05-31-2018, 01:56 AM
Kirk Cousins is looking sharp in spring practices, but he’s learning precisely what “open” means in his new offense.
Cousins passed up Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph during a red-zone drill in Wednesday’s organized team activity practice. Rudolph wouldn’t have been the first receiver to say he was left open. But quarterbacks coach Kevin Stefanski thought Cousins missed the window for a big play and let him know afterward.
“Hey, in that situation, you might want to give Kyle a chance,” Cousins recalled hearing from Stefanski, “even though he looks covered. You have to throw him the ball. He’s open.”
The Vikings’ passing game remains an obvious work in progress after just five 11-on-11 practices into Cousins’ tenure. While the veteran quarterback found receivers Adam Thielen and Laquon Treadwell for impressive strikes, he’s still adapting to nuances of each target. They range from an effective close-quarters tight end such as Rudolph to some shifty receivers.
Jump-starting that chemistry is a continued emphasis in the red zone, where the Vikings will rely on a new quarterback and new coordinator to maintain their 2017 success.
http://www.startribune.com/kirk-cousins-...484105961/
Cousins passed up Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph during a red-zone drill in Wednesday’s organized team activity practice. Rudolph wouldn’t have been the first receiver to say he was left open. But quarterbacks coach Kevin Stefanski thought Cousins missed the window for a big play and let him know afterward.
“Hey, in that situation, you might want to give Kyle a chance,” Cousins recalled hearing from Stefanski, “even though he looks covered. You have to throw him the ball. He’s open.”
The Vikings’ passing game remains an obvious work in progress after just five 11-on-11 practices into Cousins’ tenure. While the veteran quarterback found receivers Adam Thielen and Laquon Treadwell for impressive strikes, he’s still adapting to nuances of each target. They range from an effective close-quarters tight end such as Rudolph to some shifty receivers.
Jump-starting that chemistry is a continued emphasis in the red zone, where the Vikings will rely on a new quarterback and new coordinator to maintain their 2017 success.
http://www.startribune.com/kirk-cousins-...484105961/
