Noted and Quoted from Vikings OTAs
Joe Oberle
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Week 2 of the Vikings OTAs commenced this week with the biggest news being the first view by the media of quarterback Teddy Bridgewater since before last season. Bridgewater threw some passes for the assembled media horde (which, unfortunately, did not include me) and then ran some rehab drills on the sideline. By all accounts, it was good to see, and was among several other items that were reported on Wednesday.
Bridgewater (complete with two gloves and a knee brace) was featured in several film clips across the internet (simply search his name on Twitter to see short clips of the Vikings quarterback) and he looked as though he was moving quite well. Bridgewater did not speak to the media following his workout, but one of his favorite targets, wide receiver Stefon Diggs, had the following to say about him:
“He’s one of the leaders in our locker room, so having him out here is definitely motivation to everybody,” Diggs said. “It’s inspiring to see a guy back out here giving it everything he’s got, rehabbing and training real hard. Seeing him out here is definitely an added inspiration.”
In other rehab news, running back Latavius Murray is out of the boot he had been wearing on his surgically repaired ankle. That is a change from last week when he was seen wearing it on the sidelines. Murray spoke with some reporters following the practice, and gave this vague, and somewhat less-then-encouraging update on his condition to the Pioneer Press:
“The goal is just to try to be available during training camp at some point,” Murray said. “Right now, everything is pointing toward that. I’m just going to trust the process and not rush the process.”
While we don’t want him to rush things (and we equally don’t want to split hairs), the “at some point” comment is a slight change from the initial prognosis on his situation. In the past, we heard he would be ready for training camp. Period (as Sean Spicer would say). That is splitting hairs, since Murray will have some catching up to do no matter when he returns. But the sooner the better for the new Vikings running back.
Speaking of new Vikings running backs, rookie Dalvin Cook signed his contract (later in the day on Wednesday), making him the last of the 11 Minnesota draft picks to sign their deals. The good news about that (plus the aforementioned status of Murray) is Cook won’t get shorted any reps in the Vikings offense due to contract problems or a crowded backfield. Last week he shared some first team reps with Jerick McKinnon and that practice should continue, hastening the top draft pick’s development and grasp of the Vikings offense. Learning the offense is a big obstacle for any new NFL player.
“The playbook, it definitely expanded,” Cook said in response to a question about what the biggest adjustment is coming to the NFL. “At Florida State, we had a big enough playbook because Coach Fisher does a good job of getting you ready for stages like this and moments like this. Up here, plays get a little longer, quarterbacks doing a lot more adjusting to whatever you’ve got going on with the defense. Just the playbook in general, that’s been the biggest difference.”
He also sees the speed of the NFL being his biggest “welcome to the NFL” moment:
“My rookie moment was coming from with the rookies and getting thrown in there with the vets and seeing how quick the holes close and just seeing how fast the linebackers are and the secondary,” Cook said. “You see lineman chasing you down field and you’ve got to stay on your horse. That was my rookie moment. Just everybody is fast, everybody is big and fast at this level.”
Defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd made an appearance this week and spoke about the ordeal he is going through trying to rehab the nerve damage in his surgically-repaired knee. Floyd, who is working hard but not running yet, watched OTA practice and then told the media that the rumors of his demise might be greatly exaggerated.
“No one has said that,” Floyd told the Star Tribune. “I think it’s just a rumor going around right now. But right now, I think everything is going to be all right. It’s just a matter of when.”
Floyd is not ready to end his career and says he frustrated with how long the rehab is taking, but he is still working to get past it.
“Fighting to stay positive,” Floyd said of the situation. “Sticking with my team. That’s the bright side of things now. Just working out and training. I’m taking care of everything in my power and controlling what I can control.”
A vocal member of the defense who was not in attendance was the head coach Mike Zimmer, who always makes his presence known on the defensive side of the ball. Zimmer is still out resting his surgically-repaired eye, but his absence is certainly noticed.
“It is [weird not having him here]. He’s our leader; he’s our head coach; he’s our leader,” defensive end Everson Griffen said. “We miss him. It is different but that’s why we have the coaching staff that he believes in. Coach Dre [Andre Patterson] is doing all the talking, our defensive line coach – best d-line coach in the game. They’re leading us. He has the captains from last year leading the team. We have his back. We’re running to the ball, doing all the right things that he wants us to do.”
But not all of OTAs are notes about who is missing, in fact, quarterback Sam Bradford and wideout Diggs haven’t been missing either much at all. Reports have them lighting up the defense from time-to-time, whether it has been short or long passes. The two are benefitting from spending some offseason time working together.
“It’s been nice, spending a lot of time with him,” Diggs said of Bradford. “Especially since we didn’t have an offseason last year. So, going into this offseason, [we] definitely plan on taking full advantage of it. He throws a hell of a ball, often and early. [I’m] just trying to do my job and do it to the best of my ability so I can be there when needed.”
Let the excitement over that combination begin to build.