Vikings Minicamp Observations: Wrapping with Helmets Off; Young DBs Make Plays on Football
To put a ribbon on minicamp, here are three Day 3 observations.
Players were able to let their hair down with helmets off during the final 15 minutes of Thursday’s practice when the starting offense and defense walked through plays together on one side of the field and developmental groups did so opposite of them. The extra visibility revealed smiles and laughter.
In between snaps, Murray jelled with O’Connell, McCarthy talked with teammates, so on and so forth.
The period fit the theme of the week – intense learning and application of techniques and concepts – and reflected the camaraderie that Jefferson highlighted when he answered questions at the podium.
Even during the 11-on-11 walk-through, quarterbacks simulated reading coverages and transferring their sightlines across the field. They nodded off targets, smoothly progressing from left to right and vice versa.
The most out-of-place people, if you will, in this type of setting are the players in the trenches. But even their movements were notable, and specific to the starting five of Christian Darrisaw, Donovan Jackson, Blake Brandel, Will Fries and Brian O’Neill, they were exciting. That’s because at this point last year, the group was missing “Big Dog” and “Spud” as they rehabilitated an ACL tear (Darrisaw) and a broken leg (Fries).
