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I'm bored. Let's get some more discussion going prior to training camp. Tell me the names of two players on the Vikings, one that you feel will take a big step forward this season, and one you are worried will take a big step backward.

Obviously this excludes the rookies.

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720pete wrote:I'm bored. Let's get some more discussion going prior to training camp. Tell me the names of two players on the Vikings, one that you feel will take a big step forward this season, and one you are worried will take a big step backward.

Obviously this excludes the rookies.

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I will say that Ponder takes 2 steps forward and Cassel takes one step back.

↑ Jarius Wright
↑ Derek Cox

↓ Jerome Simpson
↓ Sharrif Floyd

Hope I'm wrong about the latter but that's my gut feeling.

Step forward: Sharrif Floyd, Jarius Wright, Josh Robinson, Cordarrelle Patterson

Step backward: Chad Greenway

I think Patterson is already a first rate returner and an all-around offensive weapon. But I think he'll improve greatly in his WR duties, including route running and playing as a starter.

I'm hoping Greenway can bounce back from last season. I'm concerned about wear and tear, and if he's beginning to slow down.

It's possible that the newer and hopefully more aggressive offensive and defensive schemes may help a lot of the players improve.

Step forward: Rudolph, Rhodes, H. Smith, Patterson, Fusco, Locke, Griffen, Cox

Step backward: Simpson, Sendejo, Sanford, Robison, Charlie Johnson

Step Forward: The O-Line, Robinson

Step Back: Charlie Johnson, Jerome Simpson

Step forward: Vikings offense, Vikings defense.
Step backward: Nobody

Forward
Patterson, Peterson, Kalil, Mauti, Cole, Secondary, Simpson

Back
Charlie Johnson,

Step Forward: Wright, Patterson, Cole

I sure hope this is Wright's year. I do remember everyone saying before last season that it was going to be his breakout year. Sure hop this is the year he finally can be showcased for the beast he is. Definitely loved seeing Ponder throw that bomb over Sherman's head to Wright in the endzone in Seattle last year, but they didn't get the ball to him enough all year and he would kinda just disappear for long stretches.

Step Backwards: Greenway

He is already stepping backwards, but this year, further ...

Breakout: Harrison Smith, Cordarrelle Patterson

Step back: Adrian Peterson, Greg Jennings

S197 wrote:↑ Jarius Wright
↑ Derek Cox

↓ Jerome Simpson
↓ Sharrif Floyd

Hope I'm wrong about the latter but that's my gut feeling.

Step back from _what_? I have the same gut feeling about Floyd, but it could hardly be considered a step back. Failure to step UP, maybe.

dead_poet wrote:Step forward: Rudolph, Rhodes, H. Smith, Patterson, Fusco, Locke, Griffen, Cox

I forgot about Xavier Rhodes. Yeah, I believe he could take a nice step forward.

Not expecting more much from Jeff Locke. I think we've already seen most of what he's capable of doing.

Eli wrote: Step back from _what_? I have the same gut feeling about Floyd, but it could hardly be considered a step back. Failure to step UP, maybe.

That's probably a better way to phrase it although it's mostly semantics. In the case of some of the unproven guys (Floyd, Cole, Mauti, etc.) we're basically talking about living up to expectations or not.

Eli wrote:Not expecting more much from Jeff Locke. I think we've already seen most of what he's capable of doing.

Why? Because he's a punter?

S197 wrote: That's probably a better way to phrase it although it's mostly semantics. In the case of some of the unproven guys (Floyd, Cole, Mauti, etc.) we're basically talking about living up to expectations or not.

I suppose when you need to have a breakout year to meet expectations, then it could be thought of as the same thing. On the other hand, guys like Kyle Rudolph and Harrison Smith don't need that to prove themselves, but either could have a big year that puts him on a different level within the NFL at his position.

Cole and Mauti were 7th round draft picks, so there were never any big expectations there. A lot of fans are really pulling for them, but both are underdogs, albeit for very different reasons.