Notes from Vikings 7/29 Practice

I decided to go down to the Minnesota Vikings’ training camp again today and check out today’s action. It was another hot day in the mid-80s but today the players got a bit of a reprieve as they were in shorts and shells rather than full pads like yesterday.

Here are my notes from the day.

Special Teams

This practice began and ended with special teams. The first 20-minute period was devoted to special teams drills. Once again the punt returners were out and while there were several back there getting a few reps, it still seems to be a competition mainly between Silas Bolden, Rondale Moore, and Myles Price- in that order. At the end of practice there were a few punts in team drills as well and those were the three that fielded them. But in the early special team drill period, Bolden, Moore, Price, Jalen Nailor and Dontae Fleming were back fielding punts.

Oddly, the punters were not punting during the early period, they were using a Jugs machine instead. Bolden had a drop in the early period and I didn’t see that anyone else did.

Punter Oscar Chapman also got I believe all the reps in team drills and most in position drills as holder, which is a sign of a full competition for the punter/holder role with Ryan Wright.

J.J. McCarthy

It wasn’t the best day for McCarthy from an accuracy standpoint as he had several off-target throws over the course of practice. He had a couple in one-on-one endzone drills, a couple in team drills, and another in 7-on-7 endzone drills. This last one targeted Josh Oliver at the back of the end zone and bounced off Oliver’s outstretched hand, then bounced hard off the crossbar as a measure of velocity. Kevin O’Connell went over to talk to McCarthy after that throw- most likely telling him to tone down the velocity- and he was better after that for the remainder of the drill.

I haven’t noticed many inaccurate throws from McCarthy so far in training camp so today stood out a bit in that regard, although nothing earth-shattering. But I sense he was a little irritated/frustrated with his inaccuracies today.

Defense Minus Headliners

The defense rested star players today in team drills, so no Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, or Harrison Smith and only a few reps from Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel.

That gave reps to others in more need of them. So with the first team there was Dallas Turner and Gabe Murphy at edge rusher, with Bo Ritchter, Chazz Chambliss, and Tyler Batty mixing in with the 2/3s. At defensive tackle, Jalen Redmond and Levi Drake-Rodriquez got the first reps with Harrison Phillips getting some action too. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins Jonathan Harris and Taki Taimani mixing in with the 2/3s. Batty’s first reps with the 2/3s came inside at defensive tackle.

On the offensive line, Walter Rouse was first at left tackle after Justin Skule.

Dallas Turner has been mentioned as showing noticeable improvement in training camp so far and you can see from the photo above good hand placement and more lower body bulk than last season.

In coverage, it was Byron Murphy, Jeff Okudah and Mekhi Blackmon first with Isaiah Rodgers still not participating, then Dwight McGlothern and Zemaiah Vaughn. McGlothern had another interception today off of Sam Howell and continues to stack good days.

There weren’t a lot of downfield throws again today as it seemed like the offense was working on the screen game for at least the first part of 11-on-11 team drills. Tight ends were involved as receivers in those plays as often as running backs.

Depth Chart Observations

After a week or so of training camp, here are some impressions of where things stand on various position depth charts. The Vikings will likely publish updated depth charts in the next week or so, but those are usually more about seniority/tenure and where things stood heading into training camp than the current situation.

Inside Linebacker

Blake Cashman, Ivan Pace Jr., Eric Wilson, and Kobe King seem pretty well established as the top four on this depth chart based on team drill reps. Brian Asamoah comes next. I haven’t seen either Austin Keys or Dorian Mausi get any team drill reps at this point outside of special teams and at this point the opportunities for them to make the team are pretty slim.

Wide Receiver

Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jalen Nailor seem pretty well set as the top three in this group, but from there it’s less clear. Lucky Jackson has been getting first team reps in replacement of Justin Jefferson, but that may be based more on his familiarity with the system as anything else. Tai Felton and Rondale Moore are newcomers and don’t know the system as well. But they would appear to be next on the depth chart based on team drill reps. Both are getting work on special teams too.

The one standout to me is Dontae Fleming. He’s getting more reps in both team drills and special teams than I thought would be the case going in to training camp. And he’s had a couple nice catches too. He might not make the roster, but he’s getting opportunities.

Silas Bolden has a very narrow route to make the team as punt returner. He doesn’t get many reps in offensive team drills. My guess is it will come down to him and Rondale Moore. Myles Price has done a good job with the reps he’s gotten so far but hasn’t stood out much yet either.

I’ve haven’t seen as much Jeshaun Jones as others, but he has made a few noteworthy plays so far in training camp. I would still put him as a long shot to make the roster, however.

Tim Jones is getting some reps in team drills and has some modest catches but not really standing out in any way so far. I’d also say he’s a long shot to make the team at this point.

Robert Lewis, Zavier Scott, and Thayer Thomas don’t appear to be getting many reps in offensive team drills and it’s doubtful they’ll have much of an opportunity to make the roster at this point with 14 wide receivers on the roster and the Vikings likely to keep less than half of them.

Defensive Tackle

Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, Harrison Phillips, Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake-Rodriquez, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Taki Taimani, and Travis Bell and Alex Williams seems to be the defensive tackle depth chart at this point, although the first three could be in any order and LDR and TID could be reversed potentially too.

Travis Bell and Alex Williams haven’t got many reps in team drills and look doubtful at best to make the roster. Taki Taimani is on the outside looking in at this point too from the team drill pecking order and number of reps given.

Edge Rusher

Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Dallas Turner are the top three here and it looks like Gabe Murphy is becoming more clearly fourth on the depth chart based on reps and pecking order. Murphy is the first to get reps among the second teamers. Bo Richter is next. I was surprised that as soon as Chazz Chambliss was off the PUP list, he was slotted in right after Richter and has gotten a fair number of reps the last two days. He’ll have a chance to make the roster.

Tyler Batty is getting late reps both inside at defensive tackle and off the edge, although his first reps are inside. We’ll see if that versatility helps him make the roster and if it makes it more difficult for him to stand out in either role.

Max Tooley looks to be a long shot with little opportunity to make the roster.

Cornerback

Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers are tier one in this group. Jeff Okudah and Mekhi Blackmon are tier two, and Dwight McGlothern and Zemaiah Vaughn are in tier three, and Keenan Garber and Reddy Stewart are in tier four and unlikely to make the team although Garber looks better than Stewart.

But it’s the tier three guys that have made the most noteworthy plays so far. Vaughn has made some nice plays but has also gotten beat on occasion too. To me, McGlothern has made the most positive plays- he’s had two interceptions and a PBU that led to a third interception in the last two practices. He looks like an ascending player with growing confidence who could move up the depth chart.

Mekhi Blackmon hasn’t really stood out much- good or bad. No flashy PBUs or INTs, but generally good coverage too.

Jeff Okudah’s performance has been encouraging, on balance. I’ve seen him play almost all press man coverage in defensive team drills so far, with just a couple reps where he pressed initially and then passed the receiver immediately after to the safety to cover the flat. Both he and Blackmon have benefitted from more first team reps due to the absence of Isaiah Rodgers, who’s been rehabbing from soreness the few practices. I’m skeptical about Okudah as a full-time CB3 playing outside when Murphy plays the slot. But we’ll see how he does the rest of training camp.

Safety

At this point it’s Harrison Smith and Josh Metellus as the top two in this depth chart- it’s not clear whether Theo Jackson will be the starter opposite Smith at this point as Metellus has assumed a starting deep safety role in team drills- at least for the time being. My guess is that Metellus won’t play inside linebacker as much this season because Dallas Turner and AVG will take more of those reps. The issue is that both Harrison Smith and Metellus are more strong safeties than free safeties, but maybe that doesn’t matter as much playing mostly Cover-2 shells. We’ll see.

Beyond Smith and Metellus, Theo Jackson and Jay Ward appear to be the second pairing, followed by Mishael Powell and Tavierre Thomas. Based on special teams track record, I’d say Powell has the most difficult path to making the roster of the last three.

Guard and Center

Behind Will Fries and Donovan Jackson, it appears to be Blake Brandel on the right side and Marcellus Johnson on the left side. Joe Huber has taken reps on both sides after them. Vershon Lee has gotten some reps too but appears last on the depth chart along with Henry Byrd.

I’ve also seen more of Zeke Correll working with the 2/3s at center than I have Michael Jurgens. I may have missed some of Jurgens’ snaps, but it is noteworthy at least that Correll seems to be getting opportunities.

Tight End

After T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver, it looks like Giovanni Ricci and Ben Yurosek are next on the depth chart, followed by Bryson Nesbit. Ricci gets the first snaps after Hockenson and Oliver, and Yurosek had an impressive back of the endzone contested catch in practice today. Special teams ability will be key, however. Gavin Bartholomew has been injured and hasn’t participated in practice. You can’t make the club if you’re in the tub and that may be Bartholomew’s fate at this point if he isn’t able to get back on the field soon.

That’s all I have to report on training camp so far, but I’ll be back on Friday with another report.