2023 Rookie Minicamp, OTAs, etc.

BIG_dann…With a DB room having a lot young players and some unknowns. Does this group give you vibes of 2020 DB group or something different?

Byron Murphy Jr. makes it different than 2020. He’s had an uneven career at times but he’s a proven quality NFL player. The 2020 secondary was running out Holton Hill, Jeff Gladney and Cam Dantzler, none of which had proven they could play. Aside from Murphy Jr., it is similar in having players with nearly zero experience. Not everyone is the same though. We found out in the subsequent years that all of those guys had other issues beyond covering receivers. I particularly think the character makeup of Evans and Blackmon stands out. We’ll have a much better feeling about all these guys by the end of camp.

Dadawwad …Thoughts on the Vikings cornerback room? Will Flores be able to hide their weaknesses?
I fundamentally don’t think coaches can do anything if a player is straight up bad. But if they have some strengths, they can be maximized by a DC. Maybe that will be the case here. There’s a wide range of outcomes. I could very reasonably see some of these young defensive backs picking up the defense, gaining confidence and showing that they can be major parts of the future. I could also see the same issues as last year cropping up and the Vikings still looking for answers in the secondary next year. Or somewhere in the middle. I know that’s noncommittal but we don’t have enough information to say which way it will go yet.

DonDeCourcy… How have the LSU rookies looked on defense? Is Ward flashing at all? Heard Roy got a few snaps with the 1s. Was he lined up at DT or DE?
Yes, Roy did get some snaps with the first team. He’s a defensive tackle. Harrison Phillips wasn’t doing the full team stuff, normally that would be him. Maybe it means that Roy is picking up the position nicely so far. But beware of the minicamp hype. Those dudes in the trenches have to prove it with the pads on. As far as Ward goes, I didn’t see much of him at OTAs or minicamp because he was working with the younger players on the field farther away from us. He’s going to be a project.

Skiyoumeeko…Doesn’t need to be a rookie but from what you’ve seen, who are 3 under the radar players who should contribute. WHO’s this year’s Tonga?
Since we get to see a lot of the receivers in minicamp, someone like Brandon Powell could win a job as a punt returner and occasional weapon. Maybe there’s a world where LB Troy Reeder (sorry for his name auto correcting on me yesterday) ends up playing way more than we expect and turns out to contribute a lot. If Hunter isn’t around the door opens to the Luiji Vilains or Curtis Weavers of the world to step up.

Skolnation74… Is Dwayne McBride in the doghouse with coaches?
He’s a seventh-round rookie. They’re not going to treat him as if he’s the next Terry Allen or Roger Craig. He’s going to start as RB4 and have to work his way anywhere from there.

Whose stock is up? Whose is down? We pored through notes from this spring to provide some feedback.

Stock up

Josh Metellus, S
If you have read this space over the past few weeks, this should not surprise you. Metellus might have played more 11-on-11 snaps with the presumed No. 1s than any other Vikings player who did not start last season. His inclusion makes sense, starting with his size. Metellus stands 5 feet 11 and weighs 207 pounds. One-time New England Patriots safety Patrick Chung was similarly sized and carved out a safety/linebacker role, where he essentially roved the middle of the field. When needed, Chung blitzed. Other times, he retreated into coverage. Considering Metellus’ role as a special teams captain — he unearthed a shift in special teams cadence against the Dolphins last season, leading to a stifled fake punt — he makes sense as the perfect candidate for this role. Because he rarely played defensive snaps last season, it’s easy to frame Metellus as trending upward.

Jalen Nailor, WR
His nickname is “Speedy,” but Nailor resides here mostly because of his precision. His routes this spring constantly matched the quarterback’s timing, arriving at the necessary spot when the offense needed him to be there. That’s crucial for receivers in coach Kevin O’Connell’s offense. The speed? That’s always going to exist. He once clocked a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash. Chiseling down his route running has been and continues to be his focus, and as the Vikings think forward to K.J. Osborn’s looming free agency after this season, Nailor’s showing bodes well.

Brian Flores, defensive coordinator
Granted, the new defensive coordinator’s stock was destined to rise. That’s what happens when the installer of a defense as porous as Swiss cheese is replaced. Flores’ defense is Ed Donatell’s, pumped with eight shots of espresso. Think of it like an amoeba, gliding, moving, shifting on the line of scrimmage and in the secondary and everywhere in between. Players are moving to all areas of the field, and some are beelining right to the quarterback. This was noticeable during the first practice available to media members. It persisted. Flores has also been intentional about his disposition. Aggressive and serious, yes, but also outspoken about his desire for the Vikings’ defenders to have fun.

Josh Oliver, TE
The lack of physicality made it difficult to identify what Oliver is going to do for the Vikings’ run game. It’s easy to imagine, though. When asked about the potential of the newly signed tight end, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips simply said, “Well, have you seen the guy?” Oliver is built like a rhinoceros. He is massive, and when he gets moving, it’s easy to envision normal-sized humans diving out of the way. All of that said, the foremost reason for his inclusion here is what he showed as a pass catcher. The dude is not merely a big body. He has hands that will allow for offensive creativity in the red zone.

Mekhi Blackmon, CB
Blackmon looked like he knew he was good enough to be there. To be with the Vikings’ starters and to match up against the Vikings’ best receivers. Early in minicamp, he clung to Osborn as the receiver drifted up the field. The ball was underthrown, but Blackmon smothered Osborn, preventing a catch. Once Justin Jefferson arrived, Blackmon drifted with him up the field, then darted toward a thrown ball on a comeback route. Jefferson caught the ball, but Blackmon seemed to be operating with zero concern about whom he was guarding. He received considerable snaps with the No. 1s. And he even flashed skills as a blitzer. It’d be bold to say he’ll start Week 1, but one thing is clear: Even as a third-rounder, Blackmon probably expects that to happen.

Jordan Hicks, LB
Why is a 30-year-old linebacker on this list? The short answer is that Hicks looked faster these past couple of months. His fitness has never been an issue. Nor has his drive. Hicks is well respected around the league for the way he operates. One play, though, defined his spring. He traveled out to the flat and broke up a pass, fist-pumping afterward, yelling and celebrating with many of the young defenders. Given the departures of Patrick Peterson, Eric Kendricks, Dalvin Tomlinson and others, Hicks will step into a major leadership role within the locker room. He knows what that means and how much it’s his role to set the tone.

K.J. Osborn, WR
Osborn was asked earlier in the offseason about how he randomly torched the Indianapolis Colts for 10 catches and 157 yards. Essentially, the question was this: “What’s it going to take for more of those performances?” Osborn’s response was really this: “It wasn’t random at all.” Jefferson had gotten hurt earlier in the game, thrusting Osborn into Jefferson’s spot. The transition shifted him into the primary read on certain pass plays, and as long as he got open, he’d be targeted. The point is to say Osborn has been capable. He’s also aware. He understands his frame makes him a key piece of the Vikings’ run game and that role may hinder other possibilities. The overall awareness was evident all spring. He filled Jefferson’s role admirably before Jefferson arrived. He served as a sounding board for rookie Jordan Addison. He embraced the role as a go-to for media members after most practices. Similar to Hicks, a larger leadership role awaits. And Osborn is ready for it.

Honorable mentions
• Akayleb Evans, CB
• C.J. Ham, FB
• Brian Asamoah II, LB
• Brandon Powell, WR