5 Players off to the Best Start at Minnesota Vikings Training Camp

It's just over a week into Minnesota Vikings training camp in Mankato, but faster than a Cordarrelle Patterson cone drill, the practice games are upon us. The Vikings begin their preseason schedule on Friday night at Mall of America Field at 7 p.m. CST against the Houston Texans.

And while reigning MVP Adrian Peterson isn't expected to play, and most starters will only play a series or two, it's the first chance for the Vikings to knock heads with people in different-colored jerseys.

It's been an excellent beginning to training camp for the Vikings. Nobody has been hurt, and all the returning starters seem to be in fine form.

While a ton of starting spots aren't up for grabs at this year's camp, there are certainly battles all over the field for roster spots and positioning on the depth chart. 

So, just about 10 days into camp, Vikings fans are wondering: Who's standing out? Who's making a name for himself in the early going? Who has an inside track on solidifying his spot on the squad? Who's going to make the jump to stardom? 

Here are five players off to blistering starts at the Vikings training camp.

Erin Henderson, Middle Linebacker

Vikings middle linebacker Erin Henderson is off to an impressive start as the defensive signal-caller and fulcrum of what looks to be an improved Minnesota defense.

He was given the first crack at the "Mike" job heading into camp, but nobody was sure who would end up with the job once the Vikings signed free-agent linebacker Desmond Bishop. Bishop had played inside in the Green Bay Packers' 3-4 alignment, and it seemed natural that he would compete with Henderson for the job in the middle.

That's not going to happen, as Henderson grabbed the bull by the horns and made the middle linebacker job all his own. With Bishop currently battling groin issues, the idea that the middle is up for grabs is up in smoke. 

Henderson has asserted himself both vocally and physically in camp. He has put to rest any questions about his ability to handle the greater responsibility of playing in the middle after spending his career on the outside.

After the Vikings let last year's starter in the middle, Jasper Brinkley, leave via free agency, Henderson looked at the job as if it was his. He got a little ticked off at any suggestion that the job was open. He told the StarTribune's Dan Wiederer that he's "more than ready" for the added responsibility.

Henderson feels that his five years with the team—the last two of which he started at the weak-side linebacker spot—have more than prepared him for the job in the middle. 

All of the media hand-wringing about who would start at the Mike position has angered Henderson to the point that he's playing with a nasty edge in camp, which the Vikings love to see.

Everson Griffen, Defensive End

It's no secret that the Minnesota Vikings defense has had a huge infusion of talent over the last two seasons. What still remains sort of a secret is that the defense's most explosive player might not even be a starter.

Defensive end Everson Griffen has been on the cusp of big things since the Vikings drafted him in 2010. His otherworldly athletic skills have been apparent since Day 1, but turning all that raw talent into a every snap starter has proved to be a tricky task.

The 6'3", 270-pound Griffen was drafted as a defensive end and has been used on special teams, even as a gunner on punt coverage. He was auditioned at linebacker last summer before moving back to defensive end.

The problem is that with a player as gifted as Griffen is, the coaches were looking for any way to get him on the field, even when he hadn't found his place yet. 

Griffen is now 25 years old, and even though he still might not crack the starting lineup, he's arguably the most exciting player to watch as he heads toward a potentially breakout season.

He grew up a lot last season following the unexpected death of his mother. It was a wake-up call, and he responded by being a dominating player down the stretch, finishing the season with eight sacks.

The Vikings are fortunate to have three defensive ends good enough to start on almost any NFL team in Griffen, Jared Allen and Brian Robison. And with all three players heading into contract seasons, the desire to outdo one another should last all season.

Vikings defensive coordinator Alan Williams and head coach Leslie Frazier are excited about Griffen's progression and see big things for him in 2013, as quoted by Vikings.com:

“He’s been a bright spot, the way he’s practiced, the attitude that he’s had,” Frazier said. “Really looking forward to watching how he develops.”

The fact that Griffen probably won't be a starter won't slow him down. He'll get his reps in the Vikings defensive line rotation where the hot hands will get the most snaps. Don't bet on anybody having a hotter hand than Griffen.

Jarius Wright, Wide Receiver

In what might be the most exciting development at the Vikings 2013 training camp, wide receiver is now a position of depth. That's right, depth.

After suffering through the last two seasons with one of the worst receiving groups in the league, Minnesota has assembled a solid group of four receivers and has several exciting options for the fifth spot on the roster.

That's a far cry from a team that had, in Percy Harvin, just one legitimate NFL receiver in 2012, and he got hurt halfway through the season.

So what was the Vikings answer at receiver heading into 2013? They started out by jettisoning Harvin off to the Seattle Seahawks. It was a move that initially looked like cutting off your nose to spite your face, but now it just looks brilliant.

Minnesota signed veteran Greg Jennings to take over as the lead receiver, re-signed Jerome Simpson to a reasonable contract and then drafted the uber-talented Cordarrelle Patterson in the first round.

And as impressive as those three have been in training camp, none of them has been the best receiver on the field in Mankato. That's been Jarius Wright, the second-year man out of Arkansas, who proved he belonged on the field with his tremendous play down the stretch last season.

Not only has he grabbed a hold of the slot receiver duties, but as ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert reports, Wright might have the early edge on Simpson and Patterson when the Vikings are in two-receiver sets.

The coaches have been more than impressed with Wright's football acumen, his ability to grasp the playbook and his potential to be a vocal leader among the receivers. 

Look for a big second season in purple for Wright.

Kyle Rudolph, Tight End

Of all the great things going on at Vikings training camp, perhaps the biggest standout of all has been Kyle Rudolph, who has looked like a man among boys.

The 6'6", 260-pounder has gotten better during both his years in the league, and his MVP performance in the Pro Bowl seems to have given his self-belief a huge jolt. 

Rudolph was very solid last season, but as he told Bob Sansevere of the Pioneer Press, he expects much bigger things in 2013:

"I think I was just scratching the surface. I'm not satisfied with last year, individually or as a team. I definitely expect more from myself this year."

His nine touchdown catches in 2012 were more than Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates and Vernon Davis, and he tied for second among all tight ends.

He is a big target for quarterback Christian Ponder, and the two have developed a chemistry. Rudolph is using his two years of experience to figure out how to find the open seams better, and his huge, soft hands continue to envelop the football.

With the Vikings' upgrade at receiver obvious and Rudolph looking ready to become one of the best tight ends in football, Ponder should have plenty of available targets on passing plays.

Though he may not win another MVP, it would be a huge surprise if Rudolph didn't find his way back to Hawaii for next year's Pro Bowl.

Jeff Locke, Punter

The Minnesota Vikings have done it again.

With kicker Blair Walsh (23 years old) being the big coup in the 2012 draft and having perhaps the best season for a kicker in Vikings history as a rookie, Minnesota went back to that same draft well and tabbed punter Jeff Locke (also 23) out of UCLA in the fifth round.

Like Walsh before him, Locke came as something of a surprise pick, as incumbent punter Chris Kluwe had had a good season last year. General manager Rick Spielman continues to stay ahead of the curve in regard to special teams though, and he saw the huge impact that Walsh had on the team in 2012.

Locke looks like he might be the punting version of Walsh.

Locke has a huge leg and has been fantastic in training camp. Like Walsh, Locke will give the Vikings a huge advantage in field position. As Mark Craig of the StarTribune reports, Locke will be a game-changer on special teams.

With the kicking tandem of Walsh and Locke, the Vikings have perhaps the best kicking game in the entire NFL and certainly the youngest.