Unser Chat » The Minnesota Vikings had just secured their new quarterb

EAGAN Danielle Hunter Jersey , Minn. — ack with the splash move of the NFL’s offseason. Coach Mike Zimmer was busy working on addressing another area that needed an upgrade.More Vikings coveragePhotos of the Week: 7/21/19 – 7/27/19Rookie Bradbury is central figure to Vikings’ overhauled offensive lineVikings depth at cornerback being tested, Hughes still not clearedPlayers to watch at Minnesota Vikings 2019 training campTop Tweets: Vikings WR Diggs makes push for All-NFL Style TeamThe same day Kirk Cousins was introduced with his $84 million fully guaranteed contract, Zimmer was watching video of some of the top defensive tackle prospects in the upcoming draft. Then the solution literally walked into his office to greet him. Sheldon Richardson was at team headquarters on a free agent visit, which the Vikings didn’t let him leave without signing him to a one-year, $8 million deal .As important as Cousins has been and will continue to be, the value of adding Richardson can’t be overlooked. His presence on the interior at the position next to the nose tackle commonly called the “three technique” has provided a critical boost to the defense in both stopping the run and rushing the quarterback.“Sheldon’s done a great job of coming in here and kind of fitting into our culture and the way we do things,” Zimmer said, crediting Richardson as well as defensive line coach Andre Patterson.According to SportRadar, Richardson is fourth among all NFL interior defensive linemen with 21 quarterback pressures, behind Aaron Donald (53), Fletcher Cox (26) and Geno Atkins (25). Richardson had two sacks last week against Green Bay, a bonus from a position where disruption in the backfield is the priority.The three technique is a less-heralded role on the team than the premier edge pass rusher or the ball-hawking safety. But it’s essential to Zimmer’s scheme to keep the linebackers free to roam from side to side, limit the rushing yardage up the middle http://www.thevikingslockerroom.com/authentic-trevor-siemian-jersey , and reduce double teams on the defensive ends. The Vikings seek first-step and lateral quickness from their three technique, which gets its name from a long-ago-established numbering system for designating alignments by defensive linemen.“He does those things really well, but the thing that kind of surprised me a little bit is the power that he has with it,” Zimmer said. “The good three techniques I have been around have all kind of had those qualities.”Richardson, a first-round draft pick by the New York Jets in 2013 out of Missouri, was the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year before eventually falling out of favor and being traded to Seattle. After one season with the Seahawks, Richardson was widely considered the best available player at his position on the market last spring. His decision to sign with a contending team on a prove-it contract has set him up well for a much bigger payday.“It’s a blue-collar organization,” said Richardson, who turned 28 on Thursday. “One of the main reasons why I like the organization is nobody is a prized possession here. No politics. They don’t play their draft picks sometimes. You can pay a guy a lot of money, but he won’t play if he’s not up to par.”The Vikings play at New England on Sunday, with pressure on Tom Brady a must for slowing down the Patriots and their prolific attack. The defense has been especially successful lately at generating a rush from the front four without having to send an extra blitzer or two from the linebackers or defensive backs.“That’s how we want it, too,” Richardson said. “We’re happy when they get it Womens George Iloka Jersey , but it’s like, ‘Man, that could’ve been us.’ Usually when those guys get sacks, we turn into offensive linemen basically.”The Patriots have plenty of experience defending him, of course, from the eight times they faced the Jets over his first four seasons.“He’s a great player, and he was certainly a problem when he was in this division,” coach Bill Belichick said, adding: “He’s strong. He’s hard to knock off the ball. He’s smart. He reads blocking schemes well. He’s quick and athletic and explosive on the pass rush, and he can run through guys and he can run around them.” The last pick of Day 3 answered questions from the Twin Cities media" />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteDaily Norsemana Minnesota Vikings communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpFanpostsFanshotsSectionsLibraryVikingsOddsShopAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Vikings 2018 SeasonVikings 2019 OffseasonU.S. Bank StadiumMinnesota Vikings PodcastsFiled under:Minnesota Vikings 2019 NFL DraftTranscript: Conference Call with Minnesota Vikings third-round pick Alexander Mattison New,10commentsThe last pick of Day 3 answered questions from the Twin Cities mediaCDTShareTweetShareShareTranscript: Conference Call with Minnesota Vikings third-round pick Alexander Mattison Brian Losness-USA TODAY SportsAfter a flurry of trade activity, the Minnesota Vikings made Boise State running back Alexander Mattison the final selection of Round 3 of the 2019 NFL Draft. Shortly after he was picked, he got an opportunity to sit down and answer a few questions from the Twin Cities media on a conference call.Thanks to the Minnesota Vikings’ Public Relations department Dalvin Cook Jersey , we have the transcript of that call for your reading pleasure. It’s not as long as the other two Conference Call transcripts we’ve published thus far, but it’s still provides a little insight.I’d like to thank Coach [Mike] Zimmer, Rick Spielman, Coach [Kennedy] Polamalu, the entire coaching staff and the Vikings organization for believing in me and giving me the chance to make my dreams turn to reality. I am just so blessed right now. I really can’t explain the emotion. I am so grateful and I can’t wait to become a Viking, get out there and get to work and be able to produce for this organization.Q: Can you walk us through the end of the 2018 season and how you handled the workload with the amount of carries you had?A: It was just the right timing. We needed some things to happen and I was able to put myself in a position to step up to the plate. I told my coaches, “I’ll never shy away from anything.” I am so grateful that they were able to tell me, “We are going to put the team on your back. You’re going to get these carries here and carries there.” Half of the time I didn’t even realize how many carries I had during those games. It felt amazing to be able to get out there and play with my brothers. I just gave it everything I had and laid it on the line. I knew that in order for us to be successful, I was going to have to do that so that was how those games played out and my mentality on that.Q: What would you say your biggest strength is at running back?A: I think my versatility is a part of it. I think I also am a smart football player. I feel like I make great decisions while I am out there on the field. I play very instinctive. Along with that, that versatility kind of pays off and I think that makes me the back that I am.Q: What is your mindset in absorbing contact getting short yardage situations?A: I love it. All last season I played with the mindset of playing fast and physical. That is the first thing you’ll hear come out of my mouth after any game is if I played fast and physical or not. That is the kind of style I look to play and hopefully I can come and bring that to Minnesota.Q: How important is this for your family given some of the hardships you’ve faced growing up?A: It’s very important. That is part of the reason why I kind of decided to come out. A lot of it had to do with making the decision for myself but also thinking about my family. It’s been a long road and I am just so grateful for this moment right now.Q: What are your thoughts of coming in and playing behind Dalvin Cook?A: I am just looking forward to the opportunity to come in and go ahead and be anything that the teams need me to be- special teams, offense. I am willing to work and put in the work and contribute as much as I can and any way that I can. I am just going to work my butt off. I am looking forward to play with Dalvin. I’ve watched him play and I look up to how he runs and how he carries himself. I can’t wait to get in there and collaborate and make that running back backfield a dynamic duo.