INDIANAPOLIS — Before addressing reporters during a media session at the NFL combine on Wednesday, Vikings general manager Rick Spielman made it a point to single out coach Mike Zimmer for “the job he did last year.”

The Vikings finished 7-9 but lost starting running back Adrian Peterson and quarterback Matt Cassell for most of the season, and starters Phil Loadholt, Brandon Fusco and Kyle Rudolph for large chunks.

Zimmer is glad to have Spielman’s support, but he said Thursday he’s had enough of the praise being heaped on him.

“I’m tired of it, to be honest of you,” he said from NFL’s scouting combine. “I can’t wait to get in front of our team and tell them all the reasons why we were 7-9. I don’t want to listen to this stuff about how great we’re going to be … (The players) are going to be in for a shocker, I think.”

The Vikings improved from 5-10-1 the previous season, and their defense made immense strides. During Super Bowl week, Zimmer’s former boss in Cincinnati, head coach Marvin Lewis, said his former defensive coordinator did an “outstanding job.”

Zimmer shrugs off the compliments.

“There’s so many things I have to do better,” he said. “I have to be more demanding. I have to be able to point out more of what I want to get done. … (with) players, mostly — tougher, more physical. …

“I don’t think I did near a good enough job because I was so worried about getting the scheme right, getting this or that right. I let too many things get away from me.”

Zimmer, though, can’t complain much about how quarterback Teddy Bridgewater after being thrust into the starting role as a rookie. The coach continued to laud Bridgewater.

After Bridgewater won the Pepsi Rookie of the Year Award last month, Zimmer said, he sent his quarterback a text.

“I texted him and said something like, ‘Congrats, Teddy, let’s see if we can win a championship — unless you want to be a celebrity quarterback,’ ” Zimmer said. “He texted me back, ‘Thanks, Coach, but I’ve never cared about individual awards and all I care about is the team and winning football games.’ The stuff he says is so perfect.”

Zimmer said Bridgewater needs “to get a little bit stronger” this offseason, adding that he expects that will happen.

A bigger offseason concern is receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, who slumped in 2014 after a strong rookie campaign. Zimmer wonders if some of the preseason publicity surrounding Patterson got to him.

“I think all those things maybe affected him a little bit,” he said. “… I know he likes the limelight and all that stuff; that’s fine, but if you’re not playing, that stuff is going to fade away fast.”

Patterson’s slump, and Greg Jennings’ hefty contract are reasons Minnesota could draft a receiver with the 11th overall pick in the April 30-May 2 draft. The Vikings also have needs at linebacker, cornerback and on the offensive line.

“There’s isn’t a position that we’re not trying to get better at,” Zimmer said.

The Vikings are generally strong at tight end, but that didn’t keep them from claiming Brandon Bostick off waivers from Green Bay on Wednesday. Bostick was let go after he mishandled an onside kick in last month’s NFC Championship game against Seattle.

“We all make mistakes,” Zimmer said, “so we’ll try not to put him on the onside kick team.”

Zimmer said he’s fortunate nearly his entire coaching staff will be back next season. Assistant wide receivers coach Klint Kubiak and assistant defensive line coach Robb Akey have left, but Zimmer said their roles will be filled internally.

Follow Chris Tomasson at twitter.com/christomasson.