Kevin Williams News

Historically, one of the strengths of the Minnesota Vikings has been the defensive line.

Gerald Hodges during an interception drill during the Vikings 2013 Rookie Mini-Camp at Winter Park Friday morning May 3, 2013.

Football Outsiders, in addition to running statistical analysis on NFL games, also employs dozens of volunteer game charters to pick up on things missed by the basic box score.

The expectations for the Minnesota Vikings ' three draft picks is extremely high, perhaps to the point of being unrealistic.

This video evidence shows Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman focused on trading up to secure the services of Tennessee receiver Cordarrelle Patterson -- a move to get not just his guy, but the team's guy, with the investment of months of scouting riding on his ability to pull it off.

Punter Chris Kluwe is expected to meet with Vikings brass again Monday and it could be the pivotal day in his future, or lack thereof, with the Minnesota Vikings.

It struck me during the draft, while watching the Rams go hard after Tavon Austin and Alec Ogletree , that there are four kinds of draft strategists in football today: a Those who mostly sit near or right where they are high in the draft and let the draft come to them.

The Vikings' veterans finished Phase One of their offseason conditioning program as the rookies prepare for the start of their first minicamp.

The 2013 NFL draft is in the books and the Minnesota Vikings have to be thrilled with how things played out for them, making three first-round selections for the first time since 1967.

The 2013 NFL draft is in the books and the Minnesota Vikings have to be thrilled with how things played out for them, making three first-round selections for the first time since 1967.

The 2013 NFL Draft weekend proved, once again, that it is not only great to be a Florida Gator: It also pays off.

Top Pick Analysis: Vikings general manager Rick Spielman scored big on the first day, snaring a pair of sliders in Floyd and Rhodes before trading back in for a third first-round pick and nabbing playmaker extraordinaire Patterson.

Packers GM Ted Thompson, left, team president Mark Murphy, center, and coach Mike McCarthy share a laugh in Green Bay's draft room at Lambeau Field on Thursday night.

The Vikings had a need at defensive tackle. Since the departure of Pat Williams in 2010, the defense has fallen in its ability to defend the run.

The Mall of America Field was full of Minnesota Vikings' faithful gathering to see what the future held for their favorite National Football League team.

The Bengals have lost two consecutive years to the Texans in the Wild Card Round, and it was mostly because they couldn't generate any Offense consistently.

Geno Smith was criticized for not going to the Senior Bowl. Matt Barkley was coming off a shoulder separation and wasn't considered to have a powerful arm.

Perhaps you thought the first 21/2 hours of Thursday's NFL Draft felt a little peculiar, what with eight offensive linemen taken among the top 20 picks with only one quarterback and zero running backs selected all night.

Nearly half the players drafted will probably not become good NFL players. Half of them will be busts and only a couple will become elite players.

Floyd had 13 tackles for loss and 6A1 2 sacks for the Gators as a junior last season.