The Vikings sent their first-round pick to Kansas City in the Jared Allen deal. Their top choice was safety Tyrell Johnson, who was taken in the second round.

The other choices are fifth-round quarterback John David Booty; fifth-round defensive tackle Letroy Guion; sixth-round center John Sullivan; and sixth-round wide receiver Jaymar Johnson.

UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS

QUARTERBACK: Starter -- Tarvaris Jackson. Backups -- Brooks Bollinger, John David Booty, Gus Frerotte.

This position is the most glaring question mark about the 2008 Vikings. Jackson was 8-4 in his first season as a starter but also threw three more interceptions than touchdowns and struggled in the second-to-last game of the regular season against Washington in a game with playoff implications. Nonetheless, coach Brad Childress has made it clear that Jackson is his guy and is going to get every opportunity to be the starter for a team that will have big expectations. Jackson, in turn, has spent much of his offseason working on mastering the offensive system and appeared far more confident in himself during OTA practices and minicamp. The addition of Gus Frerotte, who has limited experience in the West Coast offense, will give Minnesota a veteran backup whom Childress trusts if Jackson can't get the job done. The Vikings hope is that Frerotte can be a mentor to Jackson and help him through any struggles. Veteran Bollinger and rookie Booty will battle for the No. 3 job and Booty would seem to have the inside track after the Vikings selected him in the fifth round in April.

RUNNING BACKS: Starters -- RB Adrian Peterson, FB Thomas Tapeh. Backups -- RB Maurice Hicks, RB Chester Taylor, RB Albert Young, FB Jeff Dugan, FB Naufahu Tahi.

The Vikings have what appears to be the best running back tandem in the NFL with Peterson, on the verge of superstardom, ready to move into the full-time starting role. Taylor stands to see a fair amount of playing time and rates above backup status. Last season, Peterson and Taylor ranked as the best rushing tandem in team history with 2,185 yards on the ground. Taylor saw the majority of the time in passing situations because Peterson's protection skills were considered suspect but the latter is expected to be much improved in that area. The Vikings could have the threat of using Peterson and Taylor at the same time -- something that rarely happened last season -- with one back splitting out as a receiver.

Considering the wear and tear running back's deal with and the fact Taylor and Peterson both missed two games because of injury in 2007, having two top-notch players at this spot seems like an ideal situation for Minnesota. Tapeh, signed as a free agent, will replace veteran Tony Richardson at fullback and has the advantage of having played in Philadelphia, where Childress once served as offensive coordinator. Hicks also signed as a free agent and will see the majority of his time on kick returns. Dugan and Tahi also contribute on special teams. Young is a long shot to make the roster.

TIGHT ENDS: Starter -- Visanthe Shiancoe. Backups -- Braden Jones, Jim Kleinsasser, Garrett Mills.

Shiancoe had a disappointing first season with the Vikings after leaving the New York Giants to sign a big free-agent contract in March 2007. Expected to be a receiving threat, Shiancoe struggled with drops and finished with 27 catches but only one touchdown. He failed to hang onto three more potential touchdowns. Shiancoe, however, caught everything thrown his way during the Vikings' three-day minicamp and appears much more comfortable in the offense. Kleinsasser is no longer a receiving option -- he has 11 catches in the past two seasons after having 22 in 2005 -- but is an outstanding blocker who is counted upon to provide help in opening holes for the run game and buying Jackson time when he drops back to throw. Childress likes Mills, whom the Vikings picked up from New England during the final training-camp cuts in 2007. Mills did not see any action with the Vikings until the final regular-season game but he caught two passes for first downs in that loss at Denver and appears to have good hands.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters -- Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice. Backups -- Aundrae Allison, Daniel Davis, Robert Ferguson, Jaymar Johnson, Nate Jones, Martin Nance, Darius Reynaud, Bobby Wade.

Berrian was signed to a six-year, $42 million free-agent deal in March in order to give the Vikings the type of downfield receiving threat they were missing last season. He had a career-high 71 catches for 951 yards and five touchdowns and should help loosen up opposing defenses and make it far more difficult for them to put eight or nine men in the box in order to slow the Vikings' rushing game. Rice also should help in this area in his second NFL season. Rice led the Vikings with four touchdown receptions in 2007 and was third on the team with 31 catches. He provides a big target at 6-foot-4 and has very good hands. Allison, also entering his second season, has good speed and looked to be a much-improved player during the OTA practices and minicamp. Allison could provide another deep threat to go along with Berrian. Wade led the Vikings with 54 catches last season in his first year with the franchise but this time around can concentrate on his role as a slot receiver. Ferguson lacks speed but is a steadying influence and popular in the locker room. He joined the Vikings after being let go by the Packers in training camp and his 32 catches placed him second to Wade. Ferguson and Wade also placed an emphasis on blocking that seemed to be embraced by the entire receiving corps. Jaymar Johnson, a sixth-round pick out of Jackson State, could have the inside track on winning the final receiver spot. Nance was on the practice squad at the end of last season and has good size (6-3) and hands. Darius Reynaud was signed as an undrafted free agent from West Virginia.

OFFENSIVE LINE: Starters -- LT Bryant McKinnie, LG Steve Hutchinson, C Matt Birk, RG Anthony Herrera, RT Ryan Cook. Backups -- G Brian Daniels, G Artis Hicks, T Chase Johnson, T Marcus Johnson, G Mike Jones, C Tim Mattran, G Dan Mozes, T Drew Radovich, C John Sullivan.

McKinnie's status for at least a portion of the season remains unclear -- he could face disciplinary action from the NFL as a repeat offender of the league's personal-conduct policy. If McKinnie does end up sitting out any games, it appears veteran Artis Hicks would replace him at left tackle. This could weaken a left side of the line that features Pro Bowl players in Hutchinson and Birk. Herrera moved into a starting role early last season, beating out Hicks, and helped the Vikings become the NFL's best rushing team. The coaching staff liked the fact that the once-excitable Herrera was able to consistently play under control and he was rewarded with a contract extension. Cook, a surprise second-round pick in 2006, started all 16 games at right tackle and made steady improvement. Depth is the biggest issue for the line. Not including Hicks, of the eight backups listed above, only Marcus Johnson and John Sullivan were draft picks. Sullivan is expected to be groomed to replace Birk, whose contract expires after this season and likely will be allowed to leave. The Vikings also appear to like Mozes and Radovich, who surprisingly wasn't selected in last April's draft and was signed as a free agent out of Southern California.

DEFENSIVE LINE: Starters -- LE Ray Edwards, RE Jared Allen, NT Pat Williams, DT Kevin Williams. Backups -- DE Kenderick Allen, DE Martail Burnett, DT Leger Douzable, DT Fred Evans, DE Otis Grigsby, DT Letroy Guion, DE Jayme Mitchell, DE Brian Robison DT Ellis Wyms.

The Vikings traded their first- and third-round selections to Kansas City and then invested $31 million in guaranteed money in order to acquire Allen. He has had off-the-field issues -- Allen was suspended for the first two games of last season after twice being arrested for drunken driving -- but he said he no longer drinks alcohol and the Vikings are convinced he is telling the truth. Minnesota also feels Allen's NFL-leading 15.5 sacks and Pro Bowl berth last season were not flukes and is counting on him providing the type of pass-rushing presence this team hasn't had for several years. That lack of a consistent rush is one reason the Vikings have finished at the bottom of the NFL in pass defense the past two years. Edwards will shift to left end to make room for Allen and said he's comfortable with the move because he played base end in college. The Pro Bowl combination of Pat and Kevin Williams should give the Vikings one of the best lines in the NFL. The Vikings were No. 1 against the rush last season thanks to the two big tackles. Robison, who had 4.5 sacks last season as a rookie, will be the primary backup to Allen at right end. Evans, Wyms and Guion, a fifth-round pick in the April draft, will battle for the backup spots at tackle. Wyms, an eight-year veteran, was signed as a free agent and will have an edge in experience. Mitchell had one sack in 10 games last season and would seem to have an inside track to make the roster. Grigsby was added off the Panthers practice squad last season and contributed a sack in four games. The Vikings frequently rotate members of their line to keep players fresh so depth is key.

LINEBACKERS: Starters -- WLB Chad Greenway, MLB E.J. Henderson, SLB Ben Leber. Backups -- Rufus Alexander, Vinny Ciurciu, Heath Farwell, Erin Henderson, David Herron, J Leman, Derrick Pope.

E.J. Henderson made a smooth transition back to the middle last season after having spent two seasons playing the weak side. Henderson, who replaced Napoleon Harris after Harris signed with the Chiefs, led the Vikings with 155 tackles and also had 4.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss and 19 quarterback hurries. Greenway slid into Henderson's former spot and made steady improvement after sitting out his rookie season because of a knee injury. Leber is a steady presence on the strong side -- he tied for the team lead with five sacks -- and barring injury the Vikings should be set at linebacker. That means the backup spots will go to the players who can contribute the most on special teams. Farwell has been a standout in this area and Ciurciu was signed as a free agent in 2007 because of his abilities to play on every special-teams unit. Pope was added this offseason to replace Dontarrious Thomas, who departed to sign with the 49ers. Pope also embraces the role of contributing on special teams. Alexander missed his rookie season because of a knee injury but the sixth-round pick from 2007 should get a shot to make the roster. Erin Henderson, E.J.'s little brother, was expected to be taken in last April's draft but ended up signing as a free agent with the Vikings.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters -- RCB Cedric Griffin, LCB Antoine Winfield, FS Madieu Williams, SS Darren Sharper. Backups -- S Husain Abdullah, S Michael Boulware, S Eric Frampton, CB Charles Gordon, S Tyrell Johnson, CB Dee McCann, CB Marcus McCauley, CB Benny Sapp, CB Brandon Sumrall, CB Marcus Walker.

Williams left the Bengals to sign a free-agent deal that will call for him to take over the spot formerly held by Dwight Smith. Smith was released after the season; the Vikings feel Williams, a former cornerback, will be a better fit for the defense, in part because he is so good in coverage and can be moved into the slot if necessary. This could free up Sharper to freelance more often and give him a chance to collect more interceptions. Sharper had four picks last season and has eight in the past two years after getting nine in his first season with the Vikings in 2005. Winfield battled injuries much of 2007 and ended up missing a career-high six games. Winfield said he is healthy and he is expected to team with third-year player Griffin, who will be expected to show improvement in his second season as a full-time starter. Gordon, McCauley and Sapp will battle for the nickel role. Gordon ended last season with that job and will be the favorite to open 2008 going against opposing slot receivers. When McCauley plays the nickel, the Vikings must move Winfield inside. Johnson was the Vikings' top pick in this year's draft (second round) and at 6-feet, 207 pounds can provide a physical presence. Johnson is likely to be the top backup option at safety. Veteran Boulware will contribute on special teams.

SPECIAL TEAMS: K Ryan Longwell, P Chris Kluwe, KR Maurice Hicks, PR Bobby Wade, LS Cullen Loeffler, K Steven Hauschka.

Longwell, entering his 12th season, remains a reliable kicker, having made 19 of 20 kicks from inside 49 yards last season. He also improved his distance on kickoffs, something that had been an issue in 2006. The Vikings like Hauschka but he has little hope of making the roster and likely is around to make sure Longwell's leg doesn't get tired. Kluwe was rewarded with a contract extension last season and finished eighth among NFL punters with a 37-yard net average. What the Vikings like is that Kluwe has improved his directional punting. Hicks was signed in large part because of his ability to return kicks but could be challenged by Allison, who led the NFC and ranked third in the NFL with a return average of 28.7 yards in 2007. Wade and running back Mewelde Moore, who left to sign with Pittsburgh, shared punt-return duties last season. Wade averaged 7.0 yards on 16 returns and the Vikings might want to go in a different direction. Loeffler is an extremely reliable long snapper.

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