Minnesota Sports Forum

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/draft/2016/02/08/mock-draft-first-round-titans-browns/79973774/

23. Minnesota Vikings - Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville: The Vikes could be thinking about their O-line and secondary depth first. But will Mike Zimmer be able to resist stumping for a penetrator like Rankins, whose ability and size (6-2, 304) are reminiscent of Geno Atkins, who starred for Zimmer in Cincinnati.

I would be happy taking the BPA and I think it could be a DT. After watching the playoffs games are won or lost in the trenches. I think our defense is near elite and this might help us get there.

We have so many D-linemen though. Why use a first round pick on depth? You end up losing value with that pick because they end up like Waynes and don't play enough when most first round picks are expected to come in and fill a starting role. I'm not a fan of using your top two picks on depth if you don't have to. Get a guy who's gonna play most of the snaps. Unless Rankins is expected to take Joseph or Floyd's job relatively quickly and for the long-term then he's a wasted pick. With guys like Smith starting to come off their rookie deals it's more important than ever to fill holes with quality rookies because there isn't gonna be cap space to fill those spots soon.

Khans. I go off this. I know Zimmerman likes to rotate guys and Floyd and Joseph only played half the snap due to injury and rest.

DE Brian Robison: 17 games, 83.7 percent
DE Everson Griffen: 16 games, 81.1 percent
DT Tom Johnson: 17 games, 69 percent
DT Sharrif Floyd: 14 games, 50.5 percent
DT Linval Joseph: 13 games, 50.1 percent
DE Danielle Hunter: 15 games, 37 percent
DE Scott Crichton: 13 games, 11.4 percent
NT Kenrick Ellis: 9 games, 7.7 percent
NT Shamar Stephen: 5 games, 5.8 percent
DE Justin Trattou: 5 games, 2 percent

Source:
http://www.1500espn.com/vikings-2/2016/01/looking-ahead-defensive-line-may-be-strongest-corner-of-vikings-foundation/

bleedspeed177 wrote:Khans. I go off this. I know Zimmerman likes to rotate guys and Floyd and Joseph only played half the snap due to injury and rest.

DE Brian Robison: 17 games, 83.7 percent
DE Everson Griffen: 16 games, 81.1 percent
DT Tom Johnson: 17 games, 69 percent
DT Sharrif Floyd: 14 games, 50.5 percent
DT Linval Joseph: 13 games, 50.1 percent
DE Danielle Hunter: 15 games, 37 percent
DE Scott Crichton: 13 games, 11.4 percent
NT Kenrick Ellis: 9 games, 7.7 percent
NT Shamar Stephen: 5 games, 5.8 percent
DE Justin Trattou: 5 games, 2 percent

Source:
http://www.1500espn.com/vikings-2/2016/01/looking-ahead-defensive-line-may-be-strongest-corner-of-vikings-foundation/

That's what I would expect seeing a rotation which is why I question adding another DT to a rotation that already has three decent to great options playing 50+% of the snaps (there's only 13.5% of snaps available outside of the top 3). We need a bunch of O-linemen, a safety, a wideout and probably another linebacker so I don't get spending a first round pick at one of our deeper positions unless it ends up being like Floyd was where the guy is just significantly better than the other players around him at that point in the round.

Khans - I am thinking you get a DT if he is the BPA or a tier or even 2 when you are drafting vs an area of need.