Training Camp 2023

[wcblack34]

17 minutes ago, SemperFeist said:

If the night practice gives us any indication about the defense, I hope you like blitzing. 

Swooooooon. 😍

[Robb_K]

Good to find out that Tristan Jackson's injury was minor compared to how it looked.  I'm hoping he'll be back in a week or two(at most).  He was looking like a good candidate for the 5th WR spot.

[SemperFeist]

Asamoah and Pace are f’ing fast to the football. 

[SemperFeist]

Jefferson, Osborn, and Addison are going to be a problem for defenses. Add in Hockenson and Oliver, and this offense has the potential to be top 5. The offensive line is going to be the deciding factor. 

 

I still wish that Addison was 10-15 pounds thicker, maybe (hopefully) that comes over the next couple of seasons, but his route running and ability to separate really stand out. 

If the Twitter highlights and hype from Vikings camp, Seahawks camp, Chargers camp, and Ravens camp are true, this year’s WR class could be better than 2020’s. 

[JDBrocks]

 

 

[vike daddy]

More fans were able to get their first in-person looks at several Vikings newcomers who arrived via the draft or free agency.

First-round pick Jordan Addison hauled in several impressive grabs, including a touchdown from Kirk Cousins in the back of the end zone, despite contact from Lewis Cine.

That was one play after Cousins had targeted Addison on a pass to the front corner that was broken up by undrafted rookie Jaylin Williams, who snagged an interception off a pass deflected by Theo Jackson during the 2-minute drill between the second teams on offense and defense.

Rookie QB Jaren Hall also targeted Addison, but the pass was broken up by a fellow draft classmate, Mekhi Blackmon.

Throw in undrafted rookie linebacker Ivan Pace, Jr., taking reps with the first-team defense alongside veteran Jordan Hicks, and it was an interesting night for newcomers.

Veteran tight end Josh Oliver, who joined in free agency, had a couple of nice routes and catches, and Byron Murphy, Jr., seemed to enjoy interacting with Vikings fans before looking fast on a blitz.

https://www.vikings.com/news/brian-oneill-takes-2023-training-camp-night-practice?fbclid=IwAR26eLWRTx5EDtDKKjAh_NYUN-swER3c36nPIsG8IH1QlZcEPuH5iudW5Ho

[JDBrocks]

ugh. Brutal for him.

[Ozzy]

3 hours ago, JDBrocks said:

ugh. Brutal for him.

The dudes career is most likely over, has not been much at all over this first three years and now misses the entire season.  Sure he might stick on a team and get a little contract if he can come back healthy but he has not shown enough promise to keep him around the league I feel.  This was his make or break year and stinks he cannot even get that chance.

 

Had that one monster season at Baylor with 13.5 sacks, 19.5 TFLs, 3 forced fumbles and 5 passes deflected.  Now Otomewo is easily the #1 backup DE if they stick with a 3/4 but maybe they should switch and play multiple base defenses and lean a little more with the 4/3 and have Davenport and Hunter back at their more natural productive positions.  That would leave Lowry or Tonga on the bench but that is fine and my guess is Lowry would be just fine as a 4/3 DT and Phillips already shown he can play that and might actually be better in that.  

[JDBrocks]

They aren’t switching the scheme because a back up got injured.

[Ozzy]

2 hours ago, JDBrocks said:

They aren’t switching the scheme because a back up got injured.

You switch the scheme and are multiple because Marcus Davenport is not a 3/4 OLB and neither is Danielle Hunter when one really gets down to it.  Play nickel, play multiple fronts is called being hard to prepare for and using your personnel.  Marcus Davenport is arguably a better 3/4 DE than he would be a 3/4 OLB especially in terms of holding the point of attack.  I would argue it would be better to have Wonnum as the 3/4 OLB and Davenport the DE and Phillips in the middle and Lowry opposite him.

 

How much you want to bet they play a 4 down DL this year?  There is almost zero chance that does not occur at some point especially in nickel then you have Pace and Asamoah as the two LBs and ideally move in Cine as the 5th DB if he can cover the slot.  

 

The Vikings 3/4 DL is one of the weaker in the entire NFL unless some guys really step up their game.  

 

 

[VikeManDan]

1 hour ago, Ozzy said:

How much you want to bet they play a 4 down DL this year?  There is almost zero chance that does not occur at some point especially in nickel then you have Pace and Asamoah as the two LBs and ideally move in Cine as the 5th DB if he can cover the slot.  

Flores has already said they'd be running multiple fronts based on who the opponent is. 

[SteelKing728]

Who replaces Lynch now?

[Sad People]

1 hour ago, VikeManDan said:

Flores has already said they'd be running multiple fronts based on who the opponent is. 

Something Donatell i dont think ever did.

[JDBrocks]

3 hours ago, Ozzy said:

You switch the scheme and are multiple because Marcus Davenport is not a 3/4 OLB and neither is Danielle Hunter when one really gets down to it.  Play nickel, play multiple fronts is called being hard to prepare for and using your personnel.  Marcus Davenport is arguably a better 3/4 DE than he would be a 3/4 OLB especially in terms of holding the point of attack.  I would argue it would be better to have Wonnum as the 3/4 OLB and Davenport the DE and Phillips in the middle and Lowry opposite him.

 

How much you want to bet they play a 4 down DL this year?  There is almost zero chance that does not occur at some point especially in nickel then you have Pace and Asamoah as the two LBs and ideally move in Cine as the 5th DB if he can cover the slot.  

 

The Vikings 3/4 DL is one of the weaker in the entire NFL unless some guys really step up their game.  

 

 

Flores has already said that they will do this. They still aren’t changing the base scheme because of an injury to a back up.

[Ozzy]

 

1 hour ago, Sad People said:

Something Donatell i dont think ever did.

He did, he moved Z. Smith into a DT pass rushing position on nickel defenses and they had Hunter, Z. Smith, Tomlinson and Wonnum/P Jones as the other end if I recall correctly.  Either way the entire point of a 3/4 is the defense does not know where the rush is coming from and who is dropping.  But it only really works when you have standout DL who can either take on blocks extremely well or literally get after the QB just as good as a edge guy.  Vikings DL is nothing great and is even worse without Lynch who was nothing great himself.  They could not get pressure with Tomlinson, Phillips and Tonga/Bullard what makes them think they are that much better this year.  Hopefully so but not sure Lowry is a total game changer, solid and is far better than Lynch or Bullard who both did very little.  Maybe Blacklock will not be a total nothing which is what he was last year, that would be great to get something out of him.

 

That leaves like I said Otomewo as the only real hope as a edge pressure guy at the DE spot in a 3/4, that or the rookie Roy who could be a decent 3/4 DE possibly or a pass rushing NT type.  But might not be the worst idea to rotate defensive fronts constantly almost 50/50.  

 

Reddick
Judon
Highsmith
Uche
Von Miller

 

All of those guys are very bendy athletic 3/4 OLBs with speed, not sure Hunter or Davenport fit that mold at all.  Kind of like putting Micah Parsons as a 3/4 OLB, why he is solid as can be at the point of attack, super strong and a beast on the edge as a 4/3 DE.  Why put him as a 3/4 OLB?  Or like putting Aidan Hutchinson as a 3/4 OLB, sure he could be why?

 

Patrick Jones seemed to benefit the most playing as a 3/4 OLB in terms of his play but not sure any of those other guys played out of this world in that defensive base.