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          Vikings' Gerald Hodges will get work at middle linebacker

          Gerald Hodges is one of several Vikings getting a shot to be the team's starting middle linebacker. Ann Heisenfelt/AP Photo
          • Ben Goessling, ESPN Staff WriterAug 1, 2015, 01:35 PM ET
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            • Previously covered Vikings for St. Paul Pioneer Press
            • Also covered Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Wild and Washington Nationals
            • Twin Cities native and University of Minnesota graduate
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          MANKATO, Minn. -- Conventional wisdom -- for whatever that's worth -- has had the Minnesota Vikings beginning the 2015 season with rookie Eric Kendricks as the starting middle linebacker, flanked by Chad Greenway on the weak side and Anthony Barr on the strong side. That still might be the Vikings' most likely starting trio, but the team is still exploring other options before its first preseason game next Sunday.

          Third-year linebacker Gerald Hodges, it appears, will be next to get his shot in the middle. The Vikings have been using Kendricks and Audie Cole to this point with the first-team defense, but coach Mike Zimmer said Hodges will get some work at middle linebacker during the Vikings' evening practice on Saturday night.

          Hodges played with an edge while filling in for Greenway and Barr at various points last year, and his athletic ability shone during a Dec. 7 victory over the New York Jets, when he intercepted Geno Smith's pass intended for Percy Harvin and returned it for the first touchdown of the game. But the Vikings haven't seemed sold on Hodges' ability to stay firmly within the structure of their defense, and as Zimmer talked about the former Penn State standout on Saturday, he seemed to be choosing his words carefully to make a point about Hodges.

          "Gerald has done a very nice job of doing the things that I'm asking him to do," Zimmer said. "I am hopeful that he will continue to do those things. If he does, then Gerald has a chance to be a very quality NFL football player. He's big, strong, fast. He's intelligent. If he can continue on the right path, then he has an opportunity."

          Zimmer said Cole has played well, but he's told the fourth-year linebacker to "cut it loose" and not worry so much about making a mistake. When Cole has had chances to play, he's made a noticeable impact on the field, but the Vikings are still trying to get him to practice as confidently as he plays. Zimmer also said Michael Mauti -- Hodges' teammate at Penn State -- has done some good things at middle linebacker.

          "We're going to keep looking," Zimmer said.