2018 Vikings Roster Battles - and Roster Cuts

As the Minnesota Vikings rookies take the field at TCO Performance Center, here are the 10 things we will be watching closely throughout training camp…

Will Stefon Diggs and Anthony Barr be signed to contract extensions?

At the opening of training camp 2017, the Vikings announced extensions for Everson Griffen, Linval Joseph and Xavier Rhodes. This offseason they have inked Eric Kendricks and Danielle Hunter to long-term deals, but Stefon Diggs and Anthony Barr are still without contracts past 2019 as we enter camp.

With a number of mega deals handed out to wide receivers this offseason like Jarvis Landry’s five-year, $75 million and Brandin Cooks’ five-year, $80 million deal, it might be difficult for the Vikings to meet the price Diggs would garner on the open market. There could also be a gap between Barr’s expectations and what the Vikings are willing to offer.

If neither signs early in camp, the rumblings will get louder as we get closer to the season.

How will Kirk Cousins adapt to his new team?

The Vikings made a bold decision to sign Cousins to an $84 million contract and move on from Case Keenum after he led them to a 13-3 season in 2017. Now the main focus of everyone in Eagan will be on Cousins, who will be facing the pressure of Super Bowl expectations for the first time in his career.

In OTAs and minicamp, the Vikings got a taste of what it’s like to work with their new quarterback. It won’t be until they put pads on and start running live reps that they fully see how he operates.

Not only is Cousins learning his teammates, he’s also adapting to John DeFilippo’s offense. Camp will be the time in which DeFilippo tailors his scheme and concepts to Cousins’ strengths and weaknesses.

How will DeFilippo differ from Pat Shurmur?

The Vikings’ former offensive coordinator — now the head coach of the New York Giants — masterminded the 10th best scoring offense in the NFL despite losing his starting quarterback and young star running back. Shurmur found ways to create yards on screens and underneath passes which ultimately set up shots down the field. And the Vikings were downright brilliant in the red zone. DeFilippo would be wise to carry over many of the things Shurmur did, such as using Adam Thielen in the slot regularly or having Kyle Rudolph sneak out on screen passes on third-and-short or lining up Cook as a wide receiver.

DeFilippo and Shurmur have different personalities. Shurmur was understated and old school while DeFilippo appears to be high energy. Will his room be as democratic as Shurmur’s was last season?

Will first-round pick Mike Hughes win the starting nickel corner job?

One of the most intriguing position battles will be between third-year corner Mackensie Alexander and the 30th overall pick in the draft Mike Hughes for the nickel corner job, which has become a starting position in recent years with the increase in passing. Last year Alexander lost the gig to Terence Newman in camp, but he was receiving the vast majority of reps in minicamp. Hughes was working both inside and outside.

If the first-rounder makes a strong impression, he could steal the job, though that might be a tough ask considering how long it generally takes corners to reach their full potential.

Will Mike Remmers and Rashod Hill hold down the right side?

Vikings fans will go back to draft night over and over throughout the season as they asses whether the team’s offensive line is properly protecting its $84 million quarterback. Hill played in eight games last year, allowing just one sack during the regular season, but he was exposed at times in the playoffs against New Orleans and Philadelphia — both of whom are on the schedule this year. Can Hill take the next step and prove himself worthy of the starting gig? How will Remmers adapt to playing right guard — a position where he’s played all of one career game?

Will Brian O’Neill make a push for the starting right tackle job?

The assumption heading into camp is that the Vikings’ second-round pick has very low odds at starting, but he can change that with a strong performance. O’Neill is instantly one of the most athletic players at his position and has the potential to be a difference maker in the run and screen game if he can put on muscle and master some key techniques of the position. It’s a lot to ask in a short period of time. But since Hill is far from a sure thing, O’Neill will have a shot.

When the Minnesota Vikings’ rookie wide receivers take the field at TCO Performance Center on Wednesday, they will be looking to get a head start on a group of veterans who aren’t locked into their spots.

At the top of the depth chart, Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen are established stars. Both ranked in Pro Football Focus’s top 10 graded receivers last year. They will be the centerpiece of the offense again in 2018, but beyond the Thielen-Diggs combo, everything is up for grabs.

The Vikings signed veteran slot receiver Kendall Wright this offseason. While he managed 59 receptions with the Bears last year, Wright signed just a one-year deal for $1 million. In minicamp, he ran mostly with the second team. With Thielen and Diggs both adept at lining up in the slot, Wright shouldn’t be considered a dead lock to make the team or earn significant playing time.

Same goes for Laquon Treadwell, who saw his playing time decline toward the end of 2017. The 2016 first-round pick is entering a make-or-break season following a 20-catch sophomore season. Salary cap implications make it unlikely the Vikings would release Treadwell, but his playing time and role will be determined by his camp performance.

Former New York Giant Tavarres King was also added to the roster. He grabbed 18 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns on 37 targets in 2017, which were all easily the highest totals of his career. King will need to stand out in camp in order to earn a job.

The rest of the group is made up of rookies or players with zero NFL catches.

At Houston Lamar prep school, Holton Hill was known as “Hollywood.” It’s somewhat of an ironic name considering he isn’t the type to hype himself. Instead he was known for his understated personality and ability to break a game open at any time.

“He’s a laid back, quiet kid, he’s humble,” Hill’s Lamar defensive backs coach Theadis Reagins said over the phone. “I think he’d like to have his actions speak more than his words. He’s super, super competitive and he has a lot of confidence with his skills, but he’s quiet with it though.”

Hill led the state of Texas in interceptions his senior year. In the playoffs, he picked off two passes, giving him 13 on the year, and returned a punt for a touchdown in win over Seven Lakes. After that, Reagins was sold on Hill being an NFL talent.

“Before the game — he didn’t know this — but some of those guys were saying he’s an overrated kid because he was one of the top rated kids in the state,” Reagins said. “That game he had a big interception for us on a third down, he had a punt return for a touchdown. He made two huge plays for us and I said, this kid is special. He’s going to be playing on the next level because of those plays.

Players aren’t supposed to look like they’re running in slow motion in Texas high school football, but on Hill’s highlight reel they did.

“He’s a really smart kid,” Reagins said. “He always went to class, always did his homework. He never had any issues with his grades. That’s why he was able to go to the University of Texas, because of that. I was surprised he had those off-field issues. I never saw it coming. He always carried himself the right way, did everything right in school, went to class, did everything right on the field, he was coachable. It was more surprising to me than anything, those off-field problems.”

You can see why Reagins would have been taken aback. In February 2015, Hill was one of five players in the nation to receive the Franklin D. Watkins award, which is presented to African American scholar-athletes. It’s chosen based on their unweighted grade point average, personal statements, extracurricular activities, community service and letters of recommendation.

Hill was a member of the National Honor Society and had a 3.5 grade point average.

When the Minnesota Vikings signed Hill as the No. 1 ranked (by ESPN) undrafted free agent, head coach Mike Zimmer said the team had been interested in Hill throughout the draft process.

“We’ve spent a lot of time with him,” Zimmer said. “He was here on a Top 30, we met him in Indianapolis. He’s a good football player, big, fast, tough, good tackler. We’ve had a lot of conversations with him. We’re excited, he’s got a chance. If he comes in here and do what we ask him to do, he’s got a chance.”

“We’ve done our due diligence,” Zimmer added. “We’ve talked with every one of his coaches he has ever had in his entire life, I think. We’ve talked to a lot of people at the University of Texas and we feel comfortable with the situation. But, it’s about the opportunity and what he does with that opportunity is up to him.”