Do you have a comment or question? Send it to the vikings.com Mailbag! Every Monday during the offseason we’ll post several comments and/or questions as part of the vikings.com Monday Morning Mailbag feature. Although we can’t post every comment or question, we will reply to every question submitted.
To submit a comment or question to the mailbag, send an email to Mike Wobschall at wobschallm@vikings.nfl.net. Remember to include your name and town on the email.
Has LT 
-- Sean R.
Dauphin, Manitoba
Without the team being in pads and with contact prohibited during the offseason program and mandatory minicamp, it’s difficult to get an accurate gauge on the progress Kalil is making. From what I’ve seen and heard so far, though, Kalil seems to be doing well with learning the offense and proper technique. C
“All you have to do is go watch how he moves. He’s a freak, an absolute freak. I’m just talking about movement skills. He is so fast for how big he is. It’s unbelievable. I’m talking great technique. I’m talking cutting off a linebacker from the back side…He moves incredibly well. I can’t say he’s a road-grader yet because obviously we don’t have pads on, but I’d be shocked if he weren’t. He’s a monster.”
Hearing that from a veteran leader such as Sullivan is obviously a great sign.
Does WR
-- Sheri S.
Minneapolis, MN
What happened with Harvin last week is something that you see periodically in the NFL as just a part of the business side of the sport, but I can understand why it caught fans off-guard and caused anxiety. Fortunately, the Vikings and Harvin did a great job working through the process and now the situation seems to have settled down. This was a great test for the Vikings organizational structure with Rick Spielman as the GM working in coordination with Head Coach Leslie Frazier to handle a player-team issue. Both Spielman and Frazier did a nice job of handling the issue.
Following the conclusion of last week’s mandatory minicamp, Harvin tweeted the following: “I'm really clueless on the crazy reports...had great prac today ....to all my real fans and real vikes fans see u at Mankato..salute”
That is an indication to me that the team and Harvin got on the same page and the situation is now water under the bridge.
The Vikings have few players on the NFL's Top 100 Players list (
-- James M.
Greenway is underestimated nationally, in my opinion. He’s everything you want out of a linebacker – athletic, durable, productive, and he’s a leader on and off the field. Greenway has led the Vikings in tackles every seasons since 2008, including a career-high 154 tackles last season; he’s also led the team in tackles for a loss the past two seasons. Since missing his rookie season with a knee injury, Greenway has not missed a game, and he earned his first Pro Bowl appearance this year.
Part of the reason for Greenway not gaining the national recognition his performance deserves may be the fact that the Vikings have had two subpar seasons at the same time Greenway was having his best performances. Also, Greenway has just 2.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 0 interceptions over the past two seasons, so while his tackle numbers have been gaudy, the splash plays have been infrequent. A lot of times, it’s the splash plays that draw attention to a player’s accomplishments.
What are the Vikings going to do at middle linebacker?
-- George W.
North Platte, NE
It’s fair to be concerned about Brinkley’s durability given his injury history, but it’s also too early to give up on him. The Vikings are invested in Brinkley given the fact that he’s developed from a fifth-round pick back in 2008 to a reliable starter at the end of 2009, and given the fact that the Vikings stuck with him through a hip injury that cost him all of last season. Aside from the investment the team has in him, Brinkley also has the skill set you want out of a middle linebacker. He can fill gaps in the run game, he can move side-to-side to cover the whole field and chase running backs, and he’s determined to improve against the pass. Brinkley has missed practice time this offseason, which is disappointing, but it’s not reason to give up on him, especially if the next best option is to bring in a free agent off the street.
What can you tell us about QB
-- Jim S.
Hawley, MN
Bethel-Thompson was a standout at the Vikings rookie minicamp this past April, largely because of his arm strength and also because he was the best quarterback in the camp. From what I can tell through nine weeks of the offseason program, he does everything asked of him and has shown signs of improvement. The Vikings obviously have their starter in
Regardless of what happens with the Vikings, Bethel-Thompson is on the way to proving that he belongs in the NFL in some capacity, even if it’s as a developmental quarterback during the early stages of his career.
