Injuries to starters have forced players such as tackle Hercules Mata'afa to take extra snaps, which can be both an invaluable and humbling experience.
In an offseason marked by the Vikings’ yeoman effort to keep their defensive core together despite tight salary cap constraints, defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson nonetheless stood out as perhaps the most significant one that got away.
Richardson signed a three-year, $36 million contract with the Browns in March, again creating an opening at three-technique tackle after posting 4½ sacks last season. The Vikings brought back Shamar Stephen on a three-year deal to help replace Richardson, but so far in training camp, they haven’t been able to see much of their reworked defensive interior.