Keep an Eye on Ben Ellefson
Kevin O’Connell’s press conference earlier this week included some compliments for Ben Ellefson, a depth tight end who is competing for a roster spot. Given what O’Connell was saying, it’d be surprising if Ellefson doesn’t snag a job in Minnesota.
Indeed, he received plenty of praise, most notably for his ability to be a strong blocker.
Take a peak at some of what O’Connell had to say about Ben Ellefson:
Yeah, I think a lot of people around the league look at the tight end position and they look at it as catching touchdowns and the flashy plays that people see, but people forget, and I think obviously George Kittle is a guy who does all those things, but what he also does is he blocks in the run game and he has a major impact on play pass and different things. Ben can do those things. I’m not comparing him to a guy like George Kittle, but when we call a play pass and Ben’s in there and he’s blocking a premier rusher on the edge and getting a little help here and there, but he might be on his own sometimes depending on the look. He’s able to handle that.
Shortly thereafter, O’Connell says that Ben Ellefson has had a “great camp” and that he’s capable of winning against man coverage: “I’m really happy with Ben and what he’s done this camp.”
Now, I should offer a reminder that the Vikings practised against the 49ers this week. It makes some sense, then, that O’Connell made a connection to Kittle. The comparison simply highlights that both tight ends can be great blockers.
For the most part, Vikings fans have been focusing on Irv Smith Jr when it comes to the tight end position. After all, Smith is the one who offers the most upside as a pass catcher. Nevertheless, the long response from O’Connell about all the things Ellefson does well suggests that many may have been misguided to overlook the depth tight end.
Before joining the Vikings, Ellefson played for the Jaguars. He played 7 games for them in 2020, getting targeted 4 times in the passing game but only catching one pass for 10 yards. Last year, he joined Minnesota. He was targeted once but didn’t make the catch. The recent history suggests that he’s unlikely to become a top option in the passing game, but his abilities as a blocker may allow him to stick around the roster.
Having someone who can open room for Minnesota’s talented RBs and help protect Kirk Cousins in the passing game is important, folks. We all love seeing the skill guys score touchdowns, but it’s supremely difficult for them to do so if the blocking is poor.
Ben Ellefson, according to K/O, can be a player who helps as both a blocker and passer.
The plan is still for Smith Jr. to be available in Week 1. If that’s the case, he’ll be Minnesota’s TE1. The TE2 and TE3 spots remain a competition. If Ellefson can show he’s a very good blocker and a capable pass catcher, then he’ll likely earn a spot on the roster.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”1078333″ player=”26281″ title=”WATCH%20Tom%20Brady%20once%20again%20on%20receiving%20end%20of%20Antonio%20Brown%20criticism” duration=”81″ description=”Apparently, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady going to bat for free-agent wide receiver Antonio Brown multiple times over the years has had no impact on the latter.Seen as a malcontent, Brown had in the past gone after his former New England Patriots and Buccaneers teammate after a falling out between the two last season.” uploaddate=”2022-08-18″ thumbnailurl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/snapshot/1078264_sd_1660832715.jpg” contentUrl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/streaming/1078264/1078264.m3u8″ width=”16″ height=”9″]