Vikings Report to OTA's 4/20

The NFL announced offseason workout program dates for all 32 teams, and the Vikings will start getting back together pretty quickly.

Players will report to TCO Performance Center in Eagan for the first day of the offseason program on April 20, three days before this year’s NFL draft in Pittsburgh.

Mandatory minicamp will take place June 9-11.

The league’s nine-week voluntary offseason program is divided into three phases, beginning with two weeks of meetings, strength and conditioning and rehabilitation exclusively in Phase 1.

In Phase 2, teams are allowed on-field activities but limited to select types of drills, some limited to walk-through speed. Live contact or team drills pitting the offense and defense against each other are allowed.

Organized team activities, as well as mandatory mini-camp, are Phase 3 of the program. Teams are allowed 10 days of OTA practices where 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills are allowed but live contact is still not permitted.

At the NFL annual meeting on Monday, March 30, in Phoenix, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said he expects the team’s “full group of wide receivers” to be in attendance for all of OTAs.

The only portion of OTAs veteran players are fined for missing is mandatory minicamp, though attendance is encouraged.

Last season, star wide receiver Justin Jefferson’s presence was notable as the team looked to establish chemistry between him and young quarterback J.J. McCarthy. This year, they will be onboarding him with new QB addition Kyler Murray as well as building on the foundation laid with McCarthy, Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer last year.

“The way the offseason’s set up, we’re going to be out there for Phase 2 where there’s really not a lot of competitive reps to go around, other than throwing routes on air, and we’re going to want to have guys working with everybody. Getting as many reps as we possibly can,” O’Connell said. 

“The offseason program anymore is still a pretty strong teaching, learning phase, and when it’s time to truly start logging reps and counting throws … there’ll be a time and place for that.”

Last year, the Vikings ended their OTAs early per O’Connell’s decision following the completion of mandatory minicamp.

Here is the Vikings’ full offseason program schedule:

• First day: April 20
• Rookie minicamp: Either May 1-4 or 8-11
• OTAs: May 26-27, May 29, June 1-2, June 4, June 15-18
• Mandatory minicamp: June 9-11

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