OTAs are back in full swing with the beginning of phase three. This will allow the Minnesota Vikings to run full team drills for the first time since the season ended.
There isn’t a lot that you can gather from these practices, since a lot of it is doing install of plays and packages along with 7-on-7 drills that don’t have a pass rush.
What can we look for as things progress before mandatory minicamp? Here are five things to watch during OTAs.
How comfortable is Jordan Addison
Going to be on his third team in three years, Addison is used to change and learning a new playbook. With OTAs being about installing and running basic concepts, seeing how a player picks things up and feels comfortable in his new environment is about all you can take from these practices. With Addison likely to be the number two receiver by season’s end, picking things up quickly is a massive benefit for him and the Vikings.
Where is Jay Ward going to play?
Historically, the Vikings haven’t utilized a lot of players in a versatile role. They are usually focusing on one role for better or worse. With the addition of Brian Flores, will that change? The usage of Ward and how they position him early on will signal that. Having played outside and slot cornerback along with safety, Ward is going to help us understand how Flores will use players on this defense.
Jaren Hall's command of the offense
You aren’t going to learn a lot from OTAs, but seeing your rookie quarterback come out and feel comfortable quickly is something you hope to see. Hall ran a very similar offense at BYU with multiple pro-style concepts. Coming into OTAs, there isn’t a lot you can garner from Hall, but seeing how quickly he grasps the offense can help determine what kind of player he is long-term.
What do the Vikings do with injured players?
The Vikings have one of the best medical staff’s in the entire NFL which showed up on their NFLPA report card. With that knowledge, how will they handle players coming off of injury? Will Lewis Cine, Andrew Booth Jr. and Akayleb Evans all get serious run during these practice sessions? If they are cleared, how will that be handled by the staff? With this being the second year of this medical staff, we will start learning more about how they will handle things moving forward.
Will players with uncertain contracts be present at all?
The Vikings have multiple players with uncertain futures in regards to their contracts. Justin Jefferson, Danielle Hunter and T.J. Hockenson are all in line for a new contract and these practices are not mandatory. The only mandatory practices are the mandatory minicamp in mid-June. Will they make an appearance at all? The answer is likely no, but if they have an agreement on a contract extension, the likelihood of one of them practicing does increase.
