DAILY CLIPS MONDAY, JULY 27, 2020 LOCAL NEWS: Monday, July 27, 2020 The Athletic Vikings Training Camp Guide — DE: Who’ll emerge next to Danielle Hunter? By Arif Hasan https://theathletic.com/1947745/2020/07/26/vikings-training-camp-guide-de-wholl-emerge-next-to-danielle-hunter/ MULTIMEDIA NEWS: Monday, July 27, 2020 Top 100 Players of 2020: Eric Kendricks | No. 83 By Vikings Entertainment Network https://www.vikings.com/video/top-100-players-of-2020-eric-kendricks-no-83 Alexander Mattison on Preparation heading into Second Season By KSTP http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=1460655d-fcac-49d4-ae05-2e8ac332f4f9 VIKINGS ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK: Monday, July 27, 2020 Monday Morning Mailbag: Zimmer's Impact on Vikings Defense in 2020 By Eric Smith https://www.vikings.com/news/mike-zimmer-impact-vikings-defense-2020 Eric Kendricks Cracks NFL Network's 'Top 100' at No. 83 By Craig Peters https://www.vikings.com/news/eric-kendricks-nfl-network-top-100-no-83 PUBLICATION: The Athletic DATE: 7/27/20 Vikings Training Camp Guide — DE: Who’ll emerge next to Danielle Hunter? By Arif Hasan (Editor’s note: This is part of a series of position-by-position articles breaking down every non-specialist player on the Vikings roster as we build up to the start of training camp later this month. We’ve already covered the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends and offensive line. Next up, the defensive ends. Still to come: Defensive tackles, linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties.) It’s been quite some time since the Vikings didn’t feature a high-level defensive line, but that streak could end this season if there’s only one player they can rely on to produce. With a few investments made at some positions previously occupied by talented vets, Minnesota is hoping the combination of their excellent defensive line coaching and the injection of youth will allow the unit to continue its success uninterrupted. The Vikings have long had a unique approach to the defensive line that has paid enormous dividends. They could very well end up starting a former defensive tackle at defensive end, a former three-technique at nose tackle and a former nose tackle at three-technique. That’s all while Danielle Hunter was projected as an “outside linebacker” coming out of college, though that designation would be identical to his defensive end role with the Vikings. Still, with so many players “out of position,” it’s fascinating to see how the Vikings’ successful defensive line was built and continues to be constructed. How that unusual dynamic plays out might mean more to the defense this year than it does most, with so many inexperienced players expected to pick up the mantle in the secondary. Without a strong defensive line to support them, Minnesota could see its defense collapse. At defensive end, there are no questions about Danielle Hunter. But behind him, several players will be vying to show they can help fill the role vacated by Everson Griffen. Danielle Hunter (Robert Hanashiro / USA Today) Danielle Hunter Among the 50 players with the most sacks over the past two years, Hunter ranks first in tackles, second in pressures (per Pro Football Focus), second in tackles-for-loss, third in quarterback hits, third in sacks (and sacks per game) and fifth in pressure rate. Take Aaron Donald out of the equation and Hunter moves up in each category — meaning that there have been virtually no edge rushers that have rivaled Hunter’s overall production in the past two years despite the fact that he hasn’t hit his prime yet. There’s every chance that Hunter becomes the defining player of the defense for the Vikings over the next several years. Strengths: Matches phenomenal physical frame with athleticism in every dimension. Explosion off the snap allows him to get into the backfield quicker than most tackles can respond. Also uses lower-body strength to bull-rush tackles into the pocket. Quickness and flexibility gives him the capability to bend under the edge or change footwork in counters. Upper-body strength allows him to win club moves, excel in hand-fighting and disengage. Coordination and balance allows him to re-engage or set up new moves after the snap if necessary. Great pass-rush arsenal and has added new moves to it every year, and perfected his spin move and counters to cross-chop moves. Lengthy frame gives him unique capability on stab moves and generates leverage on counters. Has done an increasingly effective job stringing moves together to set up opposing linemen. Does a good job tailoring pass-rush approach to the weaknesses of the linemen he’s facing. Great on twists and stunts — played well inside when tasked. Decisive pass-rusher. Plus run defender — was initially a run-defending specialist in college, and ability to set the edge and shed blocks remains. Diagnoses run/pass reads quickly. Crashes down on play-action. Weaknesses: Stronger tackles can bully him, especially in the run game. Tackles have begun to overset against him and he doesn’t always track inside instinctively. Countermoves aren’t always fluid. High sack-to-pressure conversion rate implies a regression in sack numbers might be coming. Can get turned around on option and read plays. Ifeadi Odenigbo (Brace Hemmelgarn / USA Today) Ifeadi Odenigbo Odenigbo has been given a bit of a runaround when it comes to establishing a consistent presence in the NFL. Having switched positions between defensive tackle and defensive end several times among several teams, Odenigbo now finds himself a favorite in the competition to earn a starting job as an edge rusher for the Vikings. His production has been impressive in relief of Griffen and the rotating company of tackles the Vikings rolled out last year, but now he’ll have to prove he can be consistent and threatening on every snap. Strengths: Power rusher with significant lower-body strength. Can bull his way through tackles to get to the quarterback. Explosiveness translates well to interior play. Maximizes explosive power with good uncoil. Smart pass- rusher — recognizes oversets and exploits them. Does a good job using first contact to initiate additional pass-rush moves. Reads run/pass keys well. Disengages in run game quickly to create tackles. Reasonable arsenal of pass- rush moves. Reacts well to sudden changes — like surprise chips or play-action. Good balance and coordination. Does a good job focusing on hands and plays with more length than his frame suggests — he can club low hands to create an outside rush. Production rate remarkably high given what he’s been asked to play. Weaknesses: Decent get-off but sustained speed isn’t there. Limited range of flexibility — can bend into pass protectors but not around them. Might not ever develop a suitable speed-rush to keep tackles off-balance on the edge, particularly not a dip-and-rip. Can’t ride the arc if tackles push him out of pass-rush path. Despite playing with significant strength, can get overwhelmed at the point of attack. More of his production came from the inside than the outside — might suggest he can only ever be a tweener. One-note pass rushers can fall off when given a full-time role. (Jeff Blake / USA Today) D.J. Wonnum A more classic pass rusher with the traditional 6-foot-5 frame and with 34-inch arms, Wonnum looks a lot like what Zimmer has said he values in the position. As a three-year captain for South Carolina, Wonnum likely has the intangible characteristics the Vikings are looking for to go along with the clear measureables he brings. Strengths: Length for days. Knows how to use it — locks blockers out in both the run game and passing game. Stab move effective at setting up a number of his other moves. Complements that with strong punch and general ability to stun offensive linemen during the set. Upper-body strength allows him to consistently win when hand-fighting. Good first step and explosive ability; gains ground quickly. Great at hitting landmarks against zone in run game — doesn’t get outpaced to edge. Extremely high motor and good pursuit capability. Weaknesses: Very poor college production — barely any of the 13 elements of production measured clocked in above the 30th percentile, with most hovering around the 20th. Some of it limited by scheme — required read/react pause but even on third-and-long had poor pressure production. Didn’t produce as a run stopper or pressure producer and low tackle totals come despite ability to win edge. Stacking linemen didn’t lead to shedding linemen. Poor bend; not enough flexibility to bend around the edge. Agility is lacking. Testing numbers are generally above average for a draftee but fail to meet the thresholds for successful edge rushers in the NFL. Needs to finish — tackle radius is theoretically large but doesn’t seem to have closing burst and has an issue with missed tackles. (Brad Rempel / USA Today) Anthony Zettel One of the few free-agency signings the Vikings made this offseason, Zettel is on his third team and looks to be on the outside looking in. Still, he has significant experience and even started at defensive end for the Lions in 2017. Perhaps most well-known in the draft process as the player who speared a tree, Zettel turned out to be a high-level athlete that might have gained weight to play defensive tackle or lost some weight to play on the edge. The NFL decided the edge was a better place for his talents and with a functionally open competition for one of the starting spots, Zettel could make good on that judgment by using that athletic ability to win the job outright.