The Vikings Accomplished 1 Major Goal After OTAs & Minicamp
K. Joudry
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Get out of the initial offseason workouts and practices unscathed. That’s the first goal up until this point in the offseason. Thankfully, the Vikings accomplished that major initial step.
The NFL season is a humongous grind, a reality that sets in once training camp gets going. From late July until early February, the NFL doesn’t really stop. Sure, teams miss the postseason and others are eliminated. But the pair of teams that accomplish their objective – earn a ticket to the Super Bowl – are signing up for non-stop work from July until February.
Along the way, players are going to get dinged up. Unfortunate, yes, but an ironclad fact. Playing football leads to injuries. Escaping the early moments of the offseason without any injuries is thus a major win. The season has enough challenges already built into it, so facing health hurdles in May and June is brutal for everyone involved (the individual player foremost among them).
The Vikings Accomplished the Initial Goal
Jordan Addison was held out for several practices, but his absence was mostly cautionary. Kevin O’Connell consistently praised his rookie receiver while reminding reporters that the ultimate plan was to get hm to training camp at 100% healthy and with a strong understanding of the offsense.
Meanwhile, several Vikings seem to be recovering well from their injuries.
After a minicamp practice, sophomore safety Lewis Cine reiterated that he has put his injury behind him. Cine, in his own words, is focused on the “mental” part of mastering the Brian Flores defense. When it comes to his physical health, Cine says he feels “great.”
Brian O’Neill is working toward being ready for Week 1 after his Achilles injury last season against Green Bay. So far, the updates have been positive even as the team knows it can rely on Blake Brandel or Oli Udoh to be a short-term fix at right tackle if needed.
Kirk Cousins is getting close to his 35th birthday, but he appears to be in good health, as well. Keeping him upright and comfortable in the pocket will be an ongoing concern throughout the year, but for now there’s simply optimism about what he can accomplish in Year 2 working alongside Kevin O’Connell (which is to say nothing about what we’ll learn in the QB’s new Netflix show).
The NFLPA player survey from the offseason was effusive in its praise for the Vikings. The team earned strong grades across the board, and part of that rests in having a sensational training staff and facilities. While injuries – or lack thereof – often come down to luck, the Vikings deserve recognition for their approach. O’Connell’s staff has been able to help the roster stay quite healthy.
Everyone around the team will now get the chance to take some time away to recharge. Getting that rest is massively important since the NFL marathon will be arriving in short order. Once everyone returns, the focus will again rest on creating a competitive, physical environment that’s still conducive to maintaining player health.
Minnesota’s Week 1 game occurs on September 10th against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bringing a fully healthy roster to the tilt will be high on the team’s priority list.
