05-14-2022, 11:20 AM
The Vikings put just 42 players on the field for the first day of coach Kevin O'Connell's initial rookie minicamp in Minnesota, keeping their tryout numbers low and the intensity of their on-field work controlled.The goal, O'Connell said, was to treat the initial session like a "pseudo passing camp," emphasizing skill players and defensive backs instead of trying to draw meaningful conclusions about linemen who were practicing without pads.
Of the 17 players the Vikings brought in for tryouts, just four were offensive or defensive linemen, and only two were linebackers. Instead, Minnesota's list of tryout players followed its intentions for the weekend.
"We tried to keep the numbers a little bit lower than to have the traditional 70, 80 guys when we'd have some team drills and the ball's on the ground a bunch, players are on the ground a bunch," O'Connell said. "What we're doing is those competitive 7-on-7s and kind of turning it into a pseudo passing camp, just to make sure we can get quality reps, we can install some things, and then try to really evaluate guys on both sides of the ball when the ball's in the air.
"Those big guys, we'll try to incorporate something tomorrow within the rules where we can get those guys at least lining up across from one another. Really what we're trying to do is just acclimate these guys overall — where to go in the meetings, where to go in the building, where to eat lunch."
The Vikings planned to take their rookies to the Twins-Guardians game on Saturday night — O'Connell hinted he would be throwing out the first pitch before the game — and will keep their rookies in town to start organized team activities with the veterans on Monday.
Many teams conducted their rookie minicamps last week; O'Connell preferred to wait a week to keep players in town for OTAs, rather than sending them back home.
"I'm not a fan of doing it last weekend, and then you've got to send them home," O'Connell said. "These guys have traveled enough, in my opinion, with the visits and the combine and the different pro days. Get them here, allow them to stay through the weekend and hit the ground running on Monday. The expectation is, if we're counting on you to compete, let's go. Let's roll."
https://www.startribune.com/vikings-note...600173031/
Of the 17 players the Vikings brought in for tryouts, just four were offensive or defensive linemen, and only two were linebackers. Instead, Minnesota's list of tryout players followed its intentions for the weekend.
"We tried to keep the numbers a little bit lower than to have the traditional 70, 80 guys when we'd have some team drills and the ball's on the ground a bunch, players are on the ground a bunch," O'Connell said. "What we're doing is those competitive 7-on-7s and kind of turning it into a pseudo passing camp, just to make sure we can get quality reps, we can install some things, and then try to really evaluate guys on both sides of the ball when the ball's in the air.
"Those big guys, we'll try to incorporate something tomorrow within the rules where we can get those guys at least lining up across from one another. Really what we're trying to do is just acclimate these guys overall — where to go in the meetings, where to go in the building, where to eat lunch."
The Vikings planned to take their rookies to the Twins-Guardians game on Saturday night — O'Connell hinted he would be throwing out the first pitch before the game — and will keep their rookies in town to start organized team activities with the veterans on Monday.
Many teams conducted their rookie minicamps last week; O'Connell preferred to wait a week to keep players in town for OTAs, rather than sending them back home.
"I'm not a fan of doing it last weekend, and then you've got to send them home," O'Connell said. "These guys have traveled enough, in my opinion, with the visits and the combine and the different pro days. Get them here, allow them to stay through the weekend and hit the ground running on Monday. The expectation is, if we're counting on you to compete, let's go. Let's roll."
https://www.startribune.com/vikings-note...600173031/
