Minnesota Vikings Mentioned in Multiple PFF Articles

Over the last week, there were multiple Minnesota Vikings mentions in Pro Football Focus articles.

In the last week, the Minnesota Vikings have made mentions on Pro Football Focus, the football metrics website, for different reasons.

This website is known for their unique grading system. Some swear by it, and others swear by the old school ways of what they see on the tape.

First off, after Harrison Smith became the highest paid safety in the NFL yesterday, there was an article arguing that Smith is the NFL’s best safety. More reason for him to be paid like it.

Here is a look at their grading system for Smith over the last two seasons.

Here is a little snippet of what they had to say about Smith and his production.

"While arguments can be made that Kansas City’s Eric Berry and Seattle’s Earl Thomas are better pure-cover safeties, or that Miami’s Reshad Jones is a better run-defender, Smith is the only safety besides Philadelphia’s Malcolm Jenkins to finish in the top-10 in both run defense and coverage last year. He is also the only safety with positive grades in all three major categories (coverage, run defense, and pass rush) in both 2014 and 2015."

The next article with a Viking mention was titled the NFL’s Top 10 Unstoppable Forces. In this article they count down the best assets used by NFL players. Of course your top player on this list is JJ Watt’s swim move, but coming in at number 10 was Linval Joseph’s Power. Finally Joseph is starting to get some recognition for his amazing season.

Here is what they had to say about Joseph.

"It took awhile for Joseph to realize his raw potential, but now that he has, no nose tackle can match his proficiency against both the run and pass. Joseph had a ridiculous 39 reps at the combine back in 2010, despite having long, 34.5-inch arms. He now uses that strength to bench press centers and guards. No game of his (or any other nose tackle last season, for that matter) was more impressive than Week 9 against St. Louis, where he collected seven stops and an +11.4 overall grade."

Next they put together their projections for NFC teams for the upcoming season. On the top of the list they had the Arizona Cardinals. Ranked second was the Cardinals NFC West foes, the Seattle Seahawks. Then the Carolina Panthers followed by the Green Bay Packers. In fifth they had the Minnesota Vikings, who they projected to have a 10-6 record, loosing the division to the Packers by one game.

Here is what they had to say about the projections for the Vikings upcoming season.

"The Vikings were a playoff team last year, and it’s more likely they get better, rather than worse, in 2016. The defense could have the exact same starting lineup, and ideally, their stars of Linval Joseph, Anthony Barr, and Harrison Smith stay healthier during the late-season stretch. On offense, John Sullivan and Phil Loadholt return after missing last season, and Alex Boone and Andre Smith were brought in to help the line, as well. If this were 2012, the Vikings could have the best line in the league, but even if one or two of them return to their old form, the line will be improved compared to last year. Adrian Peterson’s age, the Vikings’ lack of depth at wide receiver, and uncertainty on the offensive line are all reason’s for concern, which prevents the Vikings from rising any higher on this list."

Lastly, they put together a list of the 10 Worst Offseason Moves of 2016. Sadly, the Vikings made this list, even if it was number 10. The reason for them putting the Vikings on this list was the additions to their offensive line, that most people are hinging the team’s season on, and how the players signed are far past their primes.

Here is what they had to say about the Vikings offseason moves.

"10. Vikings assembling the best O-line of 2012…in 2016It’s tempting to look back at the peak of a player’s performance and believe you can get that back out of them again, but going back too far rarely works out for teams (just look at the Colts’ free-agent strategy from a year ago). The Vikings appear to be attempting something similar this season, but only on the offensive line, where they have assembled a group of starters that may be the best O-line in football—if we were heading into the 2012 season.2012 was the best year in the careers of both Alex Boone (No. 3 overall guard that year) and Andre Smith (No. 1 RT), as well as the one season that Matt Kalil has looked like a capable NFL starter. It was also the best season that C John Sullivan has produced, though he, at least, has other comparable seasons on either side of that one.Phil Loadholt and Brandon Fusco—the other two players likely to challenge for a starting spot—had their best seasons in 2013, and the only player on this line who had an even halfway decent season in 2015 was Joe Berger, a longtime sixth-man and the person likely to find himself shuffled back to the bench.The cumulative talent of this group is huge, but you need to go back to 2013 to find good seasons from any of the projected starters, and even further to find it from the majority of them. Maybe the Vikings can find that level of play from them again, but it’s more likely that they will discover the folly of chasing past glories."

All in all, most of the mentions the Vikings had on this website over the last week were positive, with one being negative. With positive play from the offensive line this upcoming season they could dispell this list. Let’s hope that happens.