The Vikings are back! Kind of!
Joe Johnson
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If you consider strength and conditioning and physical rehabilitation as “Back”. But, I’ll take what I can get as a fan and writer of the Vikings, as while I really enjoy the free agency period (for all of the possibilities and hope it provides), nothing beats watching the players actually take the field (Even if the field is mostly a weight room as there is no on field instruction by coaches allowed during Phase One of off-season workouts). So, as of the writing of this piece, the Vikings should be over at Winter Park in Eden Prairie shaking off the rust and hopefully getting to the point where they’ll be super sore tomorrow. At least according to this piece about coach Mike Zimmer’s eye surgery from Scout.com. While that’s an interesting talking point, his surgery, I couldn’t help but write about the fact that the Vikes are practicing/working out today as I didn’t see that reported elsewhere.
This week’s workouts are only ‘Phase One’ of Organized Team Activities. Phase Two does allow on-field workouts that includes individual player coaching/drills and general team practices, although there is no live contact or offense vs. defense type drills. Phase Three consists of ten days of O(rganized) T(eam) A(ctivitie(s), where live contact is also not allowed but there is seven-on-seven up to 11-on-11 drills permitted. General OTAs begin with three practices between May 23rd and 25th, followed by three more between May 30th and June 1st and four more from June 5th and 8th.
I admit, while these aren’t the most news or thought/excitement provoking times of the year, this is really when the ball gets rolling and the season isn’t too far away. We’re really not that far from the beginning of camp, which means we’re not that far from the pre-season, which means we’re not that far from the regular season, which means we’re not that far from blowing it in the playoffs!
So, hopefully by this time next year I’ll have a press pass and will be able to watch these practices in person. Until then, I’ll just imagine what it looks like to see a bunch of grown men exercise, which is coincidentally why I’m no longer allowed at LifeTime Fitness.
SKOL!