Green Bay Packers: Ranking the NFC North secondaries
2. Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota’s mix of savvy veterans and young guns in the secondary could be the secret sauce that catapults this unit to the top of the charts in the NFC North. The cagey Mike Zimmer’s grand scheme of building a purple reign has gone according to plan thus far, but the stakes have been raised for 2016.
Xavier Rhodes has exhibited marked improvement from his days as a rookie from Florida State. The 25-year-old is indeed the Viking’s number-one cornerback, but he still falls short of being considered a true shut-down artist.
At six-foot-one, 218 pounds with 33 3/4-inch arms, Rhodes has the size, strength and fluid hips to negate some of the biggest and most athletic pass catchers in the league—but he just hasn’t been able to do it consistently enough.
There are times when Rhodes sticks with his man all through the route and turns his head at the perfect instant to make a play on the ball. And then there are other moments in which he fails to turn his head altogether or becomes too grabby and earns himself a yellow flag in the process.
The 37-year-old Terence Newman has signed on for another year in purple and gold. His durability and versatility make him invaluable in Zimmer’s scheme. The well-traveled graybeard led the team in passes defensed (12) and is still among the best at his position in run support.
Captain Munnerlyn had a bounce-back 2015 campaign in his new role of nickel back. Not only was the one-time Carolina Panther a better in run support, but he was particularly effective in defending quick throws and screens.
The fiery defensive back filled up the stat sheet with 56 tackles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, one sack and a touchdown on a scoop-and-score play off an Aaron Rodgers fumble in Week 17.
Last year’s first-round pick Trae Waynes didn’t get a lot of run on defense, but was a key contributor on special teams. Look for the coaching staff to make better use of the Big Ten product’s long speed, disruptive nature and ability to flip his hips in 2016. Zimmer has recently stated that he expects Waynes to play a better brand of off-coverage.
This year’s second-round pick Mackenzie Alexander is the third cornerback the Vikings have drafted in the top 60 over the past four years. The rookie corner is a cocky and physical athlete that has the coverage ability to shadow his opponent to an spot on the field. Early plans are to have him play the slot behind Munnerlyn and a lot of special teams.
Scrappy Marcus Sherels has a role in dime packages, but his duties as a special-teams coverage ace and return man are his bread and butter.
Keith Baxter can be the shining star among Minnesota’s undrafted rookie corners. The pride of Marshall University has the size and speed to stick at the next level, but his penchant for injuries make him an extreme long shot…albeit one with intriguing upside.
The Vikings are in good hands with Harrison Smith as one of their franchise cornerstones over at free safety. Known to his teammates as “Harry The Hitman,” Smith makes excellent reads and is rarely sucked in by play fakes.
Quarterbacks only averaged a 43.3 passer rating (per Pro Football Focus) when targeting the fifth-year pro, which ranked second-best among safeties in 2015.
Smith’s unique awareness also makes him a terrific run defender that can explode into the opposing backfield with his impeccable timing and strength. GM Rick Speilman wisely locked him up with a five-year extension in the off-season.
Former Tennessee Titan Michael Griffin is currently penciled in as the starting strong safety. The 31-year-old should be able to do a credible job in filling the box versus the run, but his range isn’t what it once was.
Last year’s starter Andrew Sendejo lacks the desirable speed to be a full-time starter, but he remains a top-notch special-teams headhunter.
Similarly, Antone Exum is also a key special-teams contributor who showed incredible toughness in playing with a fractured rib in Minnesota’s 38-7 loss to Seattle in Week 13.
Second-year man Anthony Harris proved to be quick study throughout his rookie campaign and filled in admirably against Arizona despite spending his first 12 weeks of the season on the practice squad. His attention to detail has helped him improve several technical components of his game, including his backpedal and the ability to come out of his breaks.
Seventh-round pick Jayron Kearse is a king-sized safety at six-foot-four with vine-like 34 ¼ -inch arms. He’s severely lacking, however, from a technical and effort standpoint. He would routinely get caught out of position on running plays at Clemson and may also have trouble covering smaller, shifty receivers in the NFL.
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