Submitted by admin on Fri, 2005-10-07 16:00. ::
Vikings coach Mike Tice lamented the loss of Kenechi Udeze on Thursday, saying his starting left defensive end was "starting to play like a first-round draft pick."
The Vikings' standards are low for defensive linemen, given their recent history of drafting foibles. Since 1999, the team has invested five first-round picks, three second-round selections and one third-round choice for help up front.
Dimitrius Underwood and Michael Boireau never even played in a game for the Vikings, out with mental and physical problems. Willie Howard managed just 10 tackles before knee injuries ended his career.
"I mean, it's a guessing game, this whole draft thing," defensive end Lance Johnstone said. "There's a lot of different variables. I don't really know what the key is to turn that around.
Patrick Kerney, who has 49.5 career sacks, was selected one spot behind Underwood in 1999. Darren Howard and Cornelius Griffin were nabbed after Hovan in 2000. Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila was picked after Robbins and Boireau. And Shaun Rogers was drafted after Willie Howard in 2001.
The jury is still out on Erasmus James and Darrion Scott. Udeze managed five sacks last season as a rookie and earned one before the knee injury ended his season. He has a mitochondrial defect in the knee that developed into a fracture and will be out of action six to eight months.
The Vikings likely will place him on injured reserve early next week. They are bringing in two defensive ends for tryouts today. Former Seattle Seahawks defensive end Antonio Cochran had 15 sacks the past four seasons, and former Denver Broncos defensive end Anton Palepoi has four career sacks. Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Chidi Ahanotu also is available.
Cochran is a more natural base end who weighs about 300 pounds, while Palepoi is smaller and quicker. The Vikings also are considering Matt Mitrione, whom they cut in the preseason.
The lack of depth on the defensive line is even more perilous because Spencer Johnson, who would replace Udeze as the starting left end, is nursing an MCL sprain in his right knee. Johnson suffered the injury last week against the Atlanta Falcons, but he is hopeful he can play next week against the Chicago Bears. He has played through a similar injury to his left knee since the season opener.
"It really doesn't matter," Scott said. "I played left end in college. I played defensive tackle my last year in college, and I've played right end here."
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