Thread: E.J. Henderson excelling, teaching

I think you will be seeing

Napoleon Harris starting at MLB ---> Which I called 3months ago.

Leber on the strong side.

Chad on the weakside.

and E.J Henderson as backup MLB he may even beat Napo out for the job depending on their performances on the field.

I'm with ya Del, I've been waiting to see what Nappo could do with some GOOD coaching.

As far as the starters this year...


Leber-Strong Side
Nappo-Middle
Greenway-Weak Side



However if E.J. is playing like he is...we might not see Greenway at all this year. (Barring any injury to E.J.)Which quite frankly is fine with me.Competion at every postion!

Well if EJ is having the best camp out of the defenders how does he ride the bench?

I called it before camp, I don't think anyone will beat EJ out.

Unless Napo and Greenway really play their butts off... you will see EJ starting! I love all his potential and I really think this is his year, he was doing great the second half of last season and hopefully it will carry into this year and beyond! I would presonally like to see Greenway at the Weakside and EJ move back to the middle and become our MLB for this season and the future! I don't think Napo can hack it... but i guess we will see!

These articles are really starting to piss me off. I mean, I like to be as optimistic as the next guy, but come on. The hype is starting to bother me. Napo is a Pro Bowler! EJ is a star! Greenway is the next Lawrence Taylor!

I'll believe all of this when I see them producing on Sunday, which (with the exception of Greenway of course) they haven't done in the past.

"Ltrey33" wrote:

These articles are really starting to piss me off. I mean, I like to be as optimistic as the next guy, but come on. The hype is starting to bother me. Napo is a Pro Bowler! EJ is a star! Greenway is the next Lawrence Taylor!

I'll believe all of this when I see them producing on Sunday, which (with the exception of Greenway of course) they haven't done in the past.

How do you know that they aren't doing great! From what I have seen the players have looked really good and Troy Will looks great.

Maybe having real coaches who are teaching the players and running the organization like a real NFL franchise instead of the joke of the NFL and having the three stooges (Red, Tice & Cottrell) is bringing out the best in the players.

Posted on Wed, Aug. 09, 2006

[size=18px]Henderson playing well at linebacker[/size]

BY DAVE CAMPBELL
ASSOCIATED PRESS

MANKATO, Minn. - The linebacker group, though deep and athletic, is far from settled, but E.J. Henderson has been playing well at the weakside spot this camp -- making several big hits over the middle.

"He shows up at the football and doesn't take a lot of time to get there," Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress said. "He's down in weight, so he's moving fast and he's got good strike ability."

Two years ago, Henderson struggled to grasp the scheme and failed as the starter in the middle. He played better last year, taking over at the weakside position. This summer, he has enjoyed the new scheme under defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin.

"It's a lot more vanilla," Henderson said. "It takes a lot more of the questions out of it, compared to maybe what we've done in the past."

The Vikings have been committed, so far, to establishing Napoleon Harris at the middle spot. Childress said that Henderson probably would not get a look there for now because his skills -- speed and reaction -- are better suited for the outside.

BIG PAT

Childress deferred comment on whether defensive tackle Pat Williams would play in Monday's exhibition game.

Childress said he would address the subject of playing time against Oakland on Sunday for all players including Williams, who was held out the first week of training camp to work on his conditioning.

The coach mostly demurred on specific questions about the situation, which Williams has declined to discuss himself. Childress declined to confirm that Williams was back at the target weight set for him by the team at the beginning of camp.

"That's between Pat and I," he said.

Childress said that Williams never took part in the pre-camp conditioning test held the morning of the first full-squad practice. He again claimed, also, that the decision was made as much out of precaution for a heavy, older player in the heat as it was to punish Williams for narrowly missing his weight goal.

"I'm going to use discretion in terms of when he practice. He's back and he's done everything we asked him to," Childress said. "He didn't like it. I didn't like it."

QUICK HITS

Rookie cornerback Charles Gordon watched from the sideline on crutches, a day after having surgery on his left knee. He is expected back in three to four weeks.

• Safety Tank Williams -- who is out for the season -- is in Alabama, where he was scheduled to have surgery today on his broken kneecap with Dr. James Andrews.

• Defensive tackle Kevin Williams was back at practice after missing two days because of swelling in his surgically repaired right knee. It's a chronic problem, according to Childress, but Williams has said he's fine.

• Running back Chester Taylor, who had been limited the past few days because of soreness in his left leg, took part in the entire practice and was thrown to frequently out of the backfield during 11-on-11 team drills.

Henderson playing well at linebacker

I undestand that all frist rounders aren't able to produce right away, but LB's are usually able to. While I want nothing more than our LB's to play great, whoever it is, it gives me a bad feeling knowing that we may have another 1st rounder riding the pine. I suppose on the bright side.... when someone gets hurt, or leaves after the season, we would have a very capable back-up.

The best scenario the Vikings could have is that the other linebackers are playing at such a high level (regular season will tell the tale) that Greenway doesn't win a starting job and learns this year as a backup.

This would mean that are LBers are playing great and that we will have a good linebacking corps for years to come.

If Greenway is starting then there are 2 scenarios that I see, 1. he just flat out beat EJ for the starting job. 2. EJ was switched to the middle which means that Harris and Thomas have both failed and our Lbers are going to be a problem.

So I hope that Greenway spends the season as a backup to EJ and they can fight it out next year in training camp for the starting job.

"whackthepack" wrote:

"Ltrey33" wrote:

These articles are really starting to piss me off. I mean, I like to be as optimistic as the next guy, but come on. The hype is starting to bother me. Napo is a Pro Bowler! EJ is a star! Greenway is the next Lawrence Taylor!

I'll believe all of this when I see them producing on Sunday, which (with the exception of Greenway of course) they haven't done in the past.

How do you know that they aren't doing great! From what I have seen the players have looked really good and Troy Will looks great.

Maybe having real coaches who are teaching the players and running the organization like a real NFL franchise instead of the joke of the NFL and having the three stooges (Red, Tice & Cottrell) is bringing out the best in the players.

Well I certainly HOPE you're right, but we were hearing the same exact things last year. Everyone looked great, the defense was improved and dominating...blah blah blah. I just think if you took every team's press clippings from around the league at this time of year everyone looks like they are going to win the Super Bowl.

I'm not saying I don't think they can do it or even that they won't do it, but I'm not counting my chickens before they hatch (like I did last year).