2020 Vikings Training Camp

Irv Smith

With a better rookie season than one should expect of any tight end, much less one as young as Smith was entering 2019, the Vikings’ newest matchup weapon is on track to become a defining feature of their offense if he continues to develop, particularly if he can open downfield threats. The former Alabama end surprised the Vikings with his blocking capability out of the gate, and his receiving thus far is meeting lofty expectations. That said, he’ll have to do much more to earn genuine plaudits as a critical cog in the offensive machine.

Strengths: Speed is a clear asset — one of the fastest tight ends in the NFL, at least by 40-time standards. That speed shows up on the field and he can threaten the seam and create matchup issues. NFL defenders already respect his vertical threat, often biting on comebacks and playing further off than normal. He’s great with the ball in his hand, was used in college on end-around runs and tight end screens. His yards-after-catch ability is uncommon for a tight end, a combination of good balance and strength as well as vision. Boasts some advanced receiver skills and can line up anywhere as a result, sometimes lining up out wide for Alabama and the Vikings. Can win against press coverage with release capabilities. Good catch technique allows him to win 50-50 balls, making sure he has exclusive access to the ball on deeper routes. Great ability to adjust in the air and pluck the ball from outside of his frame. Fantastic strength, especially for his size, which translates into contested-catch capability, ability to assert route path and as a blocker. Presents good blocking technique, generally — uncoils hips into block both on the move and on drive-style blocks — a significant improvement over most of his blocking at Alabama. The skill to translate lower-body explosion into blocking ability gives him surprising move power. Good grip strength allows him to sustain blocks, reach block capability unusual for a tight end (hits wide landmark and flips hips quickly). Significant late-season improvement in his final year at Alabama and with his first year in Minnesota.

Weaknesses: Good blocker but has issues here and there, especially if his timing is off; he will lunge into blocks and savvier defensive players use that to send him to the dirt. Good at reach and drive blocks but struggles with cut blocks, a critical block for tight ends to use in the wide-zone scheme. Fairly short for a tight end, meaning that he can’t be used in every role, especially in the red zone. Advanced route-running skills complemented with an extraordinarily raw approach as a receiver, route-running doesn’t contain much in the way of deception or separation at the stem. Footwork at the break is rough — takes too many steps on comeback routes and has issues generating explosion on sharp cuts, sometimes losing his balance. Overall stiff and doesn’t have much agility, reflected in his testing numbers, putting a cap on his route-running capability. In addition to physical limitations, played his rookie year too deliberate in-route, often slowing down too early in his route breaks and obviating his speed advantages. Has significant issues generating separation on sharp-breaking routes as a result. Doesn’t seek space against zone coverage, closing off windows of opportunity for the quarterback.

Tyler Conklin

Last year, Conklin entered training camp in a critical situation, forced to prove his value on the roster and showcase significant development as a tight end. He had a wonderful training camp and grew as a blocker, seeing more time on the field during the regular season as a result. Now, with fewer tight ends to compete with in camp and perhaps fewer TEs on the roster come the regular season, the Vikings will go from challenging him to earn a roster spot to relying on him both on offense and special teams.

Strengths: Conklin is a remarkable catch-point receiver, especially in the red zone. Showcased ability to win difficult sideline catches while keeping feet in-bounds as well as the ability to box out defenders. Good catch technique, reaches outside of his frame to secure the ball without trapping it against his body. Can adjust well to inaccurate passes. Good release technique both in-line and split into the slot and can disengage from press coverage and avoid chips from defensive ends. Has solid acceleration after receiving the ball or at the beginning of the route. Some lateral agility, which he uses to win cuts especially on sharp-breaking routes. Economical movement at the top of the route stem. Can turn his hips quickly on comeback routes. Tenacious blocker, willing to finish. Generally boasts good hand placement as a blocker and doesn’t lunge. Plays across the formation and could be split out wide a little more for Minnesota.

Weaknesses: Despite good acceleration, has limited top-end speed — his 4.80-second 40-yard dash at the combine turned out to be an accurate reflection of his overall speed, limiting him to underneath routes and making him a liability on screens. Blocking angles are an issue, both in-line and getting to the second level. Misses second-level defenders as a blocker, often breaking down for the block too early or too late. Despite good placement, has poor punch timing and the strength isn’t always there. Doesn’t uncoil into blocks, robbing him of power and stopping ability. Good footwork in routes doesn’t always mean sharp cuts and he can fall behind if his technique isn’t perfect.

Brandon Dillon

The Vikings were seemingly right to plumb the depths of free agency and sign a tight end from an NAIA school in Marian. Dillon, a longshot to make the roster or even the practice squad when he signed with the team, is now entering his second year with Minnesota and has a real chance to make the 53-man roster outright, especially with a smaller field of competitors and an impressive showing in camp the year prior.

Strengths: Great in contested-catch situations in camp and in college, good to see after questions about the level of competition were immediately resolved in this arena. Has strength throughout his frame, allowing him to win the sideline and stay in-route without getting bullied around. Should have blocking upside, too. Surprisingly advanced receiving techniques, with subtle push-offs and other separation moves in-route. Good body control and ball tracking, can adjust to the ball very well. Shields the ball well throughout the catch process. Made highlight after highlight play in camp against second and third-stringers and it may translate up to working against starters. Can make one-handed catches well, extending an already large catch radius. Plays all across the formation, though largely lined up wide in college. Speed downfield is a big asset, helps him become a matchup weapon. Generally boasts good agility, which can show up in route-running.

Weaknesses: A poor blocker in college at a very low level of competition and those problems showed up again in training camp, where he was consistently bullied at the point of attack. Punch timing is significantly off and he can lose any leverage he gains by losing the hand-fighting battle. Doesn’t always have leverage, either, often coming out of his stance too high as a blocker. Hand placement off as well, and can “hug” rather than punch the chest of defensive linemen and linebackers. Doesn’t bring lower body strength into blocks. Needs more time to learn the passing offense, especially scramble drills and finding holes in zone coverage. Route precision isn’t necessarily there — drifted in routes both in camp and in college.

K.J. Osborn

Seemingly the most likely candidate to earn the kick-return job for the Vikings, Osborn was a prolific returner in college for both Buffalo and Miami but a somewhat lacking receiver. General manager Rick Spielman has expressed confidence that Osborn can become a fairly good receiver in time, but his college resume isn’t quite all there.

Strengths: Despite grad-transferring, Osborn quickly became a captain for the Miami program and led the team in receiving. One of the FBS’ top returners, especially on punts. Like most returners, he has great instinct for space and good after-catch vision. Significant lower-body strength, does a good job of staying balanced and shedding tackles. He’s a constant threat on screens and has good footwork and agility when the ball is in his hands. Was a deep threat for the Hurricanes and has a generally good understanding of deep-route concepts and route-running techniques, including late hands and stacking. Good deep-ball tracking capability.

Weaknesses: Osborn will enter the NFL as a 23-year-old rookie — not alarming but concerning. Never produced very well, especially after accounting for age. His physical capabilities are below-average for a 20-year-old rookie, much less 23. Not a particularly nuanced route-runner on non-vertical routes, leaving him as an older rookie without subsequent technical skill to account for it and an uninteresting athletic profile. Rounds out routes and doesn’t use his agility to create sharp breaks. High drop rate relative to FBS receivers and not particularly great hands technique. “Leading the team in receiving yardage” is a lot less impressive when it turns out to be under 600 yards.

Alexander Hollins

When the Vikings were running low on receivers as the season was winding down, they didn’t promote their seventh-round pick or the hyped undrafted free agent with a highlight reel that could match any first-rounder — they picked a 165-pound Eastern Illinois alum, nicknamed “Bones” because of his slight frame. Earning four targets at the end of the year, Hollins has already outperformed expectations for an undrafted free agent but may have a tougher slate of receivers to challenge heading into this year. That said, his NFL experience says a lot about what the Vikings think of him, and he didn’t do too badly when called upon.

Strengths: Hollins was extremely productive in college, almost hitting 100 yards per game, though admittedly at the FCS level. His speed on-field exceeds tested speed, which was already fast. Has good agility, too — evident both as a route-runner and after the catch. Agility extends not just to change-of-direction but stop-start quickness and the ability to navigate tight spaces. Generates a good release against press coverage with a variety of moves, using both lower- and upper-body techniques. Despite middling stat line, he did remarkably well against Chicago in Week 17, constantly open against starting-caliber cornerbacks — winning on slants, spray routes, quick outs, deep routes and more. Great use of quickness as a route-runner and single step is often explosive enough to generate separation in-route. Does a good job varying speed in routes. Has good body control, especially at the catch point. Generally good hands technique, working for the ball and catching well outside his frame. Held on to the ball against hits in college and won some contested passes.

Weaknesses: Size will constantly remain a concern. At 165 pounds, he not only represents a significant injury risk but also is subject to being bullied by stronger corners, both on the sideline and at the line of scrimmage. Needs to rely entirely on his agility to separate; separation moves at the stem will likely fail due to strength concerns. Nevertheless, doesn’t seem to utilize too many after the release. While he played on the outside in college and with his limited NFL play, his long-term prospects might require protection from those bigger corners by relegating him to the slot, where the Vikings have more than enough capable bodies. Drops in college and a drop on one of his three catchable NFL targets. College drops look like an issue of focus; NFL drop looks like a simple mistake — could be product of smaller hands. Not a particularly deceptive route-runner, relies more on quickness than route-running technique. Limited catch radius.

Dillon Mitchell

After having spent last season on the practice squad, Mitchell found himself a bit behind fellow rookies Olabisi Johnson and Alexander Hollins as the other two found more time on the active game-day squad than he did. Still, what happens in one’s rookie year isn’t destiny and Mitchell could prove to be a unique asset on a team that doesn’t have a verified deep threat.

Strengths: Mitchell was a persistent deep threat for Oregon, creating acres of space for deep shots. Has functional deep speed and good quickness. Plays with suddenness, allowing him to win on comeback routes as well as sharp breaking routes like digs and square-outs. He has great vision, should be a candidate for the kick return role. His ability to turn screens into big plays is a product of reading the open field and following blocks. Generally has good separation technique both in-route and at the line of scrimmage against press. Naturally flows to space as a route-runner.

Weaknesses: He can lose sight of the ball in the air, sometimes loses position against defenders deep downfield. Will need to show improved strength in his second year. College and early training camp showed an athlete with strength issues, meaning his release technique was obviated by press corners with power. Gets pushed around in-route — difficult to maintain sideline and can’t hit his landmarks while corners move him around. The deep threat might not be there in the NFL, though he did occasionally break free in training camp — timed speed isn’t all too imposing and runaway speed isn’t consistently impressive. Drop issues, primarily a result of poor catch technique; traps the ball against his body, doesn’t consistently look the ball in. Remarkably high drop rate for an RBS receiver. Routes only developed vertically — otherwise, fairly basic route-running moves.

Quartney Davis

Every year, a few undrafted free agents for the Vikings earn buzz as dark horses to make the roster or contribute a few years down the road. While they typically don’t work out, some do and that’s fun to speculate on. This year, that player seems to be Texas A&M product Quartney Davis, who was a well-recruited high school athlete that unfortunately had to miss his first year of college due to injury and didn’t contribute much his second year for the Aggies. While he didn’t produce to an enormous degree, his potential remains tantalizing.

Strengths: Davis has excellent short-area movement capability — stop-start acceleration/deceleration, lateral agility and more. He uses that alongside solid route-running techniques to generate consistent separation. Boasts great footwork and use of lower-body fakes to deceive opposing cornerbacks. He’s good off the release, both with his ability to create separation via elusiveness and hand-fighting techniques to beat the jam. Great balance and body control. Has a good understanding of holes in zone coverage and finding windows for the quarterback. Seems to have command of the offense when tasked with sit/follow assignments. He can hold on to the ball through contact. Works his way to the ball and plucks it outside of his frame.

Weaknesses: Despite reasonable top-end speed to threaten deep, doesn’t separate enough to be considered a reliable deep threat, especially when paired with poor ball tracking. Has a very poor record of production on deep routes, often dropping passes or missing them entirely. Has the frame, but doesn’t demonstrate the strength to win on 50/50 balls. Strength issues persist throughout, with problems asserting route path, maintaining the sideline or winning against press coverage. Despite generally good catch technique, can’t seem to hold on to catches. Doesn’t appear focus-related; regularly drops passes. Doesn’t win contested catches either. After-catch capability is very poor despite acceleration. He can be taken down easily by arm tackles. Despite agility and route-running fundamentals, does a very poor job maintaining route timing, especially on comeback routes. Has the technical side of route-running down but not every mental aspect of it, especially when it comes to disguising routes.

Only one team in the NFL saw more carries from the running back position than the Vikings last year, and that was the San Francisco 49ers with two more carries from their running back stable than Minnesota’s. Both of these play-action heavy, wide-zone, West Coast offenses have placed significant priority on getting the running game going, and unlike the Ravens, mostly have to rely on traditional ball-carriers to get it done.

The focus on running doesn’t have a lot of analytical backing, but proponents will point out that a number of the run-heavy teams made deep runs into the playoffs. The full debate has been hashed out for years — as The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen broke down last year — but regardless of what actually drives team wins, the Vikings will remain committed to the position in the near future.

Ameer Abdullah

Once a high-value draft prospect, Abdullah’s career didn’t pan out the way he or the Detroit Lions imagined. After generating only 3.8 yards per carry for Detroit, the Lions let him go for Kerryon Johnson and the Vikings seem to be the beneficiaries, finding a capable kick returner — though one with a fumbling problem. The long odds of a Cook holdout might increase the importance of a player like Abdullah, but what matters most is the special teams battle.

Strengths: Abdullah boasts great short-area quickness and can string together different types of moves in lanes, from lane-shifting jump cuts to tinier movements in the crease to create space. He’s a good zone runner and understands which lanes to take and whether or not to take advantage of cutbacks. Open-field decisions are top-notch both as a running back and as a returner. Power exceeds size and digs in against tackles, sometimes gaining extra yards despite head-on contact. He understands leverage well both in the run game and in pass protection. Acceleration out of hand-off is great. He’s likely a better runner than career numbers indicate; had poor blocking in Detroit and produced 5.0 yards per carry in Minnesota. Abdullah has most baseline and technical tools down as a running back and is a great generalist.

Weaknesses: Continues to fumble at an alarming rate: On runs, he fumbles at a 1.8 percent rate, well above the league average. Fumbles much more on kickoffs at 5.5 percent — alarming, even after accounting for generally higher fumble rates league-wide on kickoffs. The issue followed him from college (2.8 percent fumble rate on runs) and has never been solved. His small hand size might be the culprit, which makes it likely that the problem is persistent. Despite good vision, Abdullah sometimes takes bad risks as a runner, trying to make more of the play than is there. His size makes it difficult to trust as a bell cow, might only be a change-of-pace back. Might not fulfill that role entirely either, as he doesn’t have elite speed and even has issues turning the corner on wide runs. Also can’t operate as a scatback because of a general lack of aptitude in the receiving game. His route-running isn’t decisive and can plod in routes, losing separation and quickness. Without explosion, power or speed, Abdullah doesn’t really have a specific running back role well suited for him.

Mike Boone

Aiming to be a better NFL running back than he was in college, Boone has the capability to flex his receiving ability for the Vikings to go along with his excellent athleticism. He was able to grab some playing time near the end of the year with Cook out due to injury and the Vikings resting their critical players in Week 17. He turned those opportunities into a fantastic 5.6 yards-per-carry average.

Strengths: Tons of breakaway talent — in just 49 carries, had as many runs of 40-plus yards (two) as Dalvin Cook had in 250 carries. He has fantastic physical talent from initial acceleration to long speed as well as strength at the point of attack; gets extra yards after contact despite size. Boone boasts good open-field instincts; knows when to drive into a defender and when to seek grass. He might be the best overall athlete on the offensive side of the ball. Not breakaway dependent — yards-per-carry on runs of 15 yards or fewer higher than league average (3.96 versus 3.71). Knows how to initiate contact while minimizing force; defenders can slide off of him. He’s a great route-runner; can be split out into the slot or run routes from the backfield. He has the greatest route diversity of any running back on the team.

Weaknesses: Has never taken on a full load as a running back in the NFL or in college. Likely limited to scatback role. His conservative running style in college has translated to conservative running style in the NFL; too often takes short gains, doesn’t take enough chances. Even though breakout numbers are good, he counterintuitively gave up too many three-yard gains for losses because he stuck to play design too faithfully. Breakout numbers are a combination of athleticism and good blocking; he rarely created his own breakout opportunities. Line-of-scrimmage vision will likely never improve beyond where it is. Doesn’t demonstrate advanced running back techniques like pressing the lane or eye discipline.