17 for '17: The 17 most important Vikings players in 2017
Here's our list of the 17 most important Vikings players going into the 2017 season. (Each playing is being added to this page as they are released, counting down from No. 17.) The rankings were made by Star Tribune football writers Matt Vensel and Andrew Krammer.
The most important Vikings player of 2017 is ... QB Sam Bradford
How Bradford plays in 2017 will not only factor significantly into whether the Vikings make the playoffs, but his performance is also likely to impact how they proceed at quarterback beyond this season.
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The 17 most important Vikings in 2017: No. 2, LT Riley Reiff
Despite some limitations, Coach Mike Zimmer believes Reiff will bring both physicality and a tough mindset to an offensive line that Zimmer called “soft” at one point last season.
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The 17 most important Vikings for 2017: No. 3, RT Mike Remmers
Lineman Mike Remmers returns to the Vikings with 35 consecutive starts under his belt in Carolina. He’ll need even more to help fix a dire situation.
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The 17 most important Vikings in 2017: No. 4, DE Danielle Hunter
More Hunter should mean more terror from the Vikings defensive line, which combined for 34 of the team’s 41 sacks a year ago.
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The 17 most important Vikings in 2017: No. 8, WR Stefon Diggs
Wide receiver Stefon Diggs has yet to establish himself as a star despite teasing the Vikings by occasionally terrorizing defensive backs. Can he up his game in 2017?
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The 17 most important Vikings in 2017: No. 9, S Harrison Smith
Perhaps the most compelling argument for Harrison Smith being the most valuable Vikings defender came near the end of 2016 season, after the star safety suffered a significant ankle injury.
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The 17 most important Vikings in 2017: No. 10, WR Laquon Treadwell
Treadwell’s one-catch rookie season is well documented after the Vikings made him the 23rd-overall pick a year ago. What’s important moving forward is whether or not Treadwell can remain on the field.
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The 17 most important Vikings in 2017: No. 11, CB Trae Waynes
It took a couple years longer than some Vikings fans would have liked, but Trae Waynes should be a full-time starter at cornerback this season.
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The 17 most important Vikings in 2017: No. 13, QB Teddy Bridgewater
Teddy Bridgewater might not play a single snap in 2017. But what happens over the next six months with Bridgewater will significantly impact the Vikings franchise for years to come.
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The 17 most important Vikings of 2017: No. 12, DT Linval Joseph
They don’t come much more underrated or reliable than Vikings nose tackle Linval Joseph, who has missed just five games in his last six NFL seasons
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The 17 most important Vikings in 2017: No. 14, DE Everson Griffen
To count down the days until Vikings rookies, quarterbacks and select veterans report to Mankato on July 23, we will reveal our ranking of the 17 most important Vikings players heading into the 2017 season.
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The 17 most important Vikings in 2017: No. 15, LB Eric Kendricks
Kendricks’ acceleration and instincts give the Vikings a rangy linebacker roving the middle of the field, critical in today’s game dominated by pass efficiency.
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The 17 most important Vikings in 2017: No. 16, C/G Pat Elflein
Elflein, a center drafted in the third round, will get a chance to make his move once the pads come on and become the latest former Buckeyes lineman to start as a rookie.
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The 17 most important Vikings in 2017: No. 17, RB Latavius Murray
To count down the days until Vikings rookies, quarterbacks and select veterans report to Mankato on July 23, we will reveal our ranking of the 17 most important Vikings players.
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