The defending NFC North Champion Minnesota Vikings (13-3 in 2017) open the 2018 preseason slate at the Denver Broncos (5-11 in 2017) on Saturday, August 11. Kickoff is set for 8:00 p.m. CT at Broncos Stadium at Mile High. The game will be simulcast live locally on FOX 9 and KFAN 100.3 FM. The simulcast team features Paul Allen and Pete Bercich in the booth with Greg Coleman and Ben Leber on the sideline.
The Vikings have earned an 14-3 (.824) preseason mark under Head Coach Mike Zimmer, who has led the club to 2 undefeated preseasons in his 4 seasons at the helm. Prior to dropping the 2015 preseason finale to Tennessee, 24-17, the Vikings boasted a perfect 8-0 preseason mark under Zimmer.
Minnesota's top free agent signings, QB Kirk Cousins and DT Sheldon Richardson, are expected to make their Vikings debut vs. Denver, while top draft pick, CB Mike Hughes, who was selected with the 30th pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, is slated to make his NFL debut against the Broncos.
TELEVISION: FOX 9 (Channel 9 in Minneapolis/St. Paul)
Play-by-Play: Paul AllenAnalyst: Pete Bercich
Sideline Reporter: Greg Coleman/Ben Leber
LOCAL RADIO: KFAN-FM 100.3/KTLK-AM 1130
Play-by-Play: Paul AllenAnalyst: Pete Bercich
Sideline Reporter: Greg Coleman/Ben Leber
Pre-Game Show: Mike Mussman – 6:00 p.m. CT
KFAN and KTLK serve as the flagship stations for the 63-station, 5-state Vikings Radio Network.
VIKINGS IN THE PRESEASON
* The Vikings have a combined record of 154-99-3 (.605) in their 256 preseason games.
* The team has finished undefeated in the preseason 8 times (1964, '65, '73, '92, '98, '01, '14, '16).
* The Vikings have finished with a .500 record or better 44 times in the team's 57 preseasons.
* Minnesota has finished .500 or better in the regular season 34 times after posting a .500 or better record in the preseason.
* The 13 preseasons in which the Vikings have finished below .500, the team went on to finish below .500 7 times in the ensuing regular season.
* Under Head Coach Mike Zimmer, the Vikings have compiled an 14-3 (.824) record in the 2014 (4-0), 2015 (4-1) and 2016 (4-0) and 2017 (2-2) preseasons.
NORSE NOTES
The Vikings had 7 Pro Bowlers - LB Anthony Barr, DE Everson Griffen, DT Linval Joseph, CB Xavier Rhodes, S Harrison Smith and WR Adam Thielen - 2 1st Team All Pros - Rhodes(CB) and Smith - and 3 2nd Team All-Pros - Griffen, Rhodes (DB) and Thielen after the 2017 season.
The Vikings defense held opponents to a 25.2% (51/202) 3rd-down conversion rate, the best mark in the NFL, while the offense converted on 43.5% (94/216) of 3rd downs, 3rd in the NFL.
WR Adam Thielen finished 2nd in the NFL in 3rd down receptions (32) and yards (428). 25 of his 32 catches converted 1st downs, which also ranks 2nd in the NFL.
TE Kyle Rudolph recorded his 2nd season with 50+ catches and 500+ yards and 5+ TDs in 2017, tying Steve Jordan for the most such seasons by a TE in team history.
The Vikings allowed only 27 sacks 2017, tied for the 7th fewest in the NFL and had 5 games without allowing a sack, tying a franchise record for most in a single season.
S Harrison Smith was one of two players in the NFL (Jordan Poyer , BUF) with 70+ tackles, 1.0+ sacks and 5+ INTs in 2017.
The Vikings defense allowed only 20 runs of 10+ yards in 2017 the fewest in the NFL that season and tied with the 1995 San Francisco 49ers for the fewest in the NFL since 1991.
2018 VIKINGS NOTES
VIKINGS RETURNING NUMBERS
Starters Returning............................................ 19 (9 offense, 10 defense)
Starters Lost....................... 3 (Joe Berger, Tom Johnson, Case Keenum)
Leading Returners Player (Total)
Passing Yards.......................................................................................... None
Rushing Yards......................................................... Latavius Murray (842)
Rushing TDs................................................................. Latavius Murray (8)
Receiving Yards......................................................... Adam Thielen (1,276)
Receiving TDs....................................... Stefon Diggs & Kyle Rudolph (8)
Tackles........................................................................... Eric Kendricks (136)
Sacks........................................................................... Everson Griffen (13.0)
Interceptions.................................................................. Harrison Smith (5)
Punt Return Yards.................................................... Marcus Sherels (372)
Kick Return Yards…………………………...Marcus Sherels (271)
VIKINGS ROSTER NOTES
Oldest Viking Player Terence Newman 39, born 9/4/78
Youngest Viking Player Holton Hill 21, born 3/11/97
Most Seasons as a Viking Brian Robison 12
Most NFL Seasons Terence Newman 16
College with the most Vikings UCLA 4
Conference with the most Vikings Big Ten 15 players on roster
Largest Viking:
Storm Norton (Height) 6-8
Linval Joseph (Weight) 329 lbs
Smallest Viking: 8 guys tied (Height) 5-10
Marcus Sherels (Weight) 175 lbs
1st-Round Draft Picks On Roster 10:
Anthony Barr
Mike Hughes
Terence Newman
Riley Reiff
Xavier Rhodes
Sheldon Richardson
Harrison Smith
Laquon Treadwell
Trae Waynes
Kendall Wright
Pro Bowlers: 10
Anthony Barr
Kirk Cousins
Everson Griffen
Linval Joseph
Latavius Murray
Terence Newman
Xavier Rhodes
Kyle Rudolph
Harrison Smith
Adam Thielen
Coaches who played in the NFL 1:
Jerry Gray
2018 ROSTER BREAKDOWN
*1ST ROUND (10) *
[5] Terence Newman (2003-DAL)
[9] Anthony Barr (2014)
[11] Trae Waynes (2015)
[13] Sheldon Richardson (2013-NYJ)
[20] Kendall Wright (2012-TEN)
[23] Riley Reiff (2012-DET)
[23] Laquon Treadwell (2016)
[25] Xavier Rhodes (2013)
[29] Harrison Smith (2012)
[30] Mike Hughes (2018)
2ND ROUND (6)
[41] Dalvin Cook (2017)
[43] Kyle Rudolph (2011)
[45] Eric Kendricks (2015)
[46] Linval Joseph (2010-NYG)
[54] Mackensie Alexander (2016)
[62] Brian O'Neill (2018)
3RD ROUND (2)
[70] Pat Elflein (2017)
[88] Danielle Hunter (2015)
4TH ROUND (6)
[100] Everson Griffen (2010)
[102] Brian Robison (2007)
[102] Kirk Cousins (2012-WAS)
[102] Jalyn Holmes (2018)
[109] Jaleel Johnson (17)
[120] Ben Gedeon (17)
5TH ROUND (7)
[146] Stefon Diggs (2015)
[151] David Parry (2015-IND)
[157] Tyler Conklin (2018)
[160] Kentrell Brothers (2016)
[161] Tavarres King (2013-DEN)
[167] Daniel Carlson (2018)
[180] Danny Isidora (2017)
*6TH ROUND (6) *
[181] Latavius Murray (2013-OAK)
[188] David Morgan (2016)
[193] Tom Compton (2012-WAS)
[211] Reshard Cliett (2015-HOU)
[213] Colby Gossett (2018)
[218] Ade Aruna (2018)
*7TH ROUND (6) *
[219] Stacy Coley (2017),
[220] Ifeadi Odenigbo (2017)
[225] Devante Downs (2018)
[244] Jayron Kearse (2016)
[245] Jack Tocho (2017)
[250] Trevor Siemian (2015-DEN)
*UNDRAFTED (38) *
Andrew Sendejo (2010-DAL)
Marcus Sherels (2010)
Kai Forbath (2011-DAL)
Ryan Quigley (2012-CHI)
Mike Remmers (2012-DEN)
Kevin McDermott (2013-SF)
Adam Thielen (2013)
Josh Andrews (2014-PHI)
Anthony Harris (2015)
C.J. Ham (2016)
Rashod Hill (2016-JAX)
Cayleb Jones (2016-PHI)
Tashawn Bower (2017)
Aviante Collins (2017)
Josiah Price (2017)
Horace Richardson (2017)
Eric Wilson (2017)
Jeff Badet (2018)
Chad Beebe (2018)
Mike Boone (2018)
Curtis Cothran (2018)
Garrett Dooley (2018)
Holton Hill (2018)
Tyler Hoppes (2018)
Craig James (2018)
Hercules Mata'afa (2018)
Trevon Mathis (2018)
Tray Matthews (2018)
Mike Needham (2018)
Peter Pujals (2018)
J.P. Quinn (2018)
Korey Robertson (2018)
Jonny Stanton (2018)
Brett Taylor (2018)
Roc Thomas (2018)
Jake Wieneke (2018)
Jonathan Wynn (2018)
Brandon Zylstra (2018)
[overall selection in brackets]
(year and team in parenthesis)
EXPERIENCE
16th Year (1)
Terence Newman
12th Year (1)
Brian Robison
9th Year (2)
Everson Griffen
Linval Joseph
8th Year (3)
Kyle Rudolph
Andrew Sendejo
Marcus Sherels
7th Year (5)
Kirk Cousins
Kai Forbath
Riley Reiff
Harrison Smith
Kendall Wright
6th Year (7)
Tom Compton
Kevin McDermott
Latavius Murray
Ryan Quigley
Mike Remmers
Xavier Rhodes
Sheldon Richardson
5th Year (2)
Anthony Barr
Adam Thielen
4th year (10)
Blake Bell
Stefon Diggs
Nick Easton
Anthony Harris
Danielle Hunter
Eric Kendricks
Tavarres King
David Parry
Trevor Siemian
Trae Waynes
3rd Year (9)
Josh Andrews
Mackensie Alexander
Kentrell Brothers
Mack Brown
Rashod Hill
Jayron Kearse
David Morgan
Laquon Treadwell
Stephen Weatherly
2nd Year (12)
Tashawn Bower
Reshard Cliett
Stacy Coley
Aviante Collins
Dalvin Cook
Cornelius Edison
Pat Elflein
Ben Gedeon
C.J. Ham
Danny Isidora
Jaleel Johnson
Eric Wilson
1st Year (8)
Cayleb Jones
Dieugot Joseph
Cedrick Lang
Storm Norton
Ifeadi Odenigbo
Josiah Price
Horace Richardson
Jack Tocho
Rookies (28)
Ade Aruna
Jeff Badet
Chad Beebe
Mike Boone
Daniel Carlson
Curtis Cothran
Tyler Conklin
Garrett Dooley
Devante Downs
Colby Gossett
Holton Hill
Jalyn Holmes
Tyler Hoppes
Mike Hughes
Craig James
Trevon Mathis
Tray Matthews
Mike Needham
Brian O'Neill
Peter Pujals
J.P. Quinn
Korey Robertson
Jonny Stanton
Brett Taylor
Roc Thomas
Jake Wieneke
Jonathan Wynn
Brandon Zylstra
