason game on August 27. Shiancoe remains day-to-day.

– S Mistral Raymond, who had a terrific training camp in Mankato but who also tweaked his hamstring on the final play of the final practice in Mankato, did not play on Saturday night. But he was back at practice on Monday and Frazier said the rookie felt no residual effects of his injury during Monday’s work.

– Also sitting out practice on Monday were: LB Heath Farwell (hamstring), DE D’Aundre Reed (calf) and OL Thomas Welch (glute). Frazier described Reed as day-to-day and he also said Welch is expected to be able to practice on Tuesday.

– FB Ryan D’Imperio made a nice one-handed grab on the first play of 7-on-7 drills. He was circling out to the right flats and McNabb led him a touch too much. But D’Imperio stuck his left hand out and was able to haul in the pass. Another one-handed catch was made in 7-on-7 and it was a familiar face doing it. TE Kyle Rudolph, who had another one-handed grab earlier in training camp, was running down the left seam and McNabb led him perfectly. LB Mark Washington was in coverage and actually was shadowing Rudolph perfectly. But Rudolph went full extension to the ground and came up with the one-handed grab.

– Speaking of LB Mark Washington, he got his hands on an INT during 7-on-7.

– WR Bernard Berrian made an impressive catch in the middle of the field. Rookie CB Brandon Burton was in on the coverage and was draped all over Berrian, but McNabb forced the pass into Berrian’s area and #87 came up with the grab. Another impressive play was turned in toward the end of practice and it was rookie QB Christian Ponder who did it. He lasered in a pass to Juaquin Iglesias on a deep out route down the right sideline. The pass was perfectly placed, right past the out-stretched arms of the defender but close enough to the field so that Iglesias could make the catch and get both feet in bounds.

A Look At Rounds 2 Through 7 Under Spielman And Co.

In the previous blog entry about G Chris DeGeare, we made the point that: “There’s no doubt that hitting home runs with 1st-round picks is key to success in the NFL. But if you do some research, you’ll see that selections in rounds 2-7 and also the signing of undrafted rookie free agents are just as important.”

In the previous blog entry, we also said we’d take a closer look at some of those 2nd- through 7th-round picks in the next posting. While the group isn’t full of Pro Bowlers or future Hall of Famers (yet), it is a group of players that represent at least a part of the core of the current roster. There are 10 players who’ve started games for the Vikings on the list and obviously there will be many, many more starts from this list in the years to come.

Here we go…

CB Asher Allen - A 3rd-round pick in 2009, Allen struggled at times as a starter in 2010. But over his 2 Vikings seasons, Allen has flashed some potential. With the return of Cedric Griffin in 2011, Allen will be in a position to contribute in the nickel and dime packages where he’ll be more successful.

LB Jasper Brinkley - A 5th-round pick in 2009, Brinkley stepped in as the starter when E.J. Henderson went down to injury at the end of the 2009 season. It’s easy to take this for granted, but keep in mind the Vikings had the NFL’s top-ranked defense and Brinkley was a rookie starting in the middle of the defense. The Vikings defense missed Henderson, but Brinkley was solid in his place and the Vikings advanced to the NFC Championship Game. On top of that, Brinkley has been a solid special teams contributor during his career in Minnesota.

CB Chris Cook - A 2nd-round pick in 2010, Cook had a tremendous offseason and training camp heading into his rookie season. But then a pair of knee injuries that both required surgery slowed and eventually halted his rookie season. Cook is a big, physical CB who fits what head coach Leslie Frazier wants his defense to do. The upside on Cook is big and the Vikings defense will benefit from his return.

FB Ryan D’Imperio - A lot of factors were working against D’Imperio during his rookie season in 2010. He was a 7th-round pick (#237 overall), he switched positions from college LB to NFL FB and he had an established starter in front of him on the depth chart. But D’Imperio impressed enough to stick around and was a member of the practice squad in 2010. During the offseason and training camp this year he’ll have a chance to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.

G Chris DeGeare - The blog entry below this one tells DeGeare’s story.

RB Toby Gerhart - At first I think Vikings fans are quick to point out disappointment in Gerhart’s rookie season, but I don’t see it that way. He had a tough go during training camp and the early part of the season, but he continued to improve as the season went along and he had an impressive showing in a start against the Bears in Week 15 when he rushed for 77 yards on 16 carries. For the season, Gerhart average 4.0 yards per carry. Given how productive he was in college and how aggressive the Vikings were in trading up to select him in the 2nd round last year, I’m willing to give Gerhart more time to develop into a productive NFL RB.

DE Everson Griffen - A prospect with 1st-round talent who dropped to the 4th round because of off-field concerns, Griffen flashed potential on defense and productivity on special teams as a rookie. He’s in line to get more playing time on defense in 2011, especially if the Vikings are unable to reach contract agreements with either Ray Edwards or Brian Robison.

DT Letroy Guion - When the Vikings used a 5th-round pick on Letroy Guion in 2008, he was only 20 years old. He came in and didn’t produce right away, but now he’s progressed into a member of the defensive line rotation. As is the case with Griffen, Guion may be in line for even more playing time depending on what happens with potential free agents ahead of him on the depth chart.

WR Jaymar Johnson - Another 7th-round pick (2008) who remains on the roster, Johnson was in the midst of another solid offseason and training camp when he injured his wrist and was put on Injured Reserve before the 2010 season got going. Johnson will be in another battle to make the roster this offseason, but his return capabilities will help him.

S Tyrell Johnson - A 2nd-round pick in 2008, Johnson has moved in and out of the starting lineup during his 3 seasons in Minnesota. With the safety position still a bit in flux, Johnson has a chance to reclaim a starting spot if he can perform well in the offseason and in training camp. He’s a tremendous athlete who needs to polish his skills in coverage.

RT Phil Loadholt - Another 2nd-round pick, Loadholt stepped into the starting lineup as a rookie in 2009 and was one of the team’s best offensive linemen. The Vikings offense averaged 29.4 points per game during Loadholt’s rookie seasan and the 6-8, 343-pound mauler showed that he could be a talented player in this league for a long time.

WR Sidney Rice - The 2nd-round picks keep rolling in. Rice was a 2nd-rounder in 2007 and exploded for a career season in 2009 with Brett Favre under center. A hip injury slowed his 2010 season and now Rice will look to bounce back in 2011 with another strong showing. His leaping ability and sure hands are his best qualities, and they’re qualities a rookie QB would love to have in a starting WR.

DE Brian Robison – An All-Rookie honoree who was 3rd among all NFL rookies with 4.5 sacks in 2007, Robison has been a productive player for the Vikings and figures to be an important member of the defensive line rotation in 2011. He was a 4th-round pick in 2007 out of the University of Texas and one of the great aspects of his game is that he can slide inside to play DT in certain situations.

S Jamarca Sanford – With Heath Farwell, Sanford is one of the most valuable special teams contributors for the Vikings, specifically in the kick and punt coverage units. He has also logged playing time on defense and has also been a starter at safety. Considering Sanford was the SEC’s leading tackler during his 4 years at Ole Miss, it’s hard to believe Rick Spielman and Co. found him in the 7th round. But that’s what they did, and that makes Sanford one of the more under-rated Vikings draft picks in recent years.

C John Sullivan – Sullivan’s 2nd year was better than his 3rd, but I’m guessing his 4th year will be the best yet. He sat behind Matt Birk as a rookie in 2008, then stepped into the starting lineup at center for the 2009 season and helped the Vikings offense to a 29.4 points-per-game average. In 2010 Sullivan’s season was disrupted by injuries and he dealt with the passing of his father. Certainly Sullivan won’t use those as excuses, but you have to think it impacted him in some form or another.  Sullivan should enter the 2011 season in full health and he’ll have a shot to solidify his standing as the team’s anchor in the middle.

Spielman Excited About Potential Of G Chris DeGeare

Over the last week, the NFL’s 32 teams were in Indianapolis for the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine in an effort to continue their analysis of this year’s class of draft-eligible players. While much of the attention from fans and the media is focused on the top-rated prospects who will be selected in the early stages of the draft, NFL teams must also concentrate on prospects who will be available in later rounds.

There’s no doubt that hitting home runs with 1st-round picks is key to success in the NFL. But if you do some research, you’ll see that selections in rounds 2-7 and also the signing of undrafted rookie free agents are just as important. We’ll have more on this in the next blog entry.

For now, though, I wanted to focus on one of those later-round selections who made an impact with the Vikings in 2010. G Chris DeGeare was a 5th-round pick (#161 overall) in 2010 and Spielman was quite complimentary of his performance as a rookie. DeGeare had a terrific offseason and training camp last year, but then dealt with an injury early in the season. Eventually, though, DeGeare got to full strength and found himself playing significant minutes in the second half of the season.

“Last year Chris DeGeare stepped in and after he got his feet wet and got his feet underneath him and started working,” Spielman said. “You’ve seen him start to move up the ladder a little bit and progress each game.”

Spielman went on to point out that DeGeare’s play was even more impressive when you consider that he switched positions after being drafted. DeGeare played a lot of OT in college, but he showed no hesitancy or resistance in making the change with Minnesota. Once he adjust to the speed of the game, Spielman said, DeGeare progressed well game-after-game.

“What I always look for,” Spielman explained, “is when you sit there and evaluate these young guys, ‘Are they continuing to grow? Are they continuing to get better? Are they going down?’ They’re going to have their ups and downs. They’re going to have some good games and some bad games. But as long as you see the progress there you can get pretty excited about what they potentially could bring.

“We felt very strongly with how he played at the end of the season.”

Emptying Out The Notebook From Thursday’s Combine Action

We’re all settled into the media center at Lucas Oil Stadium for Day 2 of the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine, but before we get rolling too quickly here today let’s empty out the notebook from yesterday’s action.

Specifically, I wanted to share a few more thoughts from Rick Spielman’s meeting with reporters. Here we go…

– Spielman said that he and Vikings VP of Football Operations Rob Brzezinski were schedule to meet with player agents on Thursday afternoon. On-field workouts don’t get rolling until later today, so Spielman and Brzezinski had time to talk business with the agents of players currently on the Vikings roster. NFL teams are prohibited from talking to agents about players from other teams, but there is enough to talk about regarding players on their own teams, especially with the current labor situation complicating matters.

– Speaking of the labor situation, Spielman was asked if reaching a contract extension with RB Adrian Peterson was a priority for the Vikings. Spielman said that the club and Peterson’s representatives would likely wait until a new CBA is reached before they talk turkey on a new contract. Spielman also said that Peterson is a crucial component of the team, indicating that indeed the Vikings will be interested in locking him up to an extension as soon as possible.

– Spielman has led an effort over the last few weeks to get the Vikings prepared not only for the draft at the end of April but also for restricted and unrestricted free agency, which will begin at a date to be determined later. Part of that process is also evaluating the current roster, which is a bit more complex this year because the Vikings have several new coaches on staff. Through it all, though, Spielman said it’s been great working with new head coach Leslie Frazier. With the way the Vikings are structured, communication between Spielman and the head coach is key. Spielman said Frazier has been a clear communicator and is doing a nice job leading the coaching staff in the offseason.

– Every draft has a different identity. Some years the draft is very top heavy, with several elite-level players but not much depth in the later rounds. Some years the draft is stocked with offensive talent but is low on defensive stars. It sounds like this year’s draft is an especially deep one at many positions. This could play into the Vikings hands because Spielman is known for a propensity to trade back in order to accumulate additional picks and collect talented pieces.

This could be a strategy the Vikings employ this year, especially because they hold a relatively high 1st-round pick (#12 overall) that has high trade value and because the Vikings don’t have a 3rd-round pick (Randy Moss trade); Spielman has been vocal in saying he wants to get a 3rd-round pick back somehow.

“We want to have depth everywhere, especially with the roster turnover we’re probably going to have,” Spielman said on Thursday. “And that’s why when you look at the draft and look at the potential of moving out of the 12th pick and accumulating more picks, because I think it’s a really good draft, very deep draft. There are some positions in this draft that are extremely intriguing to say the least and that position (defensive line) is pretty intriguing.”

– Lastly, Spielman was asked about the status of the Vikings offensive line, a unit that endured much scrutiny last season. He spoke very highly of 3 young players in particular, saying RT Phil Loadholt has a lot of promise and C John Sullivan is poised to bounce back in 2011 after a tumultuous and injury-plagued season in 2010. Spielman also had a lot to say about G Chris DeGeare, the team’s 5th-round pick last year. We’ll have more on what Spielman said about DeGeare later this weekend.

Ultimately, Spielman said the Vikings have good, young talent along their offensive line but he also acknowledged the Vikings must continue to add youth and depth to the position.

DeGeare May Have Promising Future With Vikings After Solid Rookie Year

The 2010 season was not a typical one for any player in the Vikings locker room, but just imagine what it was like for the team’s rookies. Although they’ve been playing football for most of their lives, first-year players come into NFL locker rooms unsure of what to expect.

But even the most veteran players couldn’t have prepared or expected what happened to the Vikings in 2010, from a disappointing 6-10 record to all of the weather-induced adversity the team faced in the final month. Through it all, though, Vikings rookie G Chris DeGeare seems to have come out of it well and no worse for the ware. In fact, I think he’s gotten a lot better and there seems to be a place for him in the Vikings future.

“I definitely learned a lot. It was crazy; a lot of stuff went on,” DeGeare said on Monday as he packed up his locker. “The veterans told me it’s not typically like this every year and I believe them. I’ve just to keep improving and come back next year to be a better player.”

DeGeare was a 5th-round pick of the Vikings last April and did a nice job integrating into the Vikings system through offseason workouts and training camp. In fact I came away from training camp encouraged by his progress and hopeful he would be an important part of the offensive line rotation. But a high ankle sprain derailed him early in the regular season and he had to work hard to get back into form.

He accomplished that task and was a key cog in the offensive line late in the season. I’ve been told by people who would know that DeGeare was solid in relief of injured LG Steve Hutchinson and that he was sometimes the best Vikings player on the field.

“I got hurt early on this season with a high ankle sprain,” DeGeare explained. “But I did have a great training camp and I was just happy I was able to contribute. I’m happy to chip in and showcase my talent.”

DeGeare played both guard and tackle at Wake Forest University, giving him valuable experience in multiple positions and also equipping him with a mindset to be a versatile offensive lineman in the NFL. Also working in DeGeare’s favor is the fact that he plays behind and learns from a guy like Steve Hutchinson, who has been to 7 Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl.

“The man has so much knowledge and so much experience,” DeGeare said. “He’s a future Hall of Famer and really anything he says to me I take with all seriousness and take it into account. I’m truly blessed to be playing behind a guy like that and being able to have the type of relationship that I do have with him.”

All-in-all, it was a solid season for DeGeare after he was sidelined early with injury. It was encouraging to see him perform well in the offseason program and at training camp, but it was promising to watch him perform on the field in the regular season. It looks like the Vikings may have found a sneaky little prospect in the 5th round.

Offensive Line Looks To Step Up vs. Eagles

Since the Vikings have posted only17 points in their last 2 games, a host of different aspects of the offense could be blamed for their current woes. Vikings Interim Head Coach Leslie Frazier mentioned that the offensive line is one area that is looking to improve in order to have an opportunity to win this Sunday night against the Philadelphia Eagles.

“We’ll have to play our best game on both sides of the football up front,” Frazier said during his Wednesday press conference. “In particular with our offensive line.”

As Mike mentioned in his “Setting The Table” segment, the Eagles defense is not as stout as other defenses the Vikings have faced this year, ranking 13th overall and 21st in scoring defense, but their front 4 features fluid formations that are always changing from play to play.

“The Eagles have a fast front,” Frazier acknowledged. “They do a great job of moving around and very seldom do they get stuck on the line of scrimmage. They are always moving. So our offensive line will be challenged probably as well as they have been in a game this season.”

The attributes of the Eagles front 4 that Frazier alluded to are obviously a hurdle the offensive line will have to overcome in order to improve, but this will all have to be done without their regular starting guards. Both Anthony Herrera and Steve Hutchinson are on injured reserve, and although the offensive line has been without both of them for 3 weeks now, it is still a struggle to find cohesiveness. Especially for C John Sullivan, who has been working with a different G beside side him since Herrera suffered a season-ending injury against the Packers over a month ago.

“It’s been a little bit tougher for him in some ways,” Frazier said of Sullivan. “But he’s responded quite well. There have been moments where he found himself, and this has been more of late, where he has to take control of our offensive line. More so than he would have if Steve were there or Anthony were there. It’s a different mindset for him, but he’s responded to it and I think that he’s become more confident as time has gone on and this is one of those weeks that he’ll have to become a captain for us on that offensive line.”

Losing an All-Pro player such as Hutchinson to injured reserve has a dramatic impact on the play of the offensive line, but Frazier mentioned that his replacement – rookie Chris DeGeare – has stepped in nicely.

“He’s gotten better,” Frazier said. “There’s been moments where he’s struggled, which we thought he would being a young guy and playing as much as he’s had to play. But overall, we’ve seen some consistency, we’ve seen him not back down to situations and we expect him to get better as time goes on.”

Injury-plagued or not, the Vikings offensive line will have to step up to secure a win against another team vying to clinch its division.

Lots Of Lineup Changes For Vikings

The good news is that RB Adrian Peterson will be able to play today after battling an ankle injury all week. The bad news is DE Ray Edwards (ankle), WR Percy Harvin (illness) and LG Steve Hutchinson (thumb) will not be able to play after battling their injuries/ailments this week. As a result, the Vikings have tweaked their lineup significantly and we’ll break it down right here.

Harvin is not the only WR inactive for the Vikings today – Hank Baskett and Greg Lewis are also inactive. That leaves Bernard Berrian and Sidney Rice as the starters, with Greg Camarillo as the top reserve. Also, QB Joe Webb was not listed as the emergency QB, which means he’s on the active 45-man roster and could jump in at WR. That would be fun to watch. Where else might Webb be able to play today? Perhaps some snaps as a wildcat QB? Kick returner?

The Vikings top reserve offensive lineman is Ryan Cook, but he’s already in the lineup replacing Anthony Herrera, who was placed on Injured Reserve. So filling in for Hutchinson on the left side will be rookie Chris  DeGeare, whom the Vikings selected in the 5th round of last April’s draft. DeGeare has been inactive for the Vikings this season and has been battling an ankle injury, but he’s the next man up and we’ll get a good gauge at where he’s at in his first-year NFL development.

Brian Robison will start in place of Ray Edwards today, but also watch for Everson Griffen to get more time in the defensive line rotation.

This is just the 2nd game Harvin has missed in his career, with the first being last year’s home game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Who’s The Man In The Middle For Thursday?

Starting C John Sullivan was sidelined for much of training camp and the preseason with a calf injury, leaving his status for Week 1 in question and prompting the Vikings to take a look at alternatives at the position. That’s the not-so-great news.

But the better news is that Sullivan has returned to practice over the last couple of days; he was listed as a limited participant for both Monday’s and Tuesday’s practices. Making the news even a little better is what both Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell had to say about their starting C this week.

“He seems like he hasn’t missed a beat,” Childress said while meeting with reporters after Tuesday’s practice. “I think that probably he’s going through some of the soreness that you get, maybe not to the same extent as camp, just when you come out here and practice and get pushed around and your muscles talk to you a little bit. I think he’s going through some of that. He’s just working hard to get some of that stamina back.”

Bevell also acknowledged this week that Sullivan seems to be improving, but he also noted that looking good on the practice field and then performing in a regular season game are different monsters.

“He’s looked good,” Bevell said on Monday. “His conditioning has looked good. He’s done things on the side, whether it’s in the pool, whether it’s with [athletic trainer] Eric Sugarman, to keep his conditioning up. But it’s a matter of loading it up and making sure that it will hold up under 65 or 70 plays a game, all the way up to 90 plays.”

The Vikings have done a nice job developing alternatives at the position should Sullivan be unavailable on Thursday night or at another point in the season. Starting RG Anthony Herrera has taken both practice reps and preseason game reps at C, and regular backup Jon Cooper has also taken turns with the 1st-team offense.

“We like what we saw from Anthony,” Bevell said. “We like what we’ve seen from Cooper. It gives us the flexibility to say who we would put in there. We’re not going to put that out there. Both guys have done a nice job. I think both guys are capable of it, and we want to make sure that when we put those guys out there that we’re going to have the five best guys that are going to help us win.”

The line is at its best with Sullivan at C, but the possibility exists that he won’t be able to go on Thursday night in New Orleans. If that’s the case, either Cooper or Herrera will fill in. My sense is that Cooper would get the call at this point, which is the simplest change for the Vikings to make.

But Childress and Bevell could also decide to put Herrera in at C, which would keep Cooper as the 1st reserve and would then slide rookie Chris DeGeare in at RG. Herrera has performed well while playing C this preseason, but the issue with this alignment is it takes away from the team’s depth at G because the 1st reserve at the position – DeGeare – would be forced into the starting lineup with Herrera moving over from RG.

Any way it shakes out, the Vikings offensive line will be prepared for Thursday night’s game.