Wednesday, July 24, 2002

Offseason shake-up

Can the Vikings re-emerge from the shadows?

By Jeff Reynolds, Associate editor

How much better? Tice’s Vikings have room for improvement around the horn. Last in takeaways and second-to last in turnovers, the turnaround starts in Mankato but ends in Minneapolis.

"We weren’t great in a lot of areas," Tice said.

An understatement indeed. The Vikings fell to 5-11 after falling to the Giants in the NFC championship game in 2000, when they were 11-5. Rocked in the offseason by the retirement of RB Robert Smith (who led the NFC in rushing in ’00) and the death of OT Korey Stringer in the preseason, the wheels were rolling backward for Dennis Green’s club before the gun sounded. During the season, rookie RB Michael Bennett’s learning curve was steep and WRs Cris Carter and Randy Moss voiced displeasure with the team’s slow start. By the time it looked like things would click for the Vikings, QB Daunte Culpepper went down with a knee injury.

"There are no excuses, and we haven’t used any," Tice said. "But it is a new ballgame."

Culpepper is back, Carter is gone. That is a win for the Vikings, who should have better chemistry if the stars — Culpepper, Moss, Bennett and WR Derrick Alexander — align properly. Culpepper is over his knee troubles and will be utilized to the max under new offensive coordinator Scott Linehan. While the Vikings want to get the ball in Moss’ hands as often as possible, Culpepper is a key ingredient in the playmaking recipe, as is Bennett.

"The difference between (Bennett) as a rookie and a second-year guy is like night and day," Vikings pro personnel director Jeff Robinson said. "Not only his maturity level, but he is relaxed and has an understanding of everything going on around him."

Robinson and Tice both pointed out that, in addition to being around for a year, alleviating the pressure of replacing Smith is a positive point of relief for Bennett. If he runs well, which Tice predicts, it opens up the passing game. That part of the offense should be bolstered with ORT Lewis Kelly and OLT Bryant McKinnie serving as bookends to a deep and talented line. If the starting unit — Kelly, McKinnie, OLG Chris Liwienski, C Matt Birk and ORG David Dixon — can work out the kinks in the preseason, the rest of the offseason would reap the benefits.

"Lewis on the right side, with that extra weight, gives us our best offensive line because Liwienski can go back to guard," Robinson said. Kelly played admirably in NFL Europe and will enter training camp at 6-4, 319.

Linehan’s offense is going to need to provide the potency as an improved defense remains the focus of many questions. The unit will feature seven new starters, including MLB Henri Crockett, DEs Kenny Mixon and Lorenzo Bromell and CB Corey Chavous. The secondary is anything but a strength, but defensive coordinator Willie Shaw, who coached the secondary in 2000, promises to be aggressive and creative to find ways to alleviate the pressure on the defensive backfield. That means DT Chris Hovan, Bromell, Mixon and perhaps even rookie OLB Raonall Smith will need to be in the face of opposing quarterbacks.

"You can never have enough quality on the defensive line," Tice said. "That (was) a priority for us."

Whether it pays off or not will be a direct reflection of whether or not the Vikings pay off in 2002.

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2001 - 2002 Season