With Jasper Brinkley Gone, Could Audie Cole Step Up at MLB?

With Jasper Brinkley officially off to a new team, middle linebacker just became even more of a position of need for the Vikings. There are several different routes the team could take to fill this role, but could the answer already be on roster?

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There is no question that the play I saw from Audie Cole in his week 17 start against the Bears was that of a bonafide starter. He was all over the field, finishing with 14 tackles and three pass break-ups at important times.

However, before we pencil him in, there are a few important things to keep in mind.

It was week 17, meaning even though Cole played a role on special teams, he undoubtedly had fresher legs than almost everyone on the field. Cole’s 14 tackles were more than he had amassed the entire season up to that point.

Also, it was against a Bears offense that was in complete disarray. They scored just 38 points in the final 3 games of the season, and just nine against the Vikings. It was cold and Chicago’s season was over, leading to an ugly offensive performance.

In fairness, Audie stepped up and did what he had to do. His performance opened the eyes of many and it’s for that reason I am even writing this article.

Barring a big change in defensive scheme, MLB isn’t necessarily the most important position on the Vikings’ defense. Brinkley only played 42.5% of the snaps in 2014 as the starter. He usually wasn’t on the field in passing situations.

Do I think Cole deserves a shot at the starting role? Absolutely. But that doesn’t mean the team shouldn’t bring in other talent to compete for it. The Brinkley move makes it a little more likely that Chad Greenway will find a way to stick around, which would definitely help with depth.

Otherwise, there is usually talent to be found in later rounds of the draft at this position. Guys like Denzel Perryman, Eric Kendricks or Benardrick McKinney could be valuable pick-ups in the 2nd or 3rd round.

Free agency is always another option, but per the Star Tribune, Mike Zimmer “wasn’t wowed” by this years free-agent class of middle-linebackers. He said the same for the draft class.

It only makes sense for the Vikings to bring in outside competition for the starting spot. But if not for just one stand-out game, Audie Cole deserves his shot.

Would you be okay with Audie Cole at MLB in 2015? Leave a comment below!

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