Training camp has arrived

[Norse]

That’s only one snap, but that’s just pathetic…
Why don’t they try an improve Ingrams position? Just stick with him and let him suck.

[purplefaithful]

Some standouts in training camp include edge rusher Gabe Murphy and cornerback Dwight McGlothern.

In a perfect world for the Vikings, they already have another diamond in the rough on the roster.

A perfect template exists in linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. He signed as an undrafted free agent last season and quickly started to turn some heads in training camp. As he made more and more plays in practice, it became clear that Pace was going to be an impact player for defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

There are a pair of undrafted free agents this season that are on a similar path, Though it’s unlikely that anybody will make as big of a splash as Pace did as a rookie last season, edge rusher Gabe Murphy and cornerback Dwight McGlothern have emerged as standouts in training camp.

Asked about both players on Saturday afternoon at TCO Performance Center, Flores heaped praise on Murphy and McGlothern, who have steadily climbed the depth chart since signing as undrafted free agents.

it raises the question: Why have the Vikings found success with undrafted free agents as of late?

“This league is about fit and timing,” Flores said. “Just getting to the right place with the right coach with the right system.”

It appears that Murphy and McGlothern are the right fit at the right time. The next step for them is simply continuing to perform at a high level in practice.

That should put both players in a good spot with the preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders suddenly coming up in less than a week.

Pace looking confident

As for Pace, he looks so much more confident this season, and the Vikings seem to have high hopes for him after what he did as a rookie.

“He showed pretty elite football instincts and intelligence for a rookie, especially in our defense with the things Flo was trying to do,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said. “Can he pair that with the experience he does have and some of the things we’re looking to have him improve on?”

That hasn’t been an issue for Pace so far. He’s flying around in training camp making plays like he has been known to do.

Darnold improving

There have been ups and down for veteran quarterback Sam Darnold in training camp. That said, Darnold had arguably his best showing on Friday afternoon, then followed it up with another good effort on Saturday afternoon.

“I’m continuing to get better,” Darnold said. “I’ve got to continue to keep working.”

The most challenging part for Darnold has been navigating the different looks he’s getting on the other side of the ball. It’s no secret that Flores is constantly trying to create confusion with his some of the exotic schemes he dials up on defense.

“You’ve got to have a plan for everything,” Darnold said. “It”s fun to be able to compete against those guys.”

It remains to be seen if Darnold suits up at any point in the preseason. Asked if he has a preference on the matter, Darnold replied, “Whatever the coaches ask of me I’ll do.”

https://www.twincities.com/2024/08/03/th...ee-agents/

[MAD GAINZ]

The one thing that has really impressed me so far about Darnold... it's his response to this opportunity. He's keeping his head down, staying even keeled, saying he'll do whatever the coaches ask him to do. Even going back to when O'Connell told him before the draft they might take one early, he said they didn't need to give him a heads up, he's not owed anything.

I really like how mature he's been about this and it gives me hope he'll play some good football for us. I was NOT impressed when we signed him initially, but I'm becoming a fan.

[purplefaithful]

Looks like the D took the day yesterday, good learning moments for JJM. It can be hot and heavy in the pocket in the NFL, he has to feel that and learn to operate. Good stuff.

https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/viki...j4ahb404kt

Sounds like it was a frustrating day for him, but welcome to the NFL rook...

[purplefaithful]

The one thing that has really impressed me so far about Darnold...  it's his response to this opportunity.  He's keeping his head down, staying even keeled, saying he'll do whatever the coaches ask him to do.  Even going back to when O'Connell told him before the draft they might take one early, he said they didn't need to give him a heads up, he's not owed anything. 

I really like how mature he's been about this and it gives me hope he'll play some good football for us.  I was NOT impressed when we signed him initially, but I'm becoming a fan.

He's had what now, 3 or 4 years in the league? 

Those haven't been easy years for him either. 

I hope he has a great year too and lets JJ curate some. Hell, JJ just turned 21.

[MAD GAINZ]

Sounds like Darnold and JJ both had good days today.

Reichard was his automatic self even from long range.

Asamoah is making some noise in camp... and UDFA McGlothern and Murphy are showing out according to Flores.

Good stuff!

BOOM

[StickierBuns]

Sounds like Darnold and JJ both had good days today.

Reichard was his automatic self even from long range.

Asamoah is making some noise in camp...  and UDFA McGlothern and Murphy are showing out according to Flores.

Good stuff!

BOOM

Good days for both QBs yesterday....and some more NFL starter throws from JJM.

[MaroonBells]

Got a kicker...

https://twitter.com/SeanBormanNFL/status...5469917647

[purplefaithful]

Vikings ramping up practices at a higher level of intensity than in previous seasons

Coach Kevin O’Connell wants his Vikings to be more physical this year, and to that end, he’s pushing the team harder in August.

The Vikings practiced in pads for the fourth time during training camp on Saturday in one of their longest sessions of the week. After a Sunday walkthrough, they will be back in pads Monday night for their annual practice in TCO Stadium.

The stretch certainly would not match the intensity of camps from the Vikings’ early years in Mankato, or even the ones coach Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores can remember from their first season together in 2008, when two-a-days were still allowed under NFL rules and commonplace in New England under Bill Belichick.

But it represents a departure from the Vikings’ typical practice structure during O’Connell‘s first two seasons. The team categorizes practices as either high, medium or low intensity; their camp schedule often followed a rotation to give players recovery time after a strenuous practice. This season, O’Connell said, the Vikings‘ workload at the start of padded practices needed to look different.

”We buckled up and had three significant days,” O’Connell said Friday. “I know only two of them were in pads, but that Tuesday practice was significant; there was some situational work. I’ve got a plan of how I want to push these guys. It will always involve over-communicating expectations on the front end, challenging the guys to lock in on sequences of training camp. We’re about to start another one right now.”

O’Connell hopes the work will mold a Vikings team he wants to be more physical this season; the team signed former Packers running back Aaron Jones to spearhead a running game that could employ more power runs to spring the veteran free. Defensively, the Vikings ranked eighth in the league against the run last year but allowed a combined 320 rushing yards in a pair of pivotal December home losses to the Lions and Packers. They will field a remade linebacking group this season; several roles on the defensive line remain in play.

The team has typically taken a careful approach to training camp, adjusting player workloads with GPS data checks and executive health director of player health and performance Tyler Williams’ input. That’s still happening; it led to Justin Jefferson getting a rest day on Wednesday after data showed how much he’d run and how much water he’d lost in several days of hot afternoon practices.

But in his third camp, O’Connell is trying to maintain a fresh roster while instilling work he hopes will refine players.
”In a lot of ways, it’s gauging the dialogue with that player, what the medical folks are saying, what the doctors are saying, and then crafting a plan for that player while knowing I’ve got to get the football team ready to go,” O’Connell said. “It’s part of my job this time of year to gauge how to prepare the team while also making sure we’ve got a team to prepare.”
Even with Jefferson’s elevated status, it‘s rare for the receiver to miss a practice, and of the day off, he said Friday, “I like it and hate it at the same time.

”Just because I never really was the type of person to take days off,” he said. “But I understand I’m starting to get a little older, and the yards I’m running and the way I’m running every single day of practice, it starts to take a toll on me, you know? So it’s just taking a little step back.”

Jefferson, who missed seven games because of his right hamstring injury last season, said he’s “so scared” of injuring his hamstring again, adding he focused on strengthening his hamstrings this offseason to prevent further injury. O’Connell said Jefferson “learned a lot about his body” from the injury, adding, “I think he’s done everything possible to have himself ready to go.”

”But we want to make sure Justin plays a lot of snaps for us. We want to make sure his training camp progression is the right kind of progression coming off a first-time [injury] for him.”

If science helps the Vikings manage the health of players like Jefferson more carefully, the setup of the modern game means teams prepare for a longer season under more constraints. League rules limit teams to four hours of on-field work during camp, with caps on the number (16), length (2½ hours) and frequency (no more than three consecutive days) of padded practices.

At the start of Flores’ career, “it was two-a-days then. So a lot more practice, a lot more fundamental work, just a lot more of everything. More opportunities for guys to get reps, and they can just get better by doing it over and over again. But everybody’s working with the same rules [now]. And I talk to our staff about being efficient with our time. I’m constantly trying to tweak it, saying, ‘Can we get five minutes here, or two minutes back here?’ That’s a constant work in process.”

Before two joint practice days against the Browns’ stout defense later this month, the Vikings are injecting a little more intensity into their camp in Eagan, in hopes it will produce a team with the grit O’Connell wants.

“That’s why we have to make sure these padded practices are physical,” O’Connell said. “We have to make sure the competition makes both sides of the ball better each and every day.”

Etc.
• The Vikings remained without cornerback Shaq Griffin and safety Lewis Cine because of injury on Saturday. Wide receiver Malik Knowles, offensive lineman Jeremy Flax and linebacker Bo Richter did not practice, while linebacker Gabriel Murphy and tight end N‘Keal Harry left early. Defensive end Jerry Tillery was carted off the field after being injured during a drill.
• Rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy rebounded from a tough day on Friday, hitting Trent Sherfield in the back of the end zone for a touchdown and trading a midair hip bump celebration with Nick Muse after he found the tight end for a big gain on a seam route.

https://www.startribune.com/vikings-ramp.../600751615

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I'm really looking forwArd to reading about the joint practices against Stefanski's Brownies and their D later this mos.

Those are going to be good measuring sticks.

[purplefaithful]

Rookie defensive tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez got some run with the first-team defense Friday, in part because starter Jonathan Bullard was taking a veteran's rest day. But Rodriguez, a seventh-round pick from Texas A&M-Commerce, has also caught the eye of defensive coordinator Brian Flores early in camp.

"I think he's done a lot of good things," Flores said Saturday. "I think he's picked up the playbook quickly. I think he's full of energy. I think he's got some athletic ability. It's still early, but we're trying to put him in as many situations as possible to see what roles might fit him best. We're really doing that for everybody, but the young guys especially. It's their first training camp. You don't really know from a capacity standpoint how much they can handle early on. So you start with a small role and then try to build on that."

Bullard, Harrison Phillips and free agent signee Jerry Tillery had previously gotten most of the first-team defensive line reps during camp, with veterans Jonah Williams and Jaquelin Roy working with the second team. Rodriguez's recent work isn't necessarily a sign that he's shot past them on the depth chart, but the interest from coaches is real. -- Kevin Seifert

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/4019...er-battles