In 2006, after spending 4 years as Jamal Lewis’ understudy in Baltimore, Chester Taylor signed a free agent contract with the Vikings to become their featured back. That first season, Taylor filled the bill, rushing 303 times for 1,216 yards on a team without a respectable passing attack.

The following April, of course, the Vikings drafted Adrian Peterson and Taylor quickly found himself in a supporting role once again.  During the past three seasons, with Peterson starring, Taylor has seen his carries steadily dimish and role reduced to 3rd down specialist and primary receiver out of the backfield.

With Peterson’s recent lack of explosiveness and fumbling issues however, Taylor could become an integral part of the Vikings stretch run. I caught up with the veteran running back late last week at Winter Park for a quick chat….

DZ: With Adrian’s ankle issues and everything (else), you’ve seen a little more action the past couple of weeks, what’s that been like for you?

TAYLOR: I feel like I’ve been playing the same amount that I have been playing. Whenever they need me to go in there and try to do whatever, I am going to just try and make things happen.

DZ: Going back to 2006 when you first came in here, you were the featured guy; you had a lot of carries. Do you think you could have taken that kind of punishment year after year?

TAYLOR: Yeah, I am a running back, I want the ball. I believe every year is a different year so…I feel good right now and I could do the same thing I did back then.

DZ: With Adrian coming in (in 2007), do you feel like that maybe prolonged your career a little bit?

TAYLOR: I don’t know. I am just taking it game-by-game and year-by-year right now. Whatever happens happens.

DZ: Could you just talk a little bit about your relationship with (Peterson) and how it has evolved?

TAYLOR: We are real tight. We help each other out a lot on and off the field. I help him out with reads, blocking, whatever I see on the sideline or in the game. I just try to help him out like that.

DZ: He’s known for the long runs, but you’ve got the longest run in team history in ’06 – the 95 yarder and you had that 84 yarder in ’07 which I think is still longer than anything he’s done. Do you ever tease him about that?

TAYLOR: (laughs) No, we don’t tease each other. My running backs coach (Eric Bieniemy) does. He’s always telling me I am the slowest, but I do have the fastest – longest runs. But, that’s behind us right now; we’re just focused on Arizona.

DZ: Like you said, you’re focused on Arizona and you’ve got a lot more work to do this year, but I think you are a free agent after this year…Do you want to be a featured guy again or do you like the situation here?

TAYLOR: I am not really thinking about that right now. I am focused on trying to win a championship this year; all that stuff will play it’s way out after the season.

DZ: One last thing, you played with Ray Lewis in Baltimore and Brett Favre here – two of the greatest players of this generation – is there anything you noticed about them that is same – something similar they both bring to the game?

TAYLOR: They are both leaders. Ray, like you said, is future Hall of Famer, just like Brett. They lead by example and verbally as well. I just saw the leadership that they bring out to players on their team.

See more of David Zingler’s interviews with Vikings players:

November 12: Tarvaris Jackson