Guest Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 This was a harder group to judge and rate than I had first imagined. The best backfield unit was the one that played a number of years together in the late '60's and early '70's. Yet, only one receives much attention by football historians. Since that time, the Vikings have normally had a really good player or even two in the backfield, but the other positions were manned by players considered weaknesses. Todays team might have the best overall backfield since that squad that appeared in the first two Super Bowls...and, if they remain productive, and stay together, might wind up being the best defensive backfield in Vikings history. This squad is also deeper than any other that has played in Minnesota. So, without further ramblings, here is the Top Ten DB's. 10. Karl Kassulke: (1963 - 72) Kassaulke was elected to 1 pro bowl (1971). He started at safety in Super Bowl IV. He was also known as an excellent punt blocker...many of his blocks, unintentionally, were straight into the face mask. In 1973, Kassulke, on his way to training camp, was in a motorcycle accident that paralyzed him from the waist down. He died in 2008. 9. Ed Sharockman: (1961-72) Sharockman anchored the backfield at a time when, frankly, they weren't all that good. Still, his 40 career interceptions and 6 touchdowns got him on the list of the 50 Greatest Vikings. 8: Bobby Bryant: (1968-80) Twice elected to the Pro Bowl, and twice elected All-Pro, Bryant is second in Vikings history with 51 career interceptions. He played in all four Super Bowl appearances, and held the record of longest interception return for a touchdown, 63, yards. He also played special teams returning punts and kicks. He is one of the 50 Greatest Vikings. 7. Joey Browner: (1983-91) Browner made 6 pro bowl appearances, and was 4 times elected All Pro. Member of the Ring of Honor, the 80's all decade team, and 50 Greatest Vikings. Believe it or not, Browner was the 2nd rated db to come out of USC in 1983. He played with Ronnie Lott in the Trojan backfield. Browner, in an era of hard hitting safeties, may have been the one to lay the hardest hits on ball carriers and receivers. He amassed 1,100 tackles causing 18 fumbles. 6. Harrison Smith: (2012 - ) Smith has gone to 4 pro bowls, and has been all-pro twice. PFF graded Smith the best player in the NFL in 2017. When all is said and done with his career, hopefully many years from now, Smith will be considered the best safety in team history. The reason I rate Smith higher than Browner is because of the numerous rule changes that have made playing DB considerably harder. 5. Carl Lee: (1983 - 93) Three times a pro bowler and an all pro in 1988, Lee is completely underrated as a cornerback. He excelled in coverage, which meant that he didn't get many chances towards interceptions on passing downs. Good tackler, good speed...he normally locked down the man he was covering. I think he gets less attention because he played in the same backfield as Browner...who regularly made highlight reel hits. 4. Robert Griffith: (1994 - 2001) He was elected to the 2000 pro bowl and was all pro twice. Collecting over 1,000 career tackles from his safety position. I rate him this high because many of the rules protecting receivers and ball carriers came into being in the middle of his career. He adjusted quite well. Griffith is another DB that, I believe, is chronically underrated by Viking fans and football historians. 3. Xavier Rhodes: (2013 - ) When Rhodes is at the top of his game, he is the best shut down corner in the business. Twice he has been elected to the pro bowl, and once elected all pro. He seems to play his best against the best receivers, including Odell Beckham, Julio Jones, et al. Rhodes broke Bobby Bryant's record when he returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown in 2017. The only mark against Rhodes' career has been his being afflicted by nagging injuries. Yet, he is the anchor to a stellar backfield that includes Trae Waynes and Harrison Smith. 2. Antoine Winfield: (2004-12) 3 times elected to the pro bowl, all pro in 2008 and one of the 50 Greatest Vikings, Winfield is in the conversation as the greatest tackler in NFL history. One of his opponents likened Winfield to an angry Chihuahua. His greatest contribution to the Vikings defense may have been when he into the game as a nickel back. 1. Paul Krause: (1968 - 79) 8 times elected to the pro bowl, 7 times an all-pro, the NFL leader in interceptions with a staggering 81 interceptions, Ring of Honor member, 50 Greatest Vikings and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame...the only Viking DB to go to the HOF. There is a huge gap between Krause and everyone else on this list as far as earning honors. His interception record is one that is likely never to be broken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcblack34 Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 Joey Browner should be in the Hall of Fame. Perhaps if he had played a couple more years. He may have been my favorite Viking of the 80's. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 5 minutes ago, wcblack34 said: Joey Browner should be in the Hall of Fame. Perhaps if he had played a couple more years. He may have been my favorite Viking of the 80's. I was never a Browner fan. I respected the talent, but didn't really like how he played. As far as the order, I will disagree with @Virginia Viking on Harrison Smith. I'd personally put him #3, and slide Robert Griffith ahead of Rhodes at #4. Smith, as far as I'm concerned is light-years a better player than Rhodes and is far more impactful on defense. Then I'd put Browner at 5, Rhodes at 6, Lee at 7. My honorable mentions would go to Nate Wright and Orlando Thomas...and also Audray McMillian (who also has been underrated in Vikings' history). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDBrocks Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 Harrison Smith should already be #2 on this list, IMO. He plays almost every position on the field and covers up for nearly every mistake a teammate makes. That's not a knock on Winfield, Smith just does more to impact the game at a high level on a snap by snap basis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake Plissken Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 Browner is seriously underrated, even amongst Vikings fans. There was a time when he was considered the best safety in the league. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 40 minutes ago, Snake Plissken said: Browner is seriously underrated, even amongst Vikings fans. There was a time when he was considered the best safety in the league. Was Ronnie Lott injured? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vikes_Bolts1228 Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 No Fred Smoot? This list is invalid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake Plissken Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 34 minutes ago, swede700 said: Was Ronnie Lott injured? Well, he did cut off half his own finger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 2 hours ago, swede700 said: I was never a Browner fan. I respected the talent, but didn't really like how he played. As far as the order, I will disagree with @Virginia Viking on Harrison Smith. I'd personally put him #3, and slide Robert Griffith ahead of Rhodes at #4. Smith, as far as I'm concerned is light-years a better player than Rhodes and is far more impactful on defense. Then I'd put Browner at 5, Rhodes at 6, Lee at 7. My honorable mentions would go to Nate Wright and Orlando Thomas...and also Audray McMillian (who also has been underrated in Vikings' history). I considered Smith higher up on this list. I even considered rating him above Rhodes. However, when I got to thinking about it, Smith is at his best when Rhodes is playing at a high level. In essence, what it came down to, is that Xavier Rhodes makes Harrison Smith a better player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperFeist Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 I’d flip Harrison Smith and Rhodes. Smith has played at a high level his entire career. Rhodes has had about 3 good and 3 iffy to bad in his 6 years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krauser Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 Krause is the easy choice for #1. Browner was legitimately good: 6 Pro Bowl seasons in a row, and 3 All Pros. By comparison, Smith has 4 Pro Bowls and 1 All Pro, and Rhodes 2 Pro Bowls and 1 All Pro. I'd put him 2nd here. Winfield's reputation is probably better now than when he played. He was a Pro Bowler 3 times, never an All Pro. His PFF grades were excellent, he had that incredible game in the upset over the Eagles where Joe Webb played QB, and the defense got much worse when he was released and replaced by Josh Robinson. I don't think he was the best CB in Vikings history. For me, that's Carl Lee. He had 3 Pro Bowls (1988-90) and an All Pro. The Vikings pass defense was elite during the prime of his career (1st in pass defense DVOA 1988 and 1989, 4th in 1990) and Lee's work in pass coverage was a big part of that. Agree with the comments that Smith > Rhodes. I'd slot them both around the middle of this list, with Smith in the top 5. Not sure how they'll do in their 30s -- based on last year, Smith is still playing at a high level while Rhodes seems to be falling off. If Smith stays healthy for a few more years at this level, he'd end up 2nd on this list for me. Robert Griffith was a Pro Bowler once (2000), never an All Pro. He deserves to be in the top 10, but a little lower for me. Bobby Bryant had 2 Pro Bowls and no All Pros. Ed Sharockman never made the Pro Bowl. Karl Kassulke made it once. Not sure how to compare them. Can't really argue with listing any of them. Not sure who else could be a strong contender for the top 10. There were some pretty good corners (Dewayne Washington, Brian Williams, Cedric Griffin) who aren't really top 10 material. Darren Sharper was excellent in a 4 year stint, but his best years were in Green Bay, and his off field problems are a deal breaker for me. There's a decent chance that someone else on the current team (Alexander, Hughes, Harris) could contend for the lower part of the top 10 list if they stay healthy through a second contract with the Vikings. For now I'll rank them: Paul Krause Joey Browner Carl Lee Harrison Smith Antoine Winfield Xavier Rhodes Robert Griffith Bobby Bryant Ed Sharockman Karl Kassulke Dishonorable mention to Darren Sharper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klomp Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 (edited) 1 Advanced issues found ▲ 4 hours ago, Krauser said: Krause is the easy choice for #1. Shocking that you would feel this way Edited July 20, 2019 by Klomp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krauser Posted July 21, 2019 Share Posted July 21, 2019 4 hours ago, Klomp said: Shocking that you would feel this way I will admit to a conflict of interest. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 Krause made another list...albeit only as an honorable mention...this guy's list of top 5 all-time safeties... https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/top-5-all-time-safety-big-board I always did like Atwater, but I do struggle putting him at #5 all-time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperFeist Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 1 hour ago, swede700 said: Krause made another list...albeit only as an honorable mention...this guy's list of top 5 all-time safeties... https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/top-5-all-time-safety-big-board I always did like Atwater, but I do struggle putting him at #5 all-time. I feel like it’s a list based on the viewpoint of someone who’s only watched football for the past 20 odd years, not necessarily a student of the games history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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