New number, a second position and a first-down catch — Chaz Chambliss is the epitome of "the more you can do," and he demonstrated that in the Vikings preseason finale.

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After Jersey Switches & Position Addition, Chaz Chambliss Makes 1st Catch

DENVER — Not every 4-yard catch garners a ton of hoopla.

But when it's your first catch NFL reception during your first game at a new position, you celebrate it.

That's exactly what happened when Carson Wentz tossed to Chaz Chambliss on second-and-2 for a new set of downs. The play marked Chambliss' first since adding a second position — fullback — and new number to his résumé.

He rocked the football in his arms like an infant, beaming and soaking in the hype from surrounding teammates.

"We had practiced it, so we called it on the first-and-short situation," Chambliss said. "Really tried not to think about it too much and just play football."

Primarily an outside linebacker for the Vikings, Chambliss this summer started also studying the fullback position. Head Coach Kevin O'Connell opted not to play rookie FB Max Bredeson Friday night, which meant a nod to Chambliss in Minnesota's preseason finale, a 34-6 loss at Denver.

"It's not something we would do with everybody," O'Connell said, "but it's that guy, and the respect and love his teammates have for him, I think is what came out.

"It was a simple flat route, but he was pretty darn excited, and so was everyone else," added O'Connell, who also tabbed Chambliss as one of the Vikings coin toss captains for the evening.

The 23-year-old epitomizes "the more you can do" as a gritty player who joined the Vikings last season as an undrafted free agent has done whatever asked on special teams, defense and now offense.

It's meant needing to be flexible with the digits on his jersey (he's gone from 32 to 57 to 40 this offseason), something not all players are nonchalant about.

"I don't want to discount his swag factor, but we can put him in just about any number and he'd just go out and play," O'Connell told media members earlier this week.

When it comes down to it, Chambliss just wants to play ball — in whatever capacity that may be.

"It's just anything I can do to make myself more valuable to the team," he said. "I mean, I know exactly what my place is on the team, and I try to play that role to the best of my ability."

Chambliss first dabbled at the fullback position as a senior at Georgia, but he took very few game snaps at the position and never actually got his hands on the pigskin.

He said it "felt good" to have that moment Friday.

"It was something I wasn't really expecting going into the game, until we had the game plan in," he laughed, "but it was cool."

Chambliss, who also logged a defensive tackle in Denver, has fully committed himself to learning the position within Minnesota's system, including sitting in on offensive meetings.

"It makes sense because you think about the plays we have on defense and how they marry up with how we're trying to influence the offense in certain sets," he said. "It's just cool to get in on both sides and learn."

Running back Aaron Jones, Sr., has been impressed by Chambliss' work both on and off the field.

Jones noted it's "pretty insane" how quickly Chambliss has picked it all up, having only made the transition within the past two weeks at training camp.

"To sacrifice, 'Hey, I'm going to come in early in the morning, get my workout in so I can be in both the offensive and defensive meetings, and he's had to go home and study it," Jones said. "And then it's so rewarding for him to go out there and be able to get a pass thrown to him, he catches it, gets the first down and comes out with a celebration to top it off? It was sweet. I'm super happy for him, and it's just a testament to his hard work."

Jones wasn't the only one thrilled for Chambliss, either.

Back home in Minnesota, recently retired Vikings fullback C.J. Ham tuned into the preseason game to keep an eye on Chambliss. Ham received word Thursday about the transition and sent his former teammate a text.

"I told him to go make some plays!" Ham told Vikings.com via text. "It's pretty cool he gets that opportunity to showcase so many different skills, and him catching a pass is dope, too!"

Ham jokingly told Chambliss last season he "should give it a try" and then came to realize the outside linebacker had actually taken a few reps there in college.

"Chaz is awesome, and he'll do whatever it is to make the team and add value," Ham said.

Hearing from Ham, who impacted the team for a decade, meant a lot from Chambliss headed into Friday's game.

"A Pro Bowler, great player, great person," he said. "It means the world. He taught me a lot last year. Taught me how to be a pro. I'll never be able to repay him."