The Vikings have improved by two games each year under Brad Childress. A two game improvement in 2009 would be a 12 win season and likely a division title. One thing to keep in mind is that Pro Bowl defensive tackles Kevin and Pat Williams are possibly facing a suspension.

The Vikings run the ball well and stop the run well, what many feel are two keys to winning a Super bowl. Their offensive line gets a boost from rookie tackle Phil Loadholt from Oklahoma. He should man the right side of that line for the next several years. Mount McKinnie still hasn't excelled, but he is a fine left tackle. Guard Steve Hutchinson is probably the best guard in the NFL. Guard Anthony Herrera fills the other spot and can backup at center. The problem is replacing the wonderful Matt Birk at center. John Sullivan gets the chore, but they need a leader too. The Vikes have a little depth but could use another veteran free agent for depth.

Adrian Peterson led the NFL in rushing despite not being in on third downs or the two minute drill. He must improve his blocking. Chester Taylor provides excellent depth. Percy Harvin, 2009 first round pick, is a versatile big play type that can play runningback or wide receiever. Since no one is replacing Peterson, expect him to go to the slot and maybe(only) spell Peterson from time to time. Taylor is a fine sub so it's not really necessary to use Harvin at runningback.

At Wide receiver the Vikes have Bernard Berrian who is terrific deep and needs improvement with everything else. Aundrae Allison is still a project. Bobby Wade has led the Vikings in receptions for the last couple years. He's not the big play exciting type wide receiver most fans covet but he gets the job done. The Vikings must keep his reliable hands on the field. Sidney Rice has been a talented prospect for two tears now. After spending some time with Larry Fitzgerald and Cris Carter, he seems primed to take the next step.

Visanthe Shiancoe is a talented tight end that finally produced at the NFL level last year.Like Wade, the Vikings need him to stay reliable to see this offense progress. Garrett Mills is more of an h-back type that could play fullback and make a big play here or there. He's not of any fantasy interest as long as Shianco is healthy.

The Vikes tried to get Sage Rosenfels in 2008 but failed. They tried again in 2009 and traded a fourth round pick for him. Now that they have their quarterback, the Tavaris Jackson experiment is over, despite what you might hear about him possibly starting. Rosenfels has thrown for over 3000 yards in just 10 starts. He's a quality passer the Texans will miss and Vikings fans will quickly appreciate. He is responsible for providing a threat, that isn't Adrian Peterson, for defenses to worry about. If he can do that, the Vikings will go from one of the most predictable offenses to one of the more prolific offenses.

On defense the Vikings have 3 pro bowl defensive linemen in the two Williams and Jared Allen. Ray Edwards and Kenechi Udeze are solid if unspectacular players. EJ Henderson, Ben Leber and Chad Greenway form a very good linebacking corps. Heath Farwell is a fine reserve. In the secondary, Antoine Winfield is an excellent tough cornerback. Madieu Williams, Cedric Griffin and Tyrell Johnson are not all that impressive in the secondary. This is a glaring weakness as teams struggle to find even an inch in the running game, there's plenty of room to pass here. The Vikings must address the secondary as the preseason wears on, this is bound to be an issue that haunts them.

Former Saint Taylor Mehlhaff is in Vikings camp to bring some heat onto Ryan Longwell. Longwell should be there opening day while Mehlhaff is likely to be auditioning for a job elsewhere. Mehlhaff has a strong leg and could be saved for long kickoffs if they have such a luxury with their roster.