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Vikings hope early start helps rookies have fast start Coach Mike Zimmer's goal: Make sure these rookies are ready to contribute more than last year's rookies. MANKATO - Ifeadi Odenigbo turned to a group of unknowing reporters, asking where Vikings rookies were convening for dinner.
Odenigbo, the seventh-round pick, was one of 35 or so Vikings players to report early Sunday afternoon for training camp at the Julia Sears dormitory at Minnesota State University in Mankato. The NFL allows teams to set early report dates for rookies, quarterbacks and injured players for up to a week before veterans are required to show up.
These Vikings will get three extra days before veterans report Wednesday, giving rookies such as Odenigbo a chance to settle into their new homes for the next couple of weeks. However, Mike Zimmer’s decision for younger players to bid an early adieu to their summer vacations has a fine point — doing anything possible to make sure these rookies are ready to contribute more than last year’s rookies.
“I just felt like it was important,” Zimmer said. “I just felt like we wanted to try to get them up to speed as quickly as we can. Last year, a lot of the rookies didn’t play as much as they had in the past, so I just figured let’s give these guys every opportunity to get them up to speed a little bit quicker.”
This is Zimmer’s fourth training camp as Vikings head coach and the first time he decided to open camp early...
http://www.startribune.com/vikings-hope-...6198133/#1
I think, ideally, you want them to contribute as fast as they can every year. But there's a learning curve and some rookies are better than others naturally. I'll say this: that defensive line is STACKED. Talented and deep. I worry about an injuries to the LBing core, as it looks incredibly weak if they fade any.
Quote: @StickyBun said:
I think, ideally, you want them to contribute as fast as they can every year. But there's a learning curve and some rookies are better than others naturally. I'll say this: that defensive line is STACKED. Talented and deep. I worry about an injuries to the LBing core, as it looks incredibly weak if they fade any.
I think RB is pretty deep for this team too - least on paper.
Depth an issue @ LB (agreed), OL too...
Quote: @purplefaithful said:
@ StickyBun said:
I think, ideally, you want them to contribute as fast as they can every year. But there's a learning curve and some rookies are better than others naturally. I'll say this: that defensive line is STACKED. Talented and deep. I worry about an injuries to the LBing core, as it looks incredibly weak if they fade any.
I think RB is pretty deep for this team too - least on paper.
Depth an issue @ LB (agreed), OL too...
Yep, RB is very deep. Feel great about that position. I wonder if Minnesota will have any interest in late preseason LB veteran cut from another team?
Quote: @StickyBun said:
@ purplefaithful said:
I think RB is pretty deep for this team too - least on paper.
Depth an issue @ LB (agreed), OL too...
Yep, RB is very deep. Feel great about that position. I wonder if Minnesota will have any interest in late preseason LB veteran cut from another team?
Very deep? Two of you say so, but I see McKinnon, Murray, Cook, and.....what else beyond them? Bishop Sankey has been cut by 3 other teams, and CJ Ham probably wouldn't get any attention if he weren't from Duluth. I think we are OK at RB but, to me, "very deep" sounds like we're going to have 2-3 legit NFL players fighting for the final roster spot and maybe able to trade one. I sure don't see that...I think we're likely to give the 4th RB spot to someone we would be nervous to have starting if injuries hit.
Quote: @Jor-El said:
@ StickyBun said:
@ purplefaithful said:
I think RB is pretty deep for this team too - least on paper.
Depth an issue @ LB (agreed), OL too...
Yep, RB is very deep. Feel great about that position. I wonder if Minnesota will have any interest in late preseason LB veteran cut from another team?
Very deep? Two of you say so, but I see McKinnon, Murray, Cook, and.....what else beyond them? Bishop Sankey has been cut by 3 other teams, and CJ Ham probably wouldn't get any attention if he weren't from Duluth. I think we are OK at RB but, to me, "very deep" sounds like we're going to have 2-3 legit NFL players fighting for the final roster spot and maybe able to trade one. I sure don't see that...I think we're likely to give the 4th RB spot to someone we would be nervous to have starting if injuries hit.
What team is going deeper than 3 at the RB spot? Murray was a starter in Oakland, McKinnon started last year and Dalvin Cook is extremely talented. Not sure what more you could want. Or expect. Talented players.
These are parts of being a head coach that take time to learn. Maybe I heard it wrong in his interview, but I thought he said that the way they did things this year they are basically getting in an extra 10 practices. That's A LOT for the young guys whether it's on the field or in the meeting room. About the only downside is the newbies hitting that "rookie wall" a little quicker. But I think I'll take that and production over the miniscule contribution we got last year.
We've discussed it a 100 times. Rookies have a hard time playing for Zim. We've always had to speculate that it was either Zimmer just not trusting the young guys or the young guys just weren't ready. I think it's become fairly clear, with these statements, that it's mostly because they just aren't ready and can't blend in with the vets. Hopefully, this fixes at least some of those issues. Maybe as a side affect it pushes our vets a bit harder too, as they now have a rookie that's nearly as far behind.
Quote: @StickyBun said:
@ Jor-El said:
@ StickyBun said:
@ purplefaithful said:
I think RB is pretty deep for this team too - least on paper.
Depth an issue @ LB (agreed), OL too...
Yep, RB is very deep. Feel great about that position. I wonder if Minnesota will have any interest in late preseason LB veteran cut from another team?
Very deep? Two of you say so, but I see McKinnon, Murray, Cook, and.....what else beyond them? Bishop Sankey has been cut by 3 other teams, and CJ Ham probably wouldn't get any attention if he weren't from Duluth. I think we are OK at RB but, to me, "very deep" sounds like we're going to have 2-3 legit NFL players fighting for the final roster spot and maybe able to trade one. I sure don't see that...I think we're likely to give the 4th RB spot to someone we would be nervous to have starting if injuries hit.
What team is going deeper than 3 at the RB spot? Murray was a starter in Oakland, McKinnon started last year and Dalvin Cook is extremely talented. Not sure what more you could want. Or expect. Talented players.
As I said, I think we're OKAY at RB - but not "very deep". It's probably that we differ on what it means to have a lot of depth there. If Shurmur has 2 RBs getting significant touches in every game, 3 quality players is OK but only enough to withstand 1 injury. To me, being really deep means other teams will be watching our waivers because we might have to cut a quality RB. I think we will be watching other teams' RB cuts.
I hoped someone would give me an impassioned description of why Sankey was misused/misunderstood by his other NFL teams but was the best RB prospect coming out in 2014 and he fits Shurmur's system as well as our growing interest in zone blocking and how hard he is working because he knows this may be his last chance and he's going to surprise people and push for playing time despite the talent ahead of him...truly, I hope that is the case...
Quote: @Jor-El said:
@ StickyBun said:
@ Jor-El said:
@ StickyBun said:
@ purplefaithful said:
I think RB is pretty deep for this team too - least on paper.
Depth an issue @ LB (agreed), OL too...
Yep, RB is very deep. Feel great about that position. I wonder if Minnesota will have any interest in late preseason LB veteran cut from another team?
Very deep? Two of you say so, but I see McKinnon, Murray, Cook, and.....what else beyond them? Bishop Sankey has been cut by 3 other teams, and CJ Ham probably wouldn't get any attention if he weren't from Duluth. I think we are OK at RB but, to me, "very deep" sounds like we're going to have 2-3 legit NFL players fighting for the final roster spot and maybe able to trade one. I sure don't see that...I think we're likely to give the 4th RB spot to someone we would be nervous to have starting if injuries hit.
What team is going deeper than 3 at the RB spot? Murray was a starter in Oakland, McKinnon started last year and Dalvin Cook is extremely talented. Not sure what more you could want. Or expect. Talented players.
As I said, I think we're OKAY at RB - but not "very deep". It's probably that we differ on what it means to have a lot of depth there. If Shurmur has 2 RBs getting significant touches in every game, 3 quality players is OK but only enough to withstand 1 injury. To me, being really deep means other teams will be watching our waivers because we might have to cut a quality RB. I think we will be watching other teams' RB cuts.
I hoped someone would give me an impassioned description of why Sankey was misused/misunderstood by his other NFL teams but was the best RB prospect coming out in 2014 and he fits Shurmur's system as well as our growing interest in zone blocking and how hard he is working because he knows this may be his last chance and he's going to surprise people and push for playing time despite the talent ahead of him...truly, I hope that is the case...
i dont think you will ever find a team with more than 3 starter level players at 1 position. you could argue some positions where guys can rotate between multiple spots like LT or RT, LE or RE, Mike, Sam and Will, or such, but RB is pretty much 1 position at a time and to have 3 guys there that can legitly be considered a starter... thats really fricking deep IMO.
Quote: @Jor-El said:
I hoped someone would give me an impassioned description of why Sankey was misused/misunderstood by his other NFL teams but was the best RB prospect coming out in 2014 and he fits Shurmur's system as well as our growing interest in zone blocking and how hard he is working because he knows this may be his last chance and he's going to surprise people and push for playing time despite the talent ahead of him...truly, I hope that is the case...
I wouldn't count out Sankey from the Mr. Mankato running. In fact, I'll take him for the honor if no else wants him  I'm not sure if it was ego, laziness, unknown injury or he if pissed in someone's Cheerios, on the coaching staff, but the dude does have talent that has come out yet. The million dollar question is "Why"? Both he and Jet would basically cost the Vikings the same amount of money this year, IIRC. I wouldn't be shocked to see Sankey make it difficult for the coaching staff at the end or if an injury happens. I've only heard the one report about him this spring, but the coach brought up his name stating he was having a great showing. He may actually be a better fit, skillset wise, than the Cook/Jet combo. Then again, I'm not a big McKinnon fan-boy (as a player). What does he do that's going to set him apart from Murray and Cook? If Sankey can pass block at a decent level, it could be interesting.
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