2001 VIKINGS
	Randy Moss had 15 TD receptions last season.
	Head coach: Dennis Green (10th year). 2000 record: 11-5. NFC Central finish: 1st. 2001 preseason: 3-0. Season opener: Sept. 9 vs. Panthers. Schedule | Depth chart

In a season that became tragic almost as soon as training camp began, the biggest question facing the Vikings may be more of an emotional one: How will the team react long term to the death of OT Korey Stringer?

That, really, is the question. Short term, during preseason, it appeared to draw the team together, first in grief, then in a determination to play for their fallen friend. But long term, how draining will it ultimately be?

There are other questions, of course, on the field. There always are. The Vikings will be playing with two new tackles in the wake of cutting Todd Steussie for salary-cap reasons and losing Stringer. DT John Randle is gone, as is strong-side LB Dwayne Rudd.

Unfortunately -- at least in some peoples' eyes -- the same defensive backfield is essentially in place from the one that finished 28th against the pass last year. Running back Robert Smith has retired after setting the team's rushing record.

Know this: Vikings head coach Dennis Green has traditionally been at his best when little was expected of him, when people counted him out. He will rally his team, plug the gaps the way he always has and field a competitive team.

But it remains to be seen how the death of Stringer will wear on the Vikings.

Offense
Quarterbacks: You can already see that Daunte Culpepper has taken steps since last year's Pro Bowl season. He has clearly become the leader of this team, obvious to anybody watching training camp. His play has improved too. He's just as fast and mobile as ever, but he's reading defenses faster and making decisions quicker. If he stays healthy, with Randy Moss and Cris Carter to throw to, there is no reason to think Culpepper won't continue his improvement. The only question is what happens if he gets hurt? Long-time clipboard holder Todd Bouman is the No. 2, but he looked shaky during the preseason. After that? Weak-armed Billy Cockerham and raw rookie Romaro Miller.
Grade: A-minus.

Running backs: The good news: Rookie Michael Bennett has looked to be everything he was advertised when the Vikings made him their first-round pick in April. He's very fast, a natural runner and the perfect big-play complement to an offense that stretches defenses to the limit. Here's the bad news: He's a rookie. There are bound to be growing pains, and he has a lot to learn about catching the ball out of the backfield. And what about his blitz pickups, something Smith excelled at? Second-year man Doug Chapman figures to get some snaps too, probably on third down. But how Bennett responds to the pressure is a key to the Vikings' season. Meanwhile, look for 270-pound, bull-dozing fullback Jim Kleinsasser to get more touches, both as a short-yardage carrier and a receiver out of the backfield.
Grade: B.

Receivers: Not a lot to be said here, other than Moss and Carter remain the league's gold-standard wide receiver duo, and you can bet defensive coordinators around the NFC Central were unhappy when Carter got up in the days preceding the Super Bowl to say he was going to play at least one more year. Carter and Moss combined for 173 receptions, 2,711 yards and 24 touchdowns last year, forming the most productive duo in the league. Big Jake Reed returns to work the weak side in three-receiver sets. And please don't forget about Byron Chamberlain, although Vikings coaches hope opponents will. Chamberlain, brought in from Denver, looked very good in flashes during the preseason, and in coordinator Sherman Lewis' system, he figures to get a lot of chances over the middle. No tight end is going to catch a ton of balls in an offense that includes Moss and Carter, but Chamberlain, who is very good after the catch, could wind up in the 50-reception range.
Grade: A.

		Korey Stringer's tragic death and Robert Smith's retirement are hard to overcome. I don't think the Vikings will get much from their defense. And for them to get to a championship level, the defense needs to play great. They got to the NFC championship game last year without a great defense, but the Vikings can't get over the top with their defense. They aren't big or stout enough to compete. Overall, though, since Daunte Culpepper, Randy Moss and Cris Carter are so talented and they have Jake Reed back, the Vikings' running game will be the key to their success. I won't doubt Denny Green, and he thinks rookie Michael Bennett can score better than 10 touchdowns. If he can, the Vikings will compete for the NFC Central title, even with a subpar defense. Although Bennett has breakaway speed, he still has to play and prove he can produce at the NFL level.

Offensive linemen: This is the biggest question mark on an offense that has been among the league's elite since Moss entered the league in 1998. There are two new tackles, and that means a change in scheme. For years, with Steussie and Stringer as the bookends, the Vikings could do all sorts of things. They could send out extra receivers, knowing the two tackles could operate one-on-one. They could offer help up the middle on difficult defensive tackles. It is imperative that right tackle Chris Liwienski and left tackle Brad Badger hold their own for the Vikings' offense to run smoothly. Meanwhile, center Matt Birk has become the clear leader of the unit, while capable journeymen Corbin Lacina and David Dixon return as the guards.
Grade: B.

Defense
Defensive linemen: The Vikings had only 31 sacks last year, one reason the team's secondary was so badly picked apart. Enter new defensive line coach Brian Baker, who has almost completely rebuilt the line. Gone are defensive tackles Randle and Tony Williams. Talance Sawyer has moved from right end to left end to make room for Lance Johnstone, signed from Oakland. Meanwhile, Chris Hovan has become the leader at under tackle, and fourth-round draft choice Shawn Worthen has emerged as the starter at nose tackle. Baker is preaching an aggressive, read-on-the-fly approach and has pledged to do a lot of rotating to keep people fresh. Getting more pressure on the quarterback was one of the priorities of the team's offseason moves, and it appears Johnstone's arrival and Sawyer's maturation could help that happen. The Vikings got good pressure on the quarterback in the preseason.
Grade B-minus.

Linebackers: The Vikings hope that playing behind Worthen, a stay-at-home nose tackle, will make life easier for weak-side linebacker Ed McDaniel and middle linebacker Kailee Wong. The Vikings are still looking for someone to emerge to replace Rudd at strong-side linebacker, with veteran Lemanski Hall having the edge. The Vikings need big plays from this unit, something it did not provide much of last year. Wong, in his second year as a starter in the middle, is being counted on to make big strides in his performance.
Grade: C-plus.

Defensive backs: New assistant head coach/defensive backs coach Willie Shaw returns to Minnesota to try to make a struggling unit more competitive. Early results indicated that improvement is coming. Strong safety Robert Griffith is the class of the outfit and figures to prosper in Shaw's more aggressive scheme. Meanwhile, cornerbacks Kenny Wright and Robert Tate will be asked to play more bump coverage on the line, hoping to alter the timing routes that ate up the Vikings down the stretch last season.
Grade: C-minus.

Special teams
This is a position of strength. Punter Mitch Berger had his second strong year last season, and kicker Gary Anderson, after a down year in 1999, came back to make all but one kick in 2000. The Vikings, always strong in coverage, need to find some big plays in their return game.
Grade: B-plus.

Kent Youngblood covers the Vikings for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

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