Reasons Cole should compete with Jasper Brinkley

[mansquatch]

Cole and Brinkley played against vastly different levels of competition. I think it might be premature to compare the two based on such "evidence".

Brinkley making bad plays in week 1 isn't nearly as important as Brinkley making plays this week. The big question is if he continues to improve.

[S197]

From what I'm reading, Cole probably isn't even Plan B. Speculation is that Erin Henderson could move into the MLB spot and that Mitchell would replace Henderson on the outside. However, Tyrone McKenzie (has he even been mentioned in this thread yet?) is currently second on the depth chart behind Brinkley so if the latter doesn't nail down the job, we'd probably see McKenzie start before Cole.

I was just about to point this out. Jim is right, when Brinkley wasn't participating in practice, it was McKenzie, not Cole, taking 1st team reps. He's still far down the charts but is making a heck of a case for a roster spot, which really is all you can ask for as a 7th rounder. It is nice to see a guy with a nose for the ball and who can potentially not be a liability in coverage.

We may not see a whole lot of him this next game (maybe a qtr) with the starters playing most of the 1st half, I think the final preseason game will be where he gets the most looks and one last chance to shine.

[Eli]

It'll be interesting to see what happens to Cole if the Vikings try to float him through waivers. He's got to be on a lot of team's radars right now.

[Eli]

Depending on how many LB's we decide to carry (we had 5 last season), Cole could very well be the odd man out. Greenway, Henderson, Brinkley, Mitchell, McKenzie

The Vikings carried six linebackers all of last season, plus Jasper Brinkley on IR.

Chad Greenway
E.J. Henderson
Erin Henderson
Kenny Onatolu
Xavier Adibi
Larry Dean

Looking at things this year ... while they may have some issues at middle linebacker, I'd say their depth at linebacker is greatly improved. Onatolu, Adibi and Dean are special teams players and not much else.

Chad Greenway
Erin Henderson
Jasper Brinkley
Marvin Mitchell
Tyrone McKenzie
Audie Cole (?)

[HardcoreVikesFan]

I say let Cole run with the dogs. Hell, Cole may show us the same ability to play with the ones as he has shown with the 2s, 3s, and 4s. Couldn't hurt, it is not like there would be a significant drop off in play from Brinkley to Cole IMO.

[NextQuestion]

I'm making my prediction now: We're going to be drafting a linebacker in the first round next year

[Mothman]

I'm making my prediction now: We're going to be drafting a linebacker in the first round next year

I think that's a very strong possibility, although I can think of a few other positions that might be prime candidates too.

[NextQuestion]

I'm no expert on up and coming college jr/sr's entering the 2013 NFL draft but we will absolutely need one. Personally, I don't think Erin Henderson is that good and Jasper is nothing special. It would be awesome if Cole works out but we're getting carried away here... he made two nice Pick 6s on garbage QBs in a pre season game. Let's see him play out in 3rd and 4th game.

[Lash Man]

What will happen is the Vikings will release or waive Cole and he will go to GB or New England where they care more about being a football player than a great athlete and turn out to be the next big thing lol , just our luck as Vikes fans . I see many of the board regulars kinda dissing on Cole because it was second team he made the plays against and that is a fact but how many plays have any LB's made for the Vikings lately ?

[Eli]

But you know what I'm REALLY wishing may yet happen? I wish the **** Mike Singletary would prove his worth as a linebackers coach. I sure haven't seen anything special out of the guys he's coached in Minnesota.

(Or wait... maybe THAT's why Audi Cole went from 7th round rookie to Pro Bowl middle linebacker in just three weeks of training camp. Because Mike Singletary is a genius.)

[9man]

But you know what I'm REALLY wishing may yet happen? I wish the **** Mike Singletary would prove his worth as a linebackers coach. I sure haven't seen anything special out of the guys he's coached in Minnesota.

(Or wait... maybe THAT's why Audi Cole went from 7th round rookie to Pro Bowl middle linebacker in just three weeks of training camp. Because Mike Singletary is a genius.)

I forgot Singletary was still a coach on this team.

[Eli]

What will happen is the Vikings will release or waive Cole and he will go to GB or New England where they care more about being a football player than a great athlete

New England, maybe. But I'd say Green Bay has some sense of the value of linebackers and most likely aren't going to be grabbing the Vikings leftovers. They now have three linebackers on the roster that they selected in the first round.

A. J. Hawk, 2006, #5 overall
Clay Mathews, 2009, #26 overall
Nick Perry, 2012, #28 overall

[Lash Man]

I agree ELI that was purely tongue in cheek when I posted about those teams picking a LB from our squad .

[Demi]

Not saying Cole won't become good or at least half decent but we have these pre-season darlings every year. Dean, Sherels, Jaymar, Charles Gordon, Martin Nance, etc. Hell even a washed up Javon Walker looked great for us in pre-season like 2 years ago.

Most end up on the PS or as special teamers and only last a season or 2.

Most of them are behind 3+ competent players. Hyping up a 3rd string safety or 6th string receiver is a little different than a position where the starter already has NFL starting experience, and wasn't very good at the position that time. Got a significant injury, and is worse now. Brinkley is terrible. And has been since he first showed up. So I don't think it's the same situation where Charles Gordon is the 6th corner. Or a guy like Nance who wasn't going to get a spot at all. Cole is at a position where we have zero depth and the starter is garbage.

[NextQuestion]

Pagac is the LB coach again. Singletary is like Assistant LB coach/assistant to the HC (not even assistant HC, assistant TO the HC) he's basically only on the staff because him and Frazier are buddies.

Very Garreth Keenan/Dwight Schrute of him