Kevin O’Connell’s second training camp as Vikings’ coach has had some noticeable differences from his rookie season.
The one that jumps out might be how much more physical and intense the practices feel than a year ago. Part of this is because of the far-more-aggressive approach new defensive coordinator Brian Flores has installed.
But O’Connell also makes it clear this is no accident and hasn’t caught anyone by surprise. The Vikings will open the preseason on Thursday in Seattle and O’Connell said one of the reasons for conducting a more physical camp is because of this exhibition schedule.
O'Connell made sure players knew a more physical camp was coming
Shortly before the 2022 regular season opened, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert wrote about O’Connell’s first training camp and how he had employed “an alternative training approach that prioritized health over preseason playing time, teaching over browbeating and technique over hitting.”
Seifert later added: “Practices were rarely grueling. Players followed an individualized sports science plan designed to minimize injuries, especially soft-tissue strains. There were no “live” periods, meaning no tackling to the ground, and key players regularly limited their reps and sometimes took entire days off. The most intense periods of camp came during two days of practice against the San Francisco 49ers.”
A year later, things have changed. Monday will mark the Vikings’ fifth practice in full pads and while these sessions aren’t anything like the old-school NFL training camp practices, they could be considered far more grueling than what we saw last summer.
“I just knew schematically the types of things that would inevitably run into each other pretty early on in camp,” O’Connell said before a spirited night practice Thursday in the stadium at TCO Performance Center. “I preferred that it would be in pads, and I knew that those things would require physicality to execute on both sides. I tried to challenge our team when we left the offseason program and prepare them mentally for what training camp would be.
“Not only that, but the change in schedule. Last year we played a Sunday preseason (game) one and this year we’re playing a West Coast, Thursday night preseason (game) one. So essentially we lose three days of that early camp feel that you can have.”
The Vikings opened the preseason last year on Aug. 14, a Sunday, with an afternoon game in Las Vegas. Thursday’s game against the Seahawks is scheduled to kick off at 9 p.m. Central time.
“I emphasized to (the players) why and how it had to be different, told them the reasons behind it,” O’Connell said. “(I told them), ‘Hey, I need you guys to meet me in the middle on that with a physical camp and understanding that when we go, we’ve got to go.’ We’ve got to maximize both on the field and then what takes place in the meeting rooms after that.”
Flores' presence also plays a role in the more physcial approach
Everyone with the Vikings has been very careful not to make any disparaging remarks about one-and-done defensive coordinator Ed Donatell, but the drastic change in scheme that Flores has brought to Minnesota makes it obvious how much O’Connell wants to see the defense become respectable.
One sacrifice, if you can call it that, might have been that Flores took the job because he was allowed to set certain conditions about how practices would be conducted. At least from the defensive side.
Aggressive doesn’t begin to accurately describe what Flores wants from his players. Donatell came to Minnesota with the thought he would bring the Vic Fangio scheme with him. Ultimately, he installed a system that looked far more like Tampa-2 than it did like a Fangio system that caused offenses significant confusion.
The Vikings won 13 games despite Donatell’s defense finishing 31st in yards surrendered and 28th in scoring.
This has led many to believe that Minnesota’s defense again will struggle, but Flores is doing everything he can to prevent that. Blitzes from all over, an up-tempo pace and numerous sub-packages. Flores wants his players flying around and if they don’t practice that way there is no switch to flip in games.
The risks are obvious. A year ago, the only significant injury the Vikings suffered in training camp came during the first day in full pads when tight end Irv Smith Jr. had to undergo surgery after injuring a ligament in his thumb while blocking.
This summer the Vikings already lost defensive lineman James Lynch for the season because of a torn ACL during Thursday’s stadium practice.
Wide receiver Jalen Nailor hasn’t practiced since the first day of camp because of a leg injury, and receiver Trishton Jackson hurt his knee during a one-on-one drill last Tuesday in practice. It’s uncertain when Nailor or Jackson will return. Running back Kene Nwangwu and cornerback Andrew Booth Jr., also have been out of practice.
Joint practices will add another interesting twist
The Vikings will take part in two joint practices, hosting Tennessee for two days at TCO before a preseason game on Aug. 19 at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Cardinals will then come to TCO for two days ahead of their preseason game on Aug. 26 in downtown Minneapolis.
Joint practices are becoming more and more popular among NFL coaches because of the work that can get done in what is at least a semi-controlled environment. Preseason games can be useful for looking at young players, but joint practices are far more valuable for getting veterans reps outside of a meaningless game that can have disastrous results if anyone gets injured.
This does not mean joint practices come without risk. Anytime you match up two teams against each other — and there’s no concern about hurting a teammate — there’s going to be an increased intensity.
As Seifert wrote last year, the Vikings’ joint sessions against the 49ers in Eagan, Minn., led to some of Minnesota’s offensive players objecting to how San Francisco defenders attempted to wrap up ball carriers and punch out the ball after contact was made.
Of course, those complaints came after the Vikings’ offense had faced Donatell’s scheme. This time they likely will be ready for whatever the Titans and Cardinals throw at them.
Preseason games likely to be when several veterans get a rest
If there is good news for the Vikings’ veterans, it’s that several are unlikely to see much, if any, playing time in the three preseason games. That was the case last year, and it’s likely that O’Connell won’t change that part of his plan.
The Vikings’ list of healthy scratches for the 2022 exhibition schedule included quarterback Kirk Cousins; running back Dalvin Cook; wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen; linebacker Eric Kendricks; pass-rushers Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith; cornerback Patrick Peterson; and safety Harrison Smith.
The guess here is that the 2023 healthy scratch list will include Cousins; running back Alexander Mattison; wide receivers K.J. Osborn and Jefferson; tight end T.J. Hockenson; defensive lineman Harrison Phillips; outside linebacker Hunter; linebacker Jordan Hicks; cornerback Byron Murphy Jr.; and safety Smith.
A potential lack of playing time in the preseason games shouldn’t be a concern when it comes to the Vikings being prepared for the Sept. 10 opener against Tampa Bay. Anyone who has been watching O’Connell’s team practice can confirm that.
