5 questions facing the Vikings in training camp

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Will Peterson be himself after a year away?

After nearly a full year away from the game, and now entering his 30-year-old season, all eyes will be on Adrian Peterson in training camp this summer.

Peterson returning to the field is a massive addition for the Vikings as they look to take the next step and contend for a playoff spot, but the ninth-year veteran playing at the level he's grown accustomed to is no guarantee.

Though the time off could conceivably have given his body some much-needed rest, and he may well be in for one of the best seasons of his career as a result, there's no way to tell until he gets on the field in more demanding situations than that of OTAs and minicamps.

Should Peterson show some signs of slowing down, as so many running backs do at this stage in their careers, the Vikings may be more inclined to manage his workload going forward.

If not, the rest of the NFC may be in trouble.

Will Bridgewater continue to progress?

Teddy Bridgewater was impressive as a rookie down the stretch in 2014, but being able to build upon that success over the course of an entire season will be key to his development as a quarterback.

While young signal-callers can so often take a step back as sophomores, the return of Peterson and the addition of an established vertical threat in Mike Wallace certainly puts Bridgewater in position to avoid that regression.

Bridgewater emerging as a franchise-caliber quarterback could set the Vikings up as playoff contenders for the foreseeable future, and the strides he's made ahead of training camp and preseason action should help determine whether he's on pace to do so as early as this season.

Can Kalil bounce back?

After a strong start to his NFL career, earning a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie in 2012, Matt Kalil is coming off a disastrous season that likely had the Vikings wondering whether he was even capable of earning the starting left tackle job again in 2015.

Having undergone dual offseason knee surgeries, however, indicating that injuries may have been a previously unpublicized factor in his difficult year, the 26-year-old could be in position to put together a bounce-back season.

Re-establishing himself as the long-term answer on the blind side would not only go a long way toward solving the Vikings' questions on the offensive front, but also creating more favorable situations for Bridgewater and Peterson in the process.

With the 2016 fifth-year option exercised on his rookie deal only guaranteed for injury, a strong showing from Kalil would likely see him in line for at least another season in Minnesota at a salary in excess of $11 million.

Who will emerge at corner?

While the cornerback position represents one of the Vikings' deepest personnel groupings on the roster overall, training camp competitions will bring some much-needed clarity to the roles each player can be expected to take on.

One of the league's top young defensive backs, Xavier Rhodes, is virtually guaranteed to return at one of the two starting spots on the outside. As he showed toward the end of last season, his continued progression could involve the responsibility of shadowing opposing teams' top receivers on a more consistent basis.

Further down the depth chart is where things get more interesting, as Terence Newman, Captain Munnerlyn, Josh Robinson, Marcus Sherels, and first-round rookie Trae Waynes will all be vying for consistent snaps.

The sheer number and relative strength of options available would suggest the Vikings' defensive backfield is in good shape either way, but it should also make for one of the most intriguing position battles to watch as a result.

Can Clemmings earn a starting job?

Widely considered to be a potential first-round selection prior to having a stress fracture discovered in his foot, T.J. Clemmings could very well prove to be a steal for the Vikings in the fourth round.

Seemingly unaffected by the injury to this point, having been able to participate in offseason activities and now in line to do the same in training camp, the Pittsburgh product should compete for a starting job this summer.

Whether that's playing the tackle position he played in college or transitioning inside to guard, Clemmings earning such a role would improve an offensive front that struggled throughout the 2014 campaign.