Viktor
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
- 2,552
- 0
While each NFL team is looking for bright, young stars on its roster, they also know that success can’t happen without contributions and leadership from veteran players, too.
And if you’re looking at the Vikings, safety Harrison Smith and defensive tackle Linval Joseph certainly fall into that latter category.
Both players were recently named to the All Over-30 Team compiled by Andy Benoit of The MMQB. The list highlighted the longevity and success of players around the NFL.
Benoit wrote:
The pool of eligible players was small. Not counting special teamers, there are, on average, about seven players per team over 30 years old, which makes for 225 players leaguewide, and about 90 of them warranted consideration for this team. The point: the NFL players who make it into their 30s tend to be the really, really GOOD players — which seems obvious now that we’ve stopped to consider it. It is easier to find a star over 30 than a role player over 30.
Benoit went with Joseph at defensive tackle, as “Big Goon” is entering his sixth season in Purple and 10th in the NFL. A two-time Pro Bowler, Joseph has a dozen sacks with the Vikings but is also known for being an anchor in the trenches against the run.
Benoit paired Joseph, who is 30, with Jacksonville’s Calais Campbell at defensive tackle because he wanted “a pure nose shade tackle for run defense on early downs. Offenses will have nightmares dealing with Joseph’s and Campbell’s size together.”
Smith, meanwhile, has been to four consecutive Pro Bowls. The former first-round pick is the Vikings all-time franchise leader with four pick-sixes.
Benoit put Smith with safety Earl Thomas, the longtime Seahawks standout who is now with Baltimore.
Benoit wrote:
Thomas and Smith are still All-Pro caliber, simple as that. Smith’s presnap awareness allows us to disguise coverages.
The Vikings currently have six players who are at least 30 years old — Kirk Cousins, Joseph, Smith, Riley Reiff, Dan Bailey and Everson Griffen.