Vikings Coach Surprised 1 Guy Is Still Explosive
The Minnesota Vikings have historically had some speedy athletes. First and foremost, of course, is Randy Moss, a Hall of Famer who made fast players look like snails. On the current team, Isaiah Rodgers has some juice, and a guy called “Speedy,” Mr. Nailor, certainly deserves a shoutout.
Vikings Coach Surprised 1 Guy Is Still Explosive
This offseason, Rondale Moore joined the club. Those who still know him from Big Ten football enjoyed the acquisition the most because they know how dangerous a player he can be at his best. Unfortunately, that best hasn’t been in the NFL, especially not last season when he was put on ice for the entire campaign because of a severe knee injury suffered in training camp.
It was unclear when he would return to team activities, and even starting training camp on the sidelines was a possibility earlier in the year. Yet, the quick weapon returned in time.
The Vikings list him as the top punt returner, so he’s a player Matt Daniels, Minnesota’s special teams coordinator, has to work with.
Minnesota’s fourth-year coach was asked about Moore on Thursday, and he offered some thoughts.
“I think that’s probably the most surprising thing that I’ve seen out of Rondale is the explosion is still there, especially considering the injury that he did suffer last year, coming off of it. The confidence is still there, and that’s always the biggest thing when you’re coming off these injuries. How do they handle it from a mental standpoint, more so than the physical aspect of it and I think he’s done an unbelievable job of rehabbing and really coming back to his own. I would say that 4.28-speed is still on display and the Porsche is ready to go.”
Asked whether Moore would take the lead in the punt returning competition and get some live reps in the preseason, Daniels said: “For sure. The idea is to get Rondale in there as early and often as possible, just to get him comfortable.”
He emphasized that Moore is only one of three players on the roster with punt-return experience in the NFL, sharing that experience with Lucky Jackson, a camp standout, who caught a punt last preseason, and starting corner Byron Murphy Jr., who is undoubtedly off limits for special-teams duties.
Moore’s competition consists of young players like Myles Price and Silas Bolden, undrafted rookies who held that job in college.
The speedy receiver was once an exciting college prospect. He starred at Purdue in his freshman season. That year, he earned the Paul Hornung Award for the most versatile college player, and he was a first-team All-American as an all-purpose back.
His stats in 2018? He led the Big Ten in receptions (114), receiving yards (1,258), and receiving touchdowns (12). Moore also added 213 rushing yards and two touchdowns and was a dynamic punt and kick returner. Don’t forget that it was Moore’s freshman campaign.
Injuries haunted him in the following two seasons, and he only appeared in a total of seven games. Still, his skill set was exciting enough for the Arizona Cardinals to pull the trigger in the second round of the 2021 draft.
Moore was a solid contributor in his three seasons in Arizona, but he is still waiting for his true breakout season. He gained 511, 409, and 530 yards from scrimmage and scored a combined four touchdowns. In his rookie year, he also served as the team’s return specialist.
Last year, the Cardinals shipped him to Atlanta in exchange for backup quarterback Desmond Ridder. The knee injury ended his season in camp.
At 5’7″ with 4.3 speed, the Vikings have a fast and quick weapon in the passing game, who could bring a different dynamic to the offense. His yard-after-catch ability is something the team has lacked in recent years. It’ll be a competitive race for the roster spots at wide receiver, though. If Moore can contribute as a special-teams player, he could secure one of the five or six WR spots in the room, regardless.
Moore is 25 years old and will be a player to monitor in the preseason. The two critical items are whether he can catch the punt cleanly and if he’s explosive with the ball in his hands.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.