Training Camp

I would argue that Terrell Sinkfield has had the best day-to-day performance of any of the candidates and that by itself would create a strong resume for him, but without a consistent number of pass deflections and interceptions, it will be difficult for him to create buzz and earn the Mr. Mankato nod.

The next-best performer might be Elijah Lee, but he also suffers from the Sinkfield issue; his fantastic play thus far hasn’t resulted in splash moments where he stands out, instead slipping blocks to meet the running back before a whistle blows or deterring coverage in his zone.

I’m partial to Tashawn Bower, who not only has some great performances to his name, but also the allure of another all-upside LSU pass-rusher who just needs a little development. But I don’t think a defensive end will ever win the award because they can’t ever take the quarterback down. Bower has been great about disrupting the pocket and creating problems on the outside in the run game, but he won’t draw eyes in the same way a receiver or ball-hawk defensive back can.

That leaves two candidates left in my eyes: Cayleb Jones and Bucky Hodges. Both have been a lot of fun to watch, and they’ve scored touchdowns in dramatic fashion, both in red-zone drills and deep bombs downfield.

Bradford tackles Zimmer

Quarterback Sam Bradford continues to perform at a high level in practices. He delivered a beautiful throw on a corner route to Stefon Diggs over cornerback Terence Newman in the red zone. After completing the touchdown reception, Bradford sprinted toward head coach Mike Zimmer, tackling him to the ground in celebration. It capped a situational drill where the Vikings had 1:48 on the clock on their own 20-yard-line, down six points.

Bradford is making throws down the field look easy with accuracy and touch. His timing and anticipation with wide receivers has been very impressive. During the final situational portion of practice, he delivered a strike on a crosser to tight end Kyle Rudolph, who beat linebacker Anthony Barr. The play would have likely resulted in a sack, as defensive end Danielle Hunter beat left tackle Rashod Hill. However, Bradford has been performing at a high level during the situational work. He is delivering the ball with more confidence and is willing to take a risk into a tight window.

Odenigbo has a big day

The defensive line definitely won the day against most of the offensive line units. Both left tackle Rashod Hill and right tackle Mike Remmers lost their fair share of reps to defensive ends Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen. Hill and Remmers aren’t losing every snap, but certainly aren’t winning the majority, either. Right guard Danny Isidora was up-and-down during the afternoon session, posting a positive rep versus defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson, but losing twice to defensive tackle Shamar Stephen. Stephen is having a very impressive camp and consistently makes an impact as a run defender. He has won the vast majority of his snaps and is one of the more fundamentally sound defensive tackles within the unit.

Center Pat Elflein was rotating with the first-team and has been holding his own. Both he and Nick Easton struggled with a safety blitz that was deployed and each of them lost a rep on it. This appeared to be either a misread or lack of communication up front.

Right guard Joe Berger has lost few reps during the first couple of padded practices. It hasn’t been concerning, but he hasn’t been performing at the level everyone has become accustomed to. He lost two snaps to Tom Johnson, one of which came off a power swim move inside.

Defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo had a dominant practice, winning nearly every snap versus right tackle Reid Fragel. Odenigbo has been quietly performing at a high level in camp. He was working hard with defensive line coach Andre Patterson on pass rushing moves before practice. Odenigbo has been winning with power, which matches up with his tape at Northwestern. He has a strong swim move, bull-rush, and push-pull to use. He is winning against third-tier roster players, but it is clear to see Odenigbo has upside.

Defensive tackle Datone Jones made more noise Wednesday, destroying T.J. Clemmings inside with a blend of speed and power. Jaleel Johnson also won several reps in 11-on-11 work and is starting to contribute more as practices progress.

Bradford delivers a laser to Rudy

Quarterback Sam Bradford continues to look sharp in all of the drills throughout practice. He beautifully placed a fade up the sideline to Stefon Diggs, who made a tough grab on cornerback Xaiver Rhodes look easy. Bradford continues to throw the ball accurately down the field and is amazing when throwing up the seam. Bradford delivered an exceptional throw up the seam over the fingertips of linebacker Eric Kendricks to tight end Kyle Rudolph. The pass was placed perfectly into about a six-inch window. Bradford’s downfield accuracy and touch are two of his best attributes.

Quarterback Taylor Heinicke had a strong start to practice, but tapered off at the end. He missed a few open receivers and forced throws into tight windows. It led to a few pass breakups and near interceptions during the second stage of team drills.

On the other hand, quarterback Case Keenum has been performing at a high level in the red zone. He was throwing passes into tight windows with success. Keenum fired a strike to wide receiver Stacy Coley in the corner of the end zone, placing the pass perfectly. He has been more accurate on the short-to-intermediate routes and is throwing with great touch on passes within 20 yards.

McKinnon looking fresh

Running back Jerick McKinnon saw his longest stint of action after battling an injury early in camp. He showed impressive burst to the outside as tight end Kyle Carter set the edge during a team drill. McKinnon looked more explosive and comfortable cutting Friday. When he was catching passes in space, he was cutting smooth and uses his vision to find open lanes.

Diggs is the best player on offense

Wide receiver Stefon Diggs has been putting together a sensational training camp. There is nobody that competes better than Diggs on the field. His competitive fire and willingness to push others is showing up among everyone in the wide receiver room. His routes are so smooth/crisp and he simply freezes many defensive backs. His movement in and out of his breaks locks up defensive backs on a consistent basis.

Left tackle Rashod Hill had another strong day, holding well up well in team settings. He is stringing together more positive reps and is keeping his footwork consistent. Hill isn’t having as many lapses, and when he does, it’s usually the result of a strong move by defensive end Danielle Hunter.

Cornerback Terrell Sinkfield is making a stronger case every day for the sixth cornerback spot. He grabbed an interception on Rodney Adams slant and had a great jam on Stefon Diggs at the line of scrimmage to redirect his route. Sinkfield is a very special athlete and rotates his hips well to make plays on the ball. In addition, he is playing with more physicality in press coverage situations.