Adrian Peterson and quarterbacks continue to be the topics on the minds of Minnesota Vikings fans.
Some of the concern regarding the quarterback position and who would be the starting quarterback going forward was answered this week as Matt Cassel was put on injured reserve, ending his season. Teddy Bridgewater is Minnesota's quarterback for the rest of the season and he will have the opportunity to hold the job long-term.
Peterson is gone from the team while he handles his legal matter and his future is uncertain. He will be on the commissioner's exempt list until his case is resolved. There's no denying that his status beyond 2014 is in doubt. Peterson is scheduled to make $13 million next season as a 30-year-old running back. He would count $15.4 million against the salary cap and $2.4 million in dead money if he were released.
Here's what else is on your minds:
Question: Any chance we go out and look for a RB or CB this week? Run game is no threat right now and corners can't stay healthy. -- Zach, New Ulm, Minn.
Answer: As of Wednesday, Minnesota had made the roster moves to account for the loss of tight end Kyle Rudolph, quarterback Matt Cassel and right guard Brandon Fusco. Tight end Chase Ford and offensive lineman Austin Wentworth were promoted to 53-man roster from the practice squad. Quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson and tight end Ryan Otten were added to the practice squad.
Those constitute the only moves the Vikings are likely to make this week. Minnesota will go into Sunday's game with its running backs and cornerbacks set as they've been on the roster. The Vikings will stick with their current depth at the running back and cornerback positions, at least for the short-term.
If running backs Matt Asiata, Jerick McKinnon and Joe Banyard don't provide production, the Vikings will be forced to look outside. Cornerback Josh Robinson is dealing with a hamstring injury again, which likely leads to more time for rookie Jabari Price. If the injuries in the secondary persist, Minnesota will have to find more help.
Q: Do the Vikings need to line up with a tight end on the left side to help Kahil out? He is struggling. -- Jason, Wessington Springs, S.D.
A: Left tackle Matt Kalil's struggles are cause for concern but coach Mike Zimmer said he isn't discouraged. Zimmer noted Kalil might have "three or four bad plays" but is "pretty good" for "93 percent of the game."
Minnesota will continue to work with Kalil and try to improve the overall pass protection of the line. In some cases, yes, it's possible a tight end might chip or line up on the left side. However, it's more likely the Vikings will stick with the alignments as part of their offense.
Kalil has the talent to be a lockdown, blindside left tackle. Instead of getting Kalil help, the most important piece would be getting him back to the Pro Bowl level he displayed as a rookie. Last year wasn't as good for Kalil, but he was dealing with knee injuries. We haven't heard about any injury issues this year.
Q: The Vikings have to get the running game going. What about more plays for Patterson, or bring up Joe Banyard from the practice squad. He has the speed, vision, and the moves. -- Mike, Minneapolis
A: Banyard is on the active roster. He was promoted from the practice squad after Peterson was declared inactive. A lot of fans are interested in Banyard and believe he's the answer to the team's running game troubles. Banyard led the team in rushing in the preseason to really catch everyone's attention.
Minnesota will continue to look for answers and if Asiata isn't supplying enough and McKinnon continues to have a small role, Banyard might get his shot. For now, I believe the Vikings will stick with a mix of Asiata and likely increase McKinnon's role.
Q: Dear Brian, I count every second, minutes, hours and days and wait eagerly to watch my beloved team. And (as always?) we stink and suck big-time and it hurts. Our running game was pretty much non-existent. Why even run the ball? I feel sorry for Cassel but man, I am so glad to see Teddy! Can we expect to see more big plays from Teddy. I believe we got great players like Patterson, Jennings, Rudolph. Why not utilize Patterson more than he is currently used? Not using him often is hurting Vikings and also my Fantasy Team. Can you pleaseeeee give Norv a call and FORCE him to use Patterson more? . . . -- SAD Vikes Fan, Sioux Falls, SD
A: Sorry, I'm powerless when it comes to football decisions. However, I do believe Bridgewater will be able to stretch the field and utilize Minnesota's playmakers. In three games this season, Cassel averaged 6.0 yards per attempt. Bridgewater, in his nearly three quarters on Sunday, averaged 7.5 yards per attempt, a strong figure and a sign of the big-play potential.
Rudolph is out for an extended period after having sports hernia surgery on Tuesday. But I also believe Patterson will have a bigger role going forward. Offensive coordinator Norv Turner will need to get Patterson and Greg Jennings more involved, especially in light of the offense being without Peterson and Rudolph.
Q: Can we trade Munnerlyn he doesn't seem to understand that we don't want to see him on lowlight reels. Too many avoidable situations with him causing bad field position or bad outcomes because of his decisions. -- Doug, Maple Grove, Minn.
A: Have to admit, this wasn't a question I was expecting to see this week. Munnerlyn's penalty, when he was called for unnecessary roughness for taking down New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, was a costly one. The penalty kept a drive alive and the Saints scored a touchdown to finish off a 20-9 Minnesota loss.
However, Munnerlyn has proven to be a vital part of the Vikings, finally a veteran voice in the secondary to help young cornerbacks like Xavier Rhodes, Josh Robinson and Jabari Price. He's a valuable member of the secondary and a solid cornerback to help Minnesota's defense.
Q: What happens if Peterson isn't convicted? What would it take for him to play again for the Vikings? -- Joel Brown, Denver, Colo.
A: To be honest, I'm not sure what it will take for Peterson to return to the Vikings. If he isn't convicted, it's quite possible the team will let him return. But fans and sponsors have spoken, loudly, about their disappointment with Peterson's situation and haven't been worried about the legal ramifications.
If Peterson is available to return next season, the team will likely be in the situation where it must take a hard look at the money being paid to Peterson, the production they expect from him at 30 years old and virtually taking a year off, as well as the possibility of replacements. I'm not sure many really know what to expect from Peterson in the future.
Q: Do/will the Vikings submit the Brees sack for review by the league? We didn't get an Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty that would have been offsetting, but maybe we can still get Brees a fine? . . . -- John Dufresne, Eau Claire, Wis.
Q: Why does the NFL pamper the only the best QBs in the league? Brees was still fighting to get out of of the vikings grasp. They tackled him. They need to put tu-tu s on these quarterbacks. It's ruining the game. -- Pat, Fargo, N.D.
A: Thought I would try to tackle the Brees-Munnerlyn play. . . Watching in real time, I didn't have an issue with Munnerlyn's takedown of Brees. However, I was afraid a penalty was coming as soon as Munnerlyn arched his back and pulled Brees off his feet.
In fairness, the play was called according to the rules. It was Munnerlyn's bending backward to lift Brees up and slam him down. It does call into question whether quarterbacks are overprotected and I certainly believe Munnerlyn, at 5-foot-9, was doing all he could to tackle Brees. Some leeway is needed. Munnerlyn wasn't trying to hurt Brees. He was simply following through on the play.
Q: With so many injuries (Rudolph, Greenway, Cassel), who do you think will shine/step up in the coming days? When do we expect to see some explosive big time plays from Vikings? . . . -- COME ON VIKES DO SOMETHING, Sioux Falls, S.D.
A: A few people who might step up over the next few weeks to help replace Rudolph, Greenway and Cassel: Chase Ford, Gerald Hodges and, of course, Bridgewater. Ford will get the chance to be a receiving tight end. Hodges will be given more of a shot at linebacker and certainly played well in his limited chances on Sunday. He ended up second on the team with seven tackles despite playing just 18 defensive snaps.
Bridgewater leads me to . . .
Q: Tough loss for the Vikes in the Big Easy. I'll be at TCF on Sunday for Teddy Bridgewater's first NFL start against Atlanta. Do you think he can match Atlanta's talented offense and ultimately win? And if so, does he prove himself capable of carrying this team to the postseason? -- Sean D., St. Cloud, Minn.
Q: Do you think Greg Jennings will have a productive day against the Falcons with Bridgewater at QB? -- Breesers, Baton Rouge, La.
A: Bridgewater will be making his first NFL start on Sunday against the Falcons. He should be better prepared for the situation after being thrust into the lineup when Cassel was hurt Sunday. Bridgewater had to go play with a 13-3 deficit, facing a Rob Ryan defense in the loud Superdome.
This week, he will get the chance to be at home -- and we've certainly seen the TCF Bank Stadium crowd get behind Bridgewater already this season. He's also facing Atlanta's 25th-ranked pass defense. The Falcons have allowed 262.7 passing yards per game. They also have just three sacks to go with two interceptions.
Bridgewater, Jennings and others will have chances to make plays, and I believe Bridgewater will get the receivers more involved and stretch the field a bit.
Q: Will adam thielen see more playing time now that simpson is gone? -- neil wiltse, Fargo, N.D.
A: Simply put, I do see Adam Thielen being a bigger part of the offense with Jerome Simpson released. But it might not be a big role. We've seen how much Thielen has played in the past three games when Simpson wasn't around. Thielen played 11 offensive snaps last week.
The pecking order at wide receiver still goes Patterson, Jennings and Jarius Wright as the first three receivers. Thielen is typically the fourth receiver and Rodney Smith will also get chances. Smith has been limited with a hamstring injury. Thielen is also counted on for his blocking at receiver.
Q: Do you think the vikings would give up a draft pick and go and get Christine michaels from the seahawks, tons of talent sitting behind lynch? -- jim, Loyal, Wis.
A: I don't see Minnesota giving up a draft pick for Seattle backup Christine Michaels. Last I've heard, the Seahawks are high on Michael and will one day be having to replace their own aging running back in Marshawn Lynch.
Q: whats with the dull helmets, the helmets are dull so is the team -- art Ortiz, Colton, Calif.
A: Are you going for the easy joke here? I like the matte helmets. There are parts of the new uniforms that I don't think look as good, such as the tail on the numbers, but I think the helmets are sharp. What does everyone else think?
Thank you for your submissions. We received an overwhelming response this week. Unfortunately we couldn't get to all of your questions. We tried to answer as wide of a range of submissions as possible. I hope we continue to hear from you in the future. Our Vikings mailbag runs once a week on Thursday mornings during the regular season. Be sure to check FOXSportsNorth.com for upcoming mailbags.
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