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Vikings Twitter mailbag part 2: The non-Peterson edition

Thanks to all of you who submitted questions for this week's Minnesota Vikings mailbag. You can submit them at any point during the week on Twitter, using the hashtag #VikingsMail. You busted the mailbag this week, and after tackling a round of Adrian Peterson-related questions yesterday, we're back to look at some other Vikings topics this morning.

@GoesslingESPN: Good morning, everyone. We'll get started here. This is one element of the Vikings' switch from Greg Jennings to Mike Wallace that's worth keeping in mind as we go forward. Jennings was often portrayed as a mentor for the wide receiver group. That narrative was probably overcooked -- Jennings didn't seem to rub off on Cordarrelle Patterson, whom he was tasked with mentoring -- but it will be interesting to see how Wallace handles being the senior member of the wide receiver group after clashing with head coach Joe Philbin in Miami. Mike Zimmer said on Wednesday the Vikings might be more concerned about Wallace if they didn't have two coaches who had been on teams with him in the past (running backs coach Kirby Wilson in Pittsburgh and defensive coordinator George Edwards in Miami). He said players in Miami loved how hard Wallace worked, and added he didn't have any problems with players who want the ball, as long as they're putting the work in during the week. Wallace's work habits and his resume probably makes him the leader for the moment, though I could see Jarius Wright growing into a bigger leadership role, as well. Whatever happens, the Vikings have a couple receivers with something to prove this year in Wallace and Patterson, and it'd help their case if the former is a positive influence on the latter. @GoesslingESPN: Yes, I could see that; from what I've heard, the Vikings could be looking to fill their guard opening with a veteran that gets cut and wouldn't hinder whatever chance they have at a compensatory pick in 2016. The Vikings weren't going to give up players or draft picks for a 33-year-old guard, as was rumored earlier this month, but Evan Mathis is a Pro Bowl guard who has a couple of noteworthy connections to the Vikings' coaching staff. He was in Cincinnati for three seasons when Zimmer was the defensive coordinator there, and his final year in Carolina was in 2007, which was current Vikings offensive line coach Jeff Davidson's first year as the offensive coordinator. If the Eagles do release Mathis, who is scheduled to make $5.5 million in 2015, I can definitely see the Vikings being players. @GoesslingESPN: I've asked a couple times, and the Vikings hadn't shown any interest in former Raiders center Stefen Wisniewski, who is still on the open market and reportedly had shoulder surgery after playing with a torn labrum last season. That might explain why he's still a free agent. Wisniewski could shift to guard, but when the Vikings already have two linemen recovering from torn pectoral muscles, another rehabbing lineman might not be the best fit. @GoesslingESPN: If the Vikings are going to spend as much time in the nickel as they did last season, getting linebackers who can stay on the field in passing situations should be the main goal. Those players can be middle linebackers or outside players, but they have to be able to hold up in pass coverage. The Vikings seem intent on bringing Chad Greenway back, and they were pleased with the progress they saw in Gerald Hodges last season. I think Anthony Barr and Hodges could eventually be the team's two nickel linebackers, and in this day and age, a fifth defensive back is probably more important than a third linebacker. But the Vikings do need to fill a spot in the middle of their base defense after Jasper Brinkley left, and unless they're smitten by a player like Washington's Shaq Thompson or Clemson's Vic Beasley, I think they'd be more likely to pursue a middle linebacker. @GoesslingESPN: I'm intrigued by the idea of adding another dynamic safety next to Harrison Smith, but there might not be a safety that fits the Vikings' defense at No. 11 as well as Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes might. His size and speed would make him a fantastic complement to Xavier Rhodes in the Vikings' defense, and considering the receivers the Vikings see twice each season, I'm not sure I'd call cornerback a luxury so much as a premium position. Alabama's Landon Collins is interesting, but he's more of an in-the-box safety, and the Vikings could use a guy with some coverage skills. If it came down to adding Waynes or a safety at 11, I'm taking Waynes.

That'll do it for this edition of the mailbag -- though we've got enough leftovers that we might tackle a few more questions early next week. Thanks for the great response this week, everyone, and enjoy your weekend.