Here Is What We Learned from the Vikings Offseason Program
Josh Frey
|
Throughout the past few weeks, the Minnesota Vikings and the rest of the NFL have been going through their OTA programs. This has been the first real glimpse of what teams will look like in 2023, and inevitably, it has caused tons of excitement and many viral clips of plays.
However, next week marks the end of the Vikings offseason program as they conduct their mandatory minicamp before giving players about a month of rest prior to training camp beginning in late July. With the offseason program coming to an end, here is a recap of some of the major things we saw throughout Vikings OTAs this year.
Jalen Nailor Taking Big Steps Forward
One of the Vikings players that has seen much of the limelight throughout the Vikings offseason program is Jalen Nailor. On multiple occasions, clips have surfaced of him either blowing by corners or making difficult, toe-tapping catches on the sideline.
Assuming Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and K.J. Osborn take on the top three spots in the wide receiver room, this leaves the WR4 spot very much up for grabs. Nailor began showing flashes of promise down the stretch of the 2022 season, so perhaps he is continuing that momentum into the summer. If so, the former sixth-round pick could soon be viewed as a steal.
Greater Rushing Attack
In 2022, the Vikings spent much of their time on offense trying to establish the pass. At times, this was a breath of fresh air after so many years under a Mike Zimmer ‘ground and pound’ approach. However, Minnesota likely would have been better off making a bit more of an attempt to have a balanced offense.
It appears that this is an emphasis heading into 2023. Following one of the OTA practices, Alexander Mattison stated as much, saying,
“We all knew the run game was an area of improvement we needed, so coming into this year, there’s more emphasis. Being in Year 1 in this offense, it was something that throughout the process is learning new things, so that’s a year of foundation that we have, can look back on that at what we need to correct and do well, what we don’t do as well and improve. It’s definitely been a little more emphasis.”
If the running game is more prominent in 2023, it will be very interesting to see how exactly the carries will be split up, considering Dalvin Cook is headed out the door.
Lewis Cine Is Back
After being selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Lewis Cine’s rookie season ended in frustrating fashion as he suffered a compound fracture to his leg, shelving him for the rest of the year. However, he’s attacked his rehab with a fervor, and at the very beginning of OTAs, he spent some time talking to media members about his process.
“I feel like I’ve been going. It’s not like things are being toned down for me anyhow or bit. I’ve just been going like everyone else, and I feel great.”
If Cine is truly back to full health, he will be in the thick of the competition for a starting safety spot next to Harrison Smith. He will likely be contending with Cam Bynum and Josh Metellus for that position.
Justin Jefferson’s Absence
Vikings fans shouldn’t be panicking because of Justin Jefferson’s absence at OTAs, but it probably does stem from the fact that he hasn’t received a new contract from the team that will keep him in Minnesota for years to come. Ultimately, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell have been very clear that they want to keep the star in a Vikings uniform for as long as possible, so expect a deal to get done at some point in the relatively near future.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.