SteelKing728 Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 When I first started watching the team, I always thought Dontarrius Thomas would be a very good LB for us. Not sure what happened to him and why he didn't pan out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcblack34 Posted July 12, 2019 Share Posted July 12, 2019 Kailee Wong should be on the list. Just for the name. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Buck Posted July 12, 2019 Share Posted July 12, 2019 On 7/10/2019 at 7:26 PM, Dolmonite26 said: I think I'd drop Kendricks for Greenway, and I'm iffy on Barr being on this list at all, but as you stated there isn't a great history of talent here...so maybe by default he sneaks in Kendricks is higher on my list than Barr. I agree with you on Greenway, so I'd put him on in place of Barr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duluther Posted July 12, 2019 Share Posted July 12, 2019 I’d have the recent linebackers as: Henderson Barr Greenway Kendricks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDBrocks Posted July 12, 2019 Share Posted July 12, 2019 Greenway is generally under appreciated imo. I think I’d have them: Barr Greenway Kendricks Henderson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperFeist Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 (edited) 4 hours ago, Uncle Buck said: Kendricks is higher on my list than Barr. I agree with you on Greenway, so I'd put him on in place of Barr. No way is Kendricks ahead of Barr. Barr is the engine that drives this defense. Kendricks is on par with a guy like Ben Leber. Edited July 13, 2019 by SemperFeist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nzd07 Posted July 13, 2019 Share Posted July 13, 2019 Yep, Kendricks is pretty mediocre in pass coverage. Smart teams will isolate him with an athletic RB or TE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted July 14, 2019 Share Posted July 14, 2019 The lack of Greenway being on this list is a surprise, guy could play and was one of the best ever for the Vikings at linebacker in my book. Ed McDaniel was on some poor defenses but he was a decent backer and at the time was one of the few bright spots at a weak position for the team. Most of the older guys I cannot speak to because I never watched them play. Been watching football consistently since 1998 but not much before that outside of short clips. Impressive list though for sure. Hard to do though because tackling stats for the team all time are hard to get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Buck Posted July 14, 2019 Share Posted July 14, 2019 On 7/12/2019 at 8:18 PM, SemperFeist said: No way is Kendricks ahead of Barr. Barr is the engine that drives this defense. Kendricks is on par with a guy like Ben Leber. Maybe it's just the positions they play, but it seems like Kendricks is in on a lot more plays than Barr ever is. Not only that, but we saw last year how Barr can be exploited when you leave him alone. Kendricks may not be a ton better in that area, but he sure seems better from what I've seen. Personally, I would have let Barr go in the offseason and used the money to strengthen another area on the team - maybe with O-line or another good running back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Buck Posted July 14, 2019 Share Posted July 14, 2019 On 7/12/2019 at 9:51 PM, Nzd07 said: Yep, Kendricks is pretty mediocre in pass coverage. Smart teams will isolate him with an athletic RB or TE. We saw them do that to Barr last year. He got embarrassed out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duluther Posted July 15, 2019 Share Posted July 15, 2019 4 hours ago, Uncle Buck said: We saw them do that to Barr last year. He got embarrassed out there. The first quarter of the season yeah, but that was mainly against slot WRs. No OLB should be asked to consistently do that. Barr’s coverage numbers were better than Kendricks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted July 15, 2019 Share Posted July 15, 2019 8 minutes ago, Duluther said: The first quarter of the season yeah, but that was mainly against slot WRs. No OLB should be asked to consistently do that. Barr’s coverage numbers were better than Kendricks. I agree, Kendricks in coverage has a lot to work on and gets beat consistently. Sure is in coverage more as the ILB usually than Barr but still, Kendricks lack of length and ball awareness hurts him in coverage but few linebackers are great in coverage anyways. I assume Barr plays more DE or rush OLB with the aging pass rushers the Vikings have, or I hope he is on the edge more and can do some damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted July 15, 2019 Share Posted July 15, 2019 I would definitely have Blair over Studwell. I love Studwell, but Blair, as far as I'm concerned, was a far more impactful LB. I would personally also have Greenway and Eddie McDaniel on the list, definitely over EJ Henderson (who I think has been overrated by many) and Kendricks. They could both be included on an honorable mention basis, along with Jack Del Rio (who, while he didn't make his name in MN, was very good in his time here). Can we include Chris Doleman too, considering he started out as a LB and had 2 of his 8 career INTs as one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted July 15, 2019 Share Posted July 15, 2019 On 7/12/2019 at 10:54 AM, wcblack34 said: Kailee Wong should be on the list. Just for the name. Almost as good as Kivuusama Mays... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb_K Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 (edited) Matt Blair was, far and away, the best overall Linebacker to play for The Vikings. He was also one of the very best athletes to play for them. He was their only linebacker who should have been considered for The NFL Hall of Fame. Studwell, at his peak, was nowhere near Blair at his peak. I remember thinking about how great na "steal" Blair was to be gotten in the 2nd Round. Hilgenberg, Winston, and Warwick were certainly good players, but they also benefitted tremendously, from being products of an excellent defensive system. They weren't close to having the athletic abilities of Blair, Siemon, McNeil, Barr, Kendricks, and Henderson. I'd put Blair first by a mile, then Siemon, then McNiel for play at their peaks, and replace McNiel with Studwell for overall career. But, it's a reflection of how good The Vikings' defensive line usually was, and how much they always had to pay those players to keep them happy, and keep them as Vikings, that the team usually didn't have enough cap room left over to pay excellent-lever linebackers, even if they had the draft choices to draft them. It's also true that The Vikings' almost always valuing their DL more than linebacking, often used their top draft choices for DL, and almost never for linebackers. Edited July 17, 2019 by Robb_K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.