Vikings News: Kenechi Udeze's Illness Leaves Huge Hole in Defense

The Minnesota Vikings have dealt with offseason injuries before.

Every NFL franchise has.

But the body blow the organization received earlier this month when it was revealed defensive end Kenechi Udeze was battling a yet-to-be-disclosed form of leukemia has sent players and coaches to their proverbial corner.

Udeze, just 24, was coming off his best season. He recovered from a disappointing, sackless campaign in 2006 to rack up five takedowns in 2007. He was finally healthy, after overcoming a torn knee ligament he suffered early in the 2005 season.

Or so he thought.

Now, Udeze has an uphill fight against cancer. Getting back on the football field is the least of his worries. As his former coach at the University of Southern Cal, Pete Carroll, said, "he's got a battle on his hands."

So where does that leave the Minnesota Vikings' defensive line?

Inside, Pat and Kevin Williams are Pro Bowlers. There are no worries there.

On the outside, Udeze's loss is another bad omen for a team that has struggled against the pass.

The squad heads into the spring without the 20th pick from the 2004 draft, of course. Ray Edwards, who missed the end of the regular season, will be back, provided he keeps himself clean. Brian Robison, who looked promising in the early part of the 2007 season, will also return.

But a team that has a lot of holes to fill was just handed another one. The Vikings were likely going to seek help for their last-rated pass defense, anyway. However, to lose the defensive line's sack leader was no help to the cause.

The loss of Udeze will open up opportunity for younger players, including Robison. Jayme Mitchell is another end Vikings staffers say could be a starter in this league.

However it chooses to recover on the field, Minnesota needs a speed rusher off the right side. Whether that player is currently within the organization, or is someone the Vikings pick up through free agency or the draft, he'll have some shoes to fill. It's the only answer for a team that
has consistently failed on pass defense under head coach Brad Childress, no matter the defensive coordinator.

Meanwhile, the Vikings "family," as owner Ziggy Wilf likes to call it, will rally around Udeze as it has former players like Orlando Thomas and Wally Hilgenberg (both battling ALS). And the team will use the offseason to heal, hoping one of its own can benefit from its support.