The Minnesota Vikings have problems to solve on their offensive line, but it's not for lack of trying.
The Vikings used 12 different linemen this season, while none of them played more than 80 percent of the time this year, as a rotating cast that included everyone from prized free agent Alex Boone and journeyman Jeremiah Sirles to Harvard grad Nick Easton tried to keep quarterback Sam Bradford upright.
But those weren't the only surprises.
Former undrafted free agent Adam Thielen became a breakout star, nearly tripling his receiving output and out-snapping Stefon Diggs.
Cordarrelle Patterson worked his way back into the fold on offense just months after having his fifth-year option declined by the team that spent a first-round pick on him, while a rotating cast of running backs contributed to one of the worst rushing attacks in the team's history.
Check out all of the Vikings' snap data below, as well as a few more thoughts on the season:
TOTALS -- OFFENSE
| PLAYER | PLAYS (1,053) | % |
|---|---|---|
| Bradford | 979 | 92.9% |
| Rudolph | 970 | 92.1% |
| Clemmings | 883 | 83.8% |
| Boone | 873 | 82.9% |
| Berger | 853 | 81.0% |
| Fusco | 835 | 79.2% |
| Thielen | 787 | 74.7% |
| Sirles | 773 | 73.4% |
| Diggs | 694 | 65.9% |
| Patterson | 531 | 50.4% |
| McKinnon | 511 | 48.5% |
| Easton | 414 | 40.0% |
| Asiata | 407 | 39.3% |
| Johnson | 406 | 38.5% |
| Ellison | 258 | 24.5% |
| Line | 210 | 19.9% |
| Long | 210 | 19.9% |
| Smith | 182 | 17.2% |
| Khalil | 121 | 11.4% |
| Wright | 119 | 11.3% |
| Kerin | 118 | 11.2% |
| Peterson | 84 | 7.9% |
| Treadwell | 80 | 7.5% |
| S. Hill | 74 | 7.0% |
| Morgan | 63 | 5.9% |
| Hillman | 57 | 5.4% |
| R. Hill | 49 | 4.6% |
| Pruitt | 23 | 2.1% |
| Beavers | 11 | 1.0% |
| Fruechte | 5 | 0.04% |
| Joseph | 3 | 0.02% |
TOTALS -- DEFENSE
| PLAYER | PLAYS (1035) | % |
|---|---|---|
| Barr | 1025 | 99.0% |
| Smith | 893 | 86.2% |
| Griffen | 888 | 85.7% |
| Kendricks | 869 | 83.9% |
| Sendejo | 855 | 82.6% |
| Robison | 838 | 80.9% |
| Rhodes | 786 | 75.9% |
| Newman | 753 | 73.7% |
| Tom Joseph | 719 | 70.4% |
| Munnerlyn | 637 | 61.5% |
| Hunter | 600 | 57.9% |
| Waynes | 579 | 55.9% |
| Stephen | 550 | 53.1% |
| Johnson | 476 | 45.9% |
| Greenway | 401 | 38.7% |
| Harris | 234 | 22.6% |
| Kearse | 78 | 7.5% |
| Alexander | 68 | 6.5% |
| Lamur | 38 | 3.6% |
| Cole | 35 | 3.3% |
| Floyd | 25 | 2.4% |
| Toby Johnson | 23 | 2.2% |
| Trattou | 10 | .09% |
| Sherels | 4 | .03% |
| Weatherly | 1 | .009% |
-- We knew that Laquon Treadwell's numbers would be low, but 7.5 percent doesn't leave us with much to evaluate. Some of that time was lost to injuries, but he finishes the year with just one catch for 15 yards.
-- Anthony Barr may not have been the playmaker that he was last year, but he managed to lead a loaded defense in playing time. Not too shabby for a converted running back who switched to linebacker just four years ago.
-- Much like Trae Waynes last year, rookie cornerback Mackensie Alexander struggled to get on the field. That learning curve gels with scouts' predictions for the former Clemson star, and cracking a group of defensive backs that leaned on Xavier Rhodes and ageless star Terence Newman was always going to be difficult.
-- It's tough to get a read on Jayron Kearse, but the lanky defender showed some potential despite looking overmatched at times, appearing in all 16 games and making one start at safety.
-- Remember Linval Joseph's brief turn as a fullback? The Vikings deployed Joseph on the goal line during their first loss to the Detroit Lions, scoring twice on one-yard runs.
