Vikings: Gordon emerging as leader in nickelback competition

MANKATO — No member of the Vikings coaching staff is going to admit it, but the reality is the majority of the front-line jobs on defense were sewn up before training camp started.

The one place where this was not the case was nickelback. Technically, the third cornerback used in passing situations might not be a fulltime starter, but given the amount of multiple-receiver sets NFL teams employ, having a quality defensive back at the position is a top priority. This is especially true for a Vikings team that was last in the league in pass defense in 2007.

The Vikings have spent the first week-plus of camp looking at three players and several different combinations for passing downs when either linebacker Chad Greenway or Ben Leber will be replaced.

"The thing you're looking for from the nickel position is guys that have the ability to cover in the slot and guys that have the ability to play like a linebacker," defensive backs coach Joe Woods said. "You want instinctive guys."

Charles Gordon spent much of last season in this role and appears to be the leading candidate to keep it. Benny Sapp, signed to a one-year free-agent contract in March, and second-year corner Marcus McCauley also are in the mix.

McCauley, who opened last season playing in the nickel but was replaced by Gordon in late October, might have fallen behind after suffering a knee injury Thursday in a joint practice against Kansas City. He has not practiced since but is expected back soon. The Vikings had their first off-day of training camp on Sunday.

One of the interesting things about this competition is it's not just about ability but also where the players can be used on the field as well as potential matchups. Gordon and Sapp, for instance, can play either the natural cornerback position or slide inside and cover the slot receiver. McCauley strictly lines up at the corner, meaning if he's used in the nickel, veteran Antoine Winfield slides from the left corner into the slot.

"It's a whole different ballgame," McCauley said of playing inside. "[Playing] the outside corner, it's you and a receiver. There is nobody outside of you. In nickel, you're inside and everybody is around you, so it's a whole lot more going on. You have a lot more reads. It's definitely more mentally challenging if you're inside."

That is something Winfield enjoys. He has made it clear his preference is to move inside in passing situations.

"That's where all the action is," said Winfield, who finds himself matched up against shorter but speedy receivers in the slot. "You get to blitz more. You get a lot more opportunities to make plays. But wherever they need me. Whether it's inside, outside, I'm willing to play."

The Vikings have spent practices experimenting with various combinations, sometimes having Winfield go inside and other times leaving him at his natural position. While no decisions have been made, Woods praises Winfield's ability to play inside.

"He's unbelievable," in that role, Woods said. "I came from Tampa Bay, and I saw Ronde Barber play nickel for two years. Ronde Barber is one of the best nickels if not the best, but Antoine is right there with him."

When Gordon replaced McCauley in the nickel last season, he was used in the slot. The coaching staff had worked with him on playing the position in practice but that was the first time he played it in a game.

"He did a great job," Woods said. "You never know what's going to happen during the season, and we always try to prepare guys in practice and move them around. Chuck knew what was going on. He's very, very smart. Chuck understands what everybody in the secondary is doing in each defense. So he had no problems."

But that doesn't mean Gordon is going to be handed the job over Sapp or McCauley.

"You're just looking for consistency," Woods said. "You're looking for improvement and you're looking for those guys to make plays on the field. If you can make a play on the field then you know they can do it in a game. So that's all we're doing. We're throwing them out there, we're giving them opportunities to be in every situation whether it's zone or man and we want to see if they can make a play."