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 A bridesmaid many times over as a finalist-turned-runner up for
his first job as an NFL head coach, Zimmer found a suitable marriage
with general manager Rick Spielman in Minnesota. It was Zimmer's
sixth interview to be an NFL head coach.
"When we talked to Mike Zimmer, there was something different about
it," Spielman said. "the thing that stuck out to us the most was not
only the passion, but the football intelligence and the leadership.
He has a great history of developing young talent, of taking
veterans and having them play beyond their ability."
Like Lewis, a defensive coordinator for seven seasons with the
Baltimore Ravens and Washington Redskins, Zimmer embarked on the
annual January interview circuit but constantly watched others be
handed head coaching jobs.
"Sometimes you wonder," Zimmer said of doubting he would be a head
coach. "I have a lot of confidence in myself. I feel like I was
destined to do this.
"I've got a chip on my shoulder. I want to make sure 31 other teams
know I'm here."
Spielman said the Vikings talked to former players, agents and
bosses and heard zero negative comments.
Zimmer spent the past six seasons as the defensive coordinator for
the Bengals.
"Every person, to a man, loved playing for coach Zimmer," Spielman
said.
Prior to joining Cincinnati, Zimmer was the defensive coordinator
for the Atlanta Falcons in 2007 after spending the previous 13
seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, including seven as the Cowboys'
defensive coordinator.
"I'm a Midwest guy, great up in an area very similar to this
watching the Black and Blue division," Zimmer said.
Zimmer said he will be fiery on the field, isn't afraid to call
players in his office but believes players appreciate his honesty,
passion and direct approach.
"I want Vikings football to be tough, smart," Zimmer said. "I want
our fans to be proud of the way we play tough, resilient,
physical football. I'm determined to bring a championship to
Minnesota. I can't wait to get to work."
Zimmer will replace Leslie Frazier, who was fired after the 2013
season. He said the franchise has the pieces in place to contend
immediately, and he already has allowed himself to envision standing
on the podium as commissioner Roger Goodell handed the Wilf Family
the Lombardi Trophy.
Zimmer, 57, who has never been a head coach at any level, becomes
the third head coach hired since current owners Zygi and Mark Wilf
bought the team in 2005.
The Vikings were 31st in total defense last season, and Zimmer's
Bengals defense was third overall.
Lewis said Zimmer has what it takes to be a head coach.
"Zim does a great job of identifying who to push and when," Lewis
was quoted on the Bengals website. "He helps me by being the guy who
puts his foot up their butt, getting them moving in the right
direction so I don't have to be the one to do it all the time."
NOTES, QUOTES Vikings quarterback Matt Cassel
has exercised his right to opt out
of the final year of his two-year deal he signed with the Vikings
last year. With his decision to void the final year of his contract,
Cassel will become a free agent on March 11.
Cassel had until Friday to opt out. If he had decided not to opt
out, the Vikings would have had until March to either pay Cassel a
$500,000 roster bonus or release him, according to an ESPN.com
report.
Cassel was due to earn $3.7 million with the Vikings next year. Now
he will take his chances in the free-agent market.
Cassel played in nine games for the Vikings last year, including six
starts. The Vikings were 3-3 in games he started, but Cassel came
off the bench to help Minnesota win two other games.
The Vikings officially announced the 17 assistants on new head
coach Mike Zimmer's staff, including holdover and special teams
coordinator Mike Priefer.
Priefer returns from the old staff after allegations by former
punter Chris Kluwe that Priefer used homophobic language in Kluwe's
presence during the 2012 season. Priefer has denied the allegations.
"I am very excited about the coaching staff that we put together,"
Zimmer said in a statement. "(General manager) Rick Spielman and I
spent a lot of time talking to numerous candidates to ensure that we
found the right coaches for this organization.
"Building a team that consistently wins all starts with coaching. We
have an experienced and diverse staff that will work tirelessly to
get the most out of our players. This offseason will be a great
chance for us to work together and prepare for the upcoming season."
Norv Turner will be the offensive coordinator with his son Scott as
quarterbacks coach and Kirby Wilson coaching the running backs. They
will join offensive line coach Jeff Davidson, wide receivers coach
George Stewart, tight ends coach Kevin Stefanski and assistant wide
receivers coach Klint Kubiak, all of whom were on the staff in 2013.
Defensive coordinator George Edwards will be joined by former Titans
defensive coordinator Jerry Gray, who will work with the defensive
backs. Assistant defensive backs coach Jonathan Gannon also joins
the team from Tennessee. Andre Patterson returns for a second stint
as the team's defensive line coach and Adam Zimmer, the son of the
head coach, will coach the linebackers.
Assistant defensive line coach Robb Akey and coaching assistant Drew
Petzing are also new additions to the staff. Assistant special teams
coach Ryan Ficken and defensive assistant Jeff Howard both return to
the staff.
Vikings running back Adrian Peterson underwent groin surgery
Thursday (Jan. 23).
Peterson met with Dr. William Meyers in Philadelphia and learned
that he would require offseason surgery for a third consecutive
year. Peterson had ACL reconstruction in 2012 after tearing knee
ligaments on Dec. 24, 2011. He had sports hernia surgery in 2013,
which was also performed by Meyers.
"Adrian Peterson had surgery with Dr. William Meyers at the Vincera
Institute in Philadelphia," the Vikings announced in a statement.
"Dr. Meyers was able to successfully repair Adrian's adductor muscle
while also doing a compartmental release. Adrian is expected to make
a full recovery in approximately six weeks."
Peterson, 28, was bothered by inflammation in his groin since a Nov.
17 loss to the Seahawks. Peterson missed two games last season
because of groin and foot injuries, but he still rushed for 1,266
yards and 10 touchdowns in 2013.
The adductor "release" is considered a minor procedure, tightening
the inflamed tendon.
Peterson is scheduled to make $12 million in 2014 on the $100
million contract he signed in 2011.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Hank Fraley has been added to the Vikings coaching staff assistant
offensive line coach. Fraley played 11 seasons in the NFL and was
the offensive line coach at San Jose State last season.
Linebacker Eric Henderson, who started 12 games for the Vikings
this past season but had some run-ins with the law, was released by
the Vikings.
The 27-year-old Henderson, who played both middle and outside
linebacker for the Vikings, played in 14 games in 2013 and had four
sacks and two interceptions.
However, he was arrested a second time for suspicion of DUI in
January. He was arrested on New Year's Day for suspicion of driving
under the influence in Chanhassen, Minn.
Henderson had also been arrested in November 2013 for probable cause
of driving while intoxicated and possession of a controlled
substance.
Henderson sued the state of Minnesota in late November, stating the
police didn't have probable cause to stop him.
By releasing Henderson, the Vikings cleared $2.1 million of cap
space.
Steelers running backs coach Kirby Wilson will take the same
position with the Minnesota Vikings, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
reported.
Wilson was under contract with the Steelers for one more year but
the team granted his request to leave.
FREE-AGENT UPDATE
Scheduled to be unrestricted in March:
-
DE Jared Allen
-
DT Kevin Williams
-
LG Charlie Johnson
-
RB Toby Gerhart
-
CB Chris Cook
-
WR Jerome Simpson
-
DL Everson Griffen
-
C-G Joe Berger
-
LB Desmond Bishop
-
LB Marvin Mitchell
-
OT J'Marcus Webb
-
WR Joe Webb
-
DT Fred Evans
-
QB Josh Freeman
-
DE Justin Trattou
UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACKS: Starter Matt Cassel. Backups Christian Ponder,
Josh Freeman.
The root of the Vikings' inability to consistently compete and
maintain continuity on the coaching staff is the continued absence
of a franchise quarterback to lead the way with skill and poise when
things break down. Ponder, the 12th overall pick in 2011, was
supposed to be that person. He's not. He has the athleticism to make
plays with his feet, but lacks the arm strength and, more
importantly, the poise under pressure to reach the level needed at
quarterback in today's NFL. He's under contract through 2014, but
giving him another chance under a new coaching staff is an
invitation for further heartache. Three years of evidence should be
enough to determine that his glimpses of competence are unlikely
sustainable. Matt Cassel came in as a backup last offseason and
ended the season as the best quarterback on the roster by far. He
can opt out of the second year of his contract, but general manager
Rick Spielman and the new coach would be wise to sweet-talk him into
returning as a near-term future while a high draft pick is groomed
for the long term. Freeman was signed in October when the Bucs
released him. He started and played only one game a 20-for-53
fiasco in a Monday Night Football road loss to the Giants and is
an unrestricted free agent this offseason. The Vikings might pursue
him in free agency, but a reunion seems unlikely.
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RUNNING BACKS: Starters Adrian Peterson, FB Jerome Felton.
Backups Toby Gerhart, Matt Asiata.
For the first time since 2009, the Vikings are in the market for a
backup to Peterson. Peterson, the 2012 league MVP, remains the best
running back in the league, even though he finished fifth in rushing
with 1,266 yards, a 4.5-yard average and 10 touchdowns in 14 games.
But Gerhart is an unrestricted free agent and will no doubt be
looking for a chance to finally start after four years in Peterson's
considerable shadow. Gerhart will be a prized free agent for some
team this year. A second-round pick in 2010, Gerhart is a powerful
and deceptively agile big back who is only 26 years old and has just
276 career carries. Peterson turns 29 this spring, but he should
remain in his prime. But hamstring, groin and foot injuries that
nagged him this season should serve as a reminder that Peterson may
look invincible, but he's not. Asiata started two games and proved
to be a decent battering ram to keep defenses honest. But the former
fullback is more suited as a special teamer and No. 3 back than
Peterson's main backup. Felton didn't repeat as a Pro Bowl fullback,
but that's mostly because Peterson's numbers dipped this season. But
Felton is a keeper for as long as Peterson remains a focal point of
the offense.
TIGHT ENDS: Starter Kyle Rudolph. Backups John Carlson, Rhett
Ellison, Chase Ford.
Rudolph missed half the season because of a broken foot. But how he
broke the foot is a reminder of his value to the offense. It came in
the eighth game at Dallas as he was crossing the goal line on a long
touchdown reception. Rudolph enters his fourth season with 15
touchdowns in 32 starts. He's not a Gronkowski or a Graham, but he's
close enough. It also will be interesting to see what he could do
with more consistency at quarterback. Carlson is a very similar
player, but not quite as big. A history of concussions has him
contemplating retirement this offseason. Ellison is a grinder, a
solid special teamer who can provide extra blocking from the tight
end, H-back and fullback positions. Teams need hard-nosed worker
bees like Ellison. Ford, a former practice-squad player, showed
tremendous upside when injuries ravaged the position late in the
season. But he's likely to be caught in a numbers crunch unless
Carlson chooses to retire.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters Greg Jennings, Cordarrelle Patterson.
Backups Jerome Simpson, Jarius Wright, Joe Webb, Rodney Smith,
Greg Childs.
Patterson is a superstar in the making. With a quality quarterback,
he will be something special. The recently-fired coaching staff,
particularly offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave, erred woefully in
waiting much too long to incorporate Patterson into the offense.
Patterson proved early in the season that he was a record-setting
kick returner who would go on to lead the league in that category.
But he continued to be nearly invisible on offense and didn't start
until the 11th week of the season. Patterson's performance in the
wild, back-and-forth loss in Baltimore was a prime example of what
he could be on a consistent basis. He had five catches for 141 yards
and an electrifying 79-yard catch-and-weave for a touchdown in the
closing minute. Jennings needs another year and more stability at
quarterback to prove whether he can be what he was in Green Bay when
he was playing with Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. Jennings' numbers 68 catches, 804 yards, four touchdowns were average at best,
but the quarterback play was consistently below average.
Jennings was at his best with Cassel, but he also went long
stretches when he was practically invisible. Drops in the loss to
Cleveland and the overtime tie at Green Bay also hurt his image.
He'll also be 31 next season. Simpson had a bounce-back year on the
field, but more trouble off the field and another probable
suspension related to a DWI arrest could leave the Vikings unwilling
to enter into a third season with a promising talent that can't be
trusted to stay out of trouble. Wright is a sleeper to keep an eye
on. He's deceptively fast and an excellent route runner who is
capable of consistently fooling defensive backs with double moves.
Webb is just a big body. The former quarterback and one of the best
athletes on the team was never used for much more than a blocking
receiver and special teamer this year. The next staff is unlikely to
see much value in him. Smith is basically a practice body. Childs
looks like a the prototype modern NFL receiver, but he's also trying
to beat the unlikely odds of coming back from rupturing the patellar
tendons in both knees in training camp in 2012.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters LT Matt Kalil, LG Charlie Johnson, C
John Sullivan, RG Brandon Fusco, RT Phil Loadholt. Backups RT
J'Marcus Webb, LT Mike Remmers, C-G Joe Berger, G Jeff Baca.
A very disappointing season went relatively unnoticed because of the
issues at quarterback and in the secondary. The offensive line
didn't play with the cohesion one would expect from a line that had
been together for two seasons. Kalil, the fourth overall pick in
2012, took a step back in the consistency department, but remains a
reliable blind-side anchor for years to come. Johnson struggled all
year and is likely to leave via free agency. Sullivan had a down
year, but will return as a leader up front. Fusco is on the bubble.
He played more consistently than he did in his first year as a
starter in 2012, but the new staff is likely to think it can do
better. Loadholt was the best lineman in 2013. He's prone to lapses
in pass protection, but is the team's most consistent run blocker.
Remmers, who was picked up during the season, is a potential swing
tackle. Webb, who is an unrestricted free agent, can't be trusted as
a backup. He's just not quick enough. Berger is an excellent backup
who can play all three interior spots. But he's also a free agent.
Baca, a rookie in 2013, was groomed to take Johnson's spot. But that
now will have to be determined by a new coaching staff.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters RE Jared Allen, DT Kevin Williams, NT
Letroy Guion, LE Brian Robison. Backups E-T Everson Griffen, NT
Fred Evans, NT Chase Baker, DT Sharrif Floyd, RE Justin Trattou.
Although Jared Allen still reached 11.5 sacks, this unit showed its
age and will be significantly altered for the first time since Allen
joined the team in 2008. Allen, who will be 32 next season, will
leave in free agency. So, too, will 33-year-old defensive tackle
Kevin Williams, who has anchored this unit since 2003. Robison, who
signed a long-term deal during the season, turns 31, but is coming
off his best season. He had a career-high nine sacks, applied
consistent front-side pressure and was a solid run stopper. He also
has the skill set to make the transition to a 3-4 defense if that's
the route the new staff chooses. Switching Guion from
three-technique to the nose never panned out. He needs to be
replaced or used as a backup to Floyd. Evans isn't starting caliber
and isn't likely to return, so the team needs to find a nose tackle.
Floyd, the 23rd overall pick this year, wasn't given a full
opportunity to live up to his draft pick. That will come this year
when he replaces Williams. Griffen is the team's top target among
its unrestricted free agents. He's the heir apparent to Allen and
he's versatile enough to rush from the inside in the nickel or play
linebacker should the Vikings switch to a 3-4. Baker and Trattou are
just practice bodies who saw limited action.
LINEBACKERS: Starters WLB Erin Henderson, MLB Audie Cole, SLB
Chad Greenway. Backups SLB Larry Dean, MLB Michael Mauti, WLB
Gerald Hodges, WLB Marvin Mitchell.
This unit also could look significantly different whether the team
sticks with a 4-3 or shifts to a 3-4. Greenway is the only player
who basically is guaranteed a spot on the team next year. His role
could change however as he hits 31 years of age. Placing Greenway in
coverage as often as the team has since 2007 is an increasingly
risky venture. The team won't maintain its longtime loyalty to the
Tampa 2 scheme, so Greenway won't be set up to fail quite as often
as he was this past season. Henderson won't be back. He lost his job
in the middle and then let the team down with a DWI late in the
season. Another DWI arrest after the season pretty much sealed his
fate as the team looks to upgrade a position in decline. Cole is an
intriguing prospect. A seventh-round pick in 2012, he was so little
thought of that the Vikings actually released him before the
Redskins game to make room for a backup tackle. They signed him
right back, but obviously were willing to lose him. Then, later in
the season, when given a chance to start in the middle, he seized
the opportunity with a standout game in the tie at Green Bay. He
opened that game with a vicious blitz that resulted in a sack. He
finished the season on injured reserve, but his active feet, unusual
height and instincts give him a chance to impress the new staff.
Mitchell is a free agent who won't return. Dean is a special teams
leader, but too undersized to trust at linebacker. Mauti also is a
special teams standout and a potential challenge to Cole in the
middle. Hodges has the skill set to play the weak side and will at
least be given a chance to start there.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters RCB Chris Cook, LCB Xavier Rhodes, FS
Harrison Smith, SS Jamarca Sanford. Backups CB Josh Robinson, CB
Shaun Prater, CB Marcus Sherels, S Mistral Raymond, S Andrew
Sendejo, CB-S Robert Blanton.
This unit never recovered from the team's decision to release
Antoine Winfield in a salary-cap move in the spring. Robinson was
handed Winfield's role in both the base defense and in the nickel as
the slot corner. He was too slow to develop and never reached a high
level until ending up on injured reserve because of a fractured
sternum. Winfield was 36, but he also was the team's best defensive
back the year before. Cook had another injury-marred,
underperforming season and will move on as a free agent. He leaves
as a disappointing former second-round draft pick that missed more
games than he played and never recorded an interception. Rhodes
turned out to be the team's best corner after an understandable
rookie adjustment period. He set a rookie record for passes
defensed, but also caused some concerns that he'll be injury prone.
Smith missed eight games because of turf toe, but showed again in
his second season that he's a future Pro Bowler if not All-Pro. He
has it all, including size, speed and instincts.
Sanford is a career overachiever who didn't have as good a season as
he did the year before. The Vikings will look to upgrade there. One
possibility there is Sendejo. He began the season as a decent
special teamer on the bubble, but flashed signs of being an
impactful safety given multiple opportunities to start for Smith and
Sanford. He can hit and he has good instincts. Speed would be the
main concern with him though. Prater proved to be a solid in-season
waiver claim. He showed decent instincts and has a chance to stick.
Sherels, the team's punt returner, is a scrapper. He's always there
when the injuries pile up at corner. And he holds his own. Raymond
won't be back. He suffers from the double whammy of safeties: A lack
of instincts and poor tackling skills. Blanton will be given a
chance to make the team. He ended up being the team's nickel slot
corner after Robinson was injured. A college corner who was switched
to safety as a rookie in 2012, Blanton is not the guy you want at
the slot corner. But the Vikings were hurting without Winfield.
SPECIAL TEAMS: K Blair Walsh, P Jeff Locke, PR Marcus Sherels, KR
Cordarrelle Patterson, LS Cullen Loeffler.
Walsh wasn't the All-Pro kicker he was as a rookie in 2012, but he
was still pretty good. After making 35 of 35 field goals as a
rookie, he made 26 of 30 this year. He wasn't nearly as good from 50
yards and beyond. He made an NFL-record 10 of 10 as a rookie, but
only 2 of 5 this season. Walsh, however, will get that figured out
and will be a long-range threat for years. Locke, a rookie, was
inconsistent but got better as the season went along. Replacing
Chris Kluwe, the best punter in team history, wasn't easy. Where
Locke struggled most in that regard was hang time and pinning the
ball near the goal line. Sherels set a team record and was third in
the NFL in punt-return average (15.2). He continues to defy the odds
and prove that people once again were wrong to put him on the roster
bubble back in training camp. Loeffler heads into his 11th season as
a rock at long snapper. And, last but not least, Patterson set team
and NFL records during a season of consistently explosive and
fearless kick returns. His 109-yard return for a touchdown was a
league record. He added a 105-yarder to tie a league career mark
with most touchdowns of 105 yards or longer. He also led the league
with a franchise-record season average of 32.6 yards.
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