What do you guys think about the amazing makeover of the team's defense? Will all those players mesh? Will their improvement offset the 1 TD-game the Vikings seemed to loose when Moss was not in the line up?

Losing Moss won't do much to their game. Their defense went from around a C- defense to around a solid B or B+ offense. Granted, Moss usually snatches some double coverage, but they have Braylon, Williams, and Clayton on their targets for Rd 1. Those guys all warrant double coverage in my book.

The one thing I wonder about MN is how do the pieces fit into a larger whole? FA rarely replicate their past performance with their new team. The record on en masse FA acquisitions is even worse. MN is not just plugging people in, but drastically changing their personel.

I look at their defense and still see no superstar or much of a pass rush. Their secondary and linebackers do look better, but I think we can match up against them.

I disagree that losing Moss will not factor into their offense. Of course, if they pick up Mike Williams that will offset that some.

I think that the offense will be fine. If the players that were picked up on defense can play together well and early, Minnesota should be extremely tough to beat.

Kevin Williams can pass rush like a mofo in my book, as his 12 sacks last season show. Udeze has a year under his belt now, watch him to be more of a factor in the rush. Lance Johnstone. Didn't he sack Joey 3 times in one game? I believe so. He had 11 sacks last season. I would have to say that their pass rush is better than ours.

Williams is good no question, but the rest of the guys other than Udeze are suspect in the rush department. Lancestone is an exception there as you point out, but I am not sure they can afford to play him much as he is such a liability against the run. They are about equal to us, I suppose, but did not get much pressure from their secondary and LBs, eventhough they blitzed a fair amount.

I think they still have several weaknesses: stopping the run up the middle and the deep ball, which figure to be our specialties. They have improved in coverage and running on the outside I imagine.

Their LBs are their biggest weaknesses now. They could be looking hard at DJ at #7. He would be a HUGE addition to their weak corp of LBs. Napolean Harris was a crappy trade IMO. Harris is not a starter IMO and a quality backup.

Also, with the #18, they could be looking at Clayton, or even Williamson (it would be stupid to pass if Williamson was around at 18). Either pick would greatly help their deep ball game.

Minn will be a force next year. The Lions will have to greatly step up their game in order to take the crown.

MN has a pretty full stable of LBs old and young, MLB and outside. I would have thought they are the one team that would not take DJ. It would not totally surprise me if MN took the second RB. They would seem to be stocked there, but if all the WRs are gone, it might pay to load up there. After all, they might not get a chance again, and all their stellar guys have some knock against them. I am not saying they will target a RB, but I could see them considering it.

They have quiete a bit of role players at rb, everyone specializing at something. If I were them, I wouldn't take one. But one of them , Moe williams maybe, is old. That could prompt a rb draft choice.

Williams is old, Onterio Smith is one strike away from a two year banishment, and Bennett has missed almost two seasons due to injury. Moore is good too. They could definitely get by with doing nothing. What I was saying is that they might take a rare opportunity to pick a franchise RB type of guy if the top 2 WRs were gone at #7.