Monday Morning Mailbag: Backing Bailey, DT Depth & Emerging Leaders

[Viktor]

"He's a very bright player, so when guys are going to become Pro Bowlers and great players, you see them take huge steps from Year 1 to 2, 2 to 3, and you're watching that progression go with Brian," Kubiak added. "We're very happy to have Brian on our team. I think he's going to become a leader as well."


With Wilson, he sometimes gets overshadowed by Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr, but the defensive depth and special teams ability he provides is exceptional. He could grow into an even bigger role on defense if he's the starter in the base 4-3. Kendricks had plenty of praise for him last week, too.


"E-Wil is a beast, man. The guy is a mental beast. He's mentally capable of handling this game in all of its capacity," Kendricks said. "He's a physical beast. As far as the weight room, he's fast and he can hit anybody. And he has the football IQ. He does things with his instincts sometimes where he makes those reactions. He can do it all.


"And as far as special teams is concerned, he's proven himself every year," Kendricks added. "He's become a leader on this team, not by being vocal necessarily, but by doing the right things day in and day out."


The Vikings are fortunate to have proven veteran leaders all throughout the roster, but the players mentioned above could help drive the organization's success for years to come.


Hi, I am a lifelong fan who moved to Minnesota to be a season ticket holder! With the training camp cut short and no preseason games, how do you think it will impact the players' ability to showcase their talent and be able to move up from either practice squad or being a rookie, to the roster for this season? And how are the ones in charge of measuring their abilities preparing to make informed and accurate decisions? Thanks!


— Hilda Gutiérrez-Ortiz from Plymouth, Minnesota


First off, Hilda, I love your dedication to the team! I actually wrote about how the Vikings will construct the 2020 roster last week as it pertains to the unique circumstances this season.


You can find that story here, but the highlights are below:


— Extra eyes from scouts in practice


— More game-like situations/live contact in practice


— A bit of future predictions for player potential


Hope that helps with your question. How the team builds the roster for the season is a storyline I plan on following as camp unfolds.