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The Minnesota Vikings hope to improve on last year's accomplishments with an even better year in 2009.
The Vikings were the 2008 NFC North champions and made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2001, only to go one and done at home in their playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Entering the NFL free agency, the Vikings were looking to add some pieces to the puzzle to complete a young, talented team.
The first acquisition they made was getting Houston Texans' quarterback Sage Rosenfels for a fourth round draft pick.
With Tavaris Jackson still on the roster, coach Brad Childress is looking for a someone to compete with Jackson for the starting quarterback position. A position that has been, what some experts feel, the Vikings "road block" to a Super Bowl.
Rosenfels, coming into his ninth year, has played for several different teams (Miami, Washington, and Houston) only to be a backup.
Rosenfels has a strong arm and can make accurate throws when he doesn't try and force it. He has the ability to see down the field and see the defense. He's very mobile, something the Vikings are looking for in the QB position.
The Vikings are hoping Rosenfels can come in to be the quarteback and type of leader they've been looking for to lead this team in the huddle and in the locker room.
Another hole the Vikings will need to fill is at center, after loosing their Pro Bowl Center Matt Birk to the Baltimore Ravens during free agency.
Contract talks between Birk's agent and the Vikings were halted and both sides could never come to agreement. Birk went elsewhere, signing with the Baltimore Ravens instead.
One of the best players to fill void left by Birk is Notre Dame center John Sullivan, a two year pro. Sullivan was drafted in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL draft, and may have just enough skills to win the center position after spending time with veteran Birk.
Another who may take the job is the six year pro center, Cullen Loeffler, from Texas who has more experience then Sullivan and with less weight to carry weighing in at 241 pounds.
Possibly making him more agile when it comes to blocking for the NFL's best runningback Adrian Peterson.
The next crucial hole the Vikings hope to fill is at right tackle, where they have been plagued by an awful performance from the four year tackle, Ryan Cook, from New Mexico University.
Cook has not risen to the standards or expectations the Vikings staff was hoping for.
In this years 2009 NFL Draft, Childress and the front office looked at this position and may have found their newest man.
A beast from Oklahoma, Phil Loadholt is exactly what his name reads, load. The 6' 8", 332 pound offensive tackle has the raw power and strength to be a key player in that already stout offensive line.
Look to see Loadholt battling Cook for that starting right tackle position during training camp.
Looking to 2009, the Minnesota Vikings are hoping for players to step up and fill the holes left from free agency losses and the lack of talent in certain key positions.
With their NFC North rivals filling some of their team needs this offseason, the Vikings will be having a tougher time defending their NFC North title this year.
However, if the Minnesota Vikings can succeed at their crucial needed positions and continue their success of the other positions, their is no doubt they can defend their division title and reach the playoffs again.
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