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DAILY CLIPS SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019
LOCAL NEWS: Saturday, January 26, 2019
Vikings.com
Pro Bowl Notebook: Thielen, Barr Enjoying Repeat All-Star Appearances
By Lindsey Young
https://www.vikings.com/news/pro-bowl-notebook-thielen-barr-enjoying-repeat-all-star-appearances
Senior Bowl Notebook: Foes to Friends, Teammates 1 More Time & Players of Week
By Craig Peters
https://www.vikings.com/news/senior-bowl-notebook-foes-to-friends-teammates-1-more-time-players-of-week
Lunchbreak: Cousins Tabbed as Vikings ‘Unsung Hero’ of 2018 Season
By Lindsey Young
https://www.vikings.com/news/kirk-cousins-minnesota-vikings-unsung-hero-2018
Expert Takes: Biggest Question Facing Vikings in 2019
By Craig Peters
https://www.vikings.com/news/expert-takes-biggest-question-facing-vikings-in-2019
VIKING Update
Defensive playing time, analytics backed up extensions
By Tim Yotter
https://247sports.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/Article/Defensive-playing-time-analytics-backed-up-extensions-128292556/
SKOR North
The future of the Vikings, Part 2: Running backs
By Matthew Coller
https://www.skornorth.com/vikings-2/2019/01/the-future-of-the-vikings-part-2-running-backs/
The Athletic
Senior Bowl: Best bets to help the Vikings revamp their offensive line
By Arif Hasan
https://theathletic.com/786361/2019/01/25/senior-bowl-best-bets-to-help-the-vikings-revamp-their-offensive-line/
WCCO Radio
Hey NFL—time to change the overtime and pass interference rules after title game inequities
By Jeff Diamond
https://wccoradio.radio.com/articles/jeff-diamond-hey-nfl%E2%80%94time-change-overtime-and-pass-interference-rules-after-
title-game
NATIONAL NEWS: Saturday, January 26, 2019
ESPN
Vikings' Anthony Barr will let free agency 'dictate itself'
By Courtney Cronin
http://www.espn.com/blog/minnesota-vikings/post/_/id/28146/vikings-anthony-barr-will-let-free-agency-dictate-itselfPUBLICATION: Vikings.com DATE: 1/26/19 Pro Bowl Notebook: Thielen, Barr Enjoying Repeat All-Star Appearances By Lindsey Young It seems there’s rarely a day where Adam Thielen isn’t giving 110 percent. Thielen returned to Orlando this week for his second consecutive Pro Bowl week, during which he put on quite the performance in the Skills Showdown. The receiver is gleaning whatever he can from the week’s practices, as well. He spoke with Vikings.com after Friday’s NFC practice session and talked about learning from talented players – and coaches – from across the league. “Some of the guys … have been playing in this league for a long time, on both sides of the ball,” Thielen said. “And then coaches, too. You get around a different coordinator, different system, so it’s kind of fun to get around other systems and learn what other teams are doing. “Some of these guys were here last year, and it’s really cool to just see our relationships from the last year and then throughout the season,” he added. “It’s just a really cool experience to pick their brains, see what’s been successful [for them].” Thielen also appreciates the opportunity for fan interaction and has felt the love from No. 19 supporters who traveled from near and far to see their favorite player in the all-star game festivities. He described the fans as coming out “in bunches” to the practices. “Obviously we can’t get to every one of them, but it’s fun to go and communicate, talk to them,” Thielen said. “And [they’re not all from Minnesota], so it’s kind of cool. It’s fans from a lot of different cities, different states, and they’re big Vikings fans.” No longer looked at as a small-town kid who overcame the odds, Thielen has quickly risen to be among the NFL’s top receivers. Asked if he’s had a chance to look back over the past few years and reflect over the journey, he emphasized that there be time for that down the road. “I think when I’m done playing, I’ll reflect,” Thielen said. “Right now I’m just trying to keep getting better, keep hanging out with my family, [and I’m] focusing on that for the offseasons.” Vikings Wrap Up Pro Bowl Practice Vikings players Adam Thielen, Anthony Barr, Harrison Smith and Danielle Hunter completed their final practice on Friday for the Pro Bowl in Orlando, Fla. 1 / 45 Amid all of his work, Thielen will find time to play while in Florida. He and his family plan to check out Disney World on Saturday, and he’s looking forward to seeing his 2-year-old son, Asher, experience the theme park. And on Sunday? Thielen, who scored a touchdown for the NFC team in last year’s Pro Bowl, will be happy if he just gets in the mix.
“I’m just hoping I have one catch. That’s all I care about. One catch, and I’m good,” Thielen laughed. He wouldn’t be disappointed if a teammate made a play worth celebrating, though. Along with Thielen, Harrison Smith, Anthony Barr and Danielle Hunter will represent the Vikings in the game Sunday. “I always love when Harry gets a pick and takes it to the house,” said Thielen of Smith, who added a pick six for the NFC last year. “Hopefully he does that again this week.” Barr recalls earlier Pro Bowl experience While Thielen is saving the reflection for later, Barr had some fun reminiscing about a former Pro Bowl experience. The linebacker, who has received four consecutive invites to the all-star game, recalled his second Pro Bowl experience after the 2016 season. It was there he first saw in person the talent of Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill, a rookie at the time. “I was on punt [team], it was the first punt of the game, and they kicked it to Tyreek Hill, and I was not prepared for this man’s speed,” Barr said. “He absolutely blew by me and Harrison, and we were just like, ‘Thank God we don’t have to play this guy multiple times a season.’ ” There’s one opponent Barr has played multiple times a season, however, that he’s looking forward to facing again. Tight end Eric Ebron spent four seasons in the NFC North with the Lions before signing with the Colts for the 2018 campaign. Barr didn’t see Ebron all season but will play against the now-AFC foe this weekend. “He had a great year [with Indianapolis],” Barr said of Ebron, who scored a career-high 13 touchdowns. “I’m looking forward to lighting him up on Sunday.” Owatonna representing in Orlando Two members of the Owatonna High School football team are representing their squad in Orlando this week. Owatonna Head Coach Jeff Williams, who has held the role since 1996, was named the High School Sports Rally Coach of the Year in November. Along with the award came a trip to the Pro Bowl, where he will be up against 31 other markets’ selected coaches. During Sunday’s game, one of the nominees will be named the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year. One of Williams’ players also is in Orlando this week for the Pro Bowl. Running back Jason Williamson has been a standout for the Huskies and was named Mr. Football in December. Williamson, who has committed to play at the University of Minnesota, competed Friday afternoon in the Play 60 High School Skills Showdown at ESPN Wide World of Sports.
PUBLICATION: Vikings.com DATE: 1/26/19 Senior Bowl Notebook: Foes to Friends, Teammates 1 More Time & Players of Week By Craig Peters MOBILE, Ala. — Charles Omenihu and Dalton Risner will get to enjoy a game day without an ounce of disdain for the other. Omenihu, a defensive end from Texas, and Risner, a tackle from Kansas State, will be on the same team Saturday in the 70th Reese’s Senior Bowl. They will play for the North team coached by Jon Gruden and the Raiders staff against the South squad coached by Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers. The Longhorn and Wildcat will don helmets of their schools one last time but wear the same color jersey after facing each other the past three years. Past matchups created a mutual respect that the men brought with them to Mobile for three days of practices. Omenihu said the best player he’s ever gone against at any position is Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray, who won the 2018 Heisman. He was just as decisive when asked to name the top offensive lineman he’s ever faced, quickly answering Risner. Why? “Not a lot of offensive linemen I’ve gone against were able to, from start to finish, match blows with me, as far as my explosiveness off the ball, my first step and length,” Omenihu said. “He was able to get out there with me and play. I had a really dominant game against K-State, but it was still a great matchup, and I respect his game.” Risner said he appreciated the sentiment and that “Charles is one of the best defensive ends in the Big 12.” “The things he said about me, I could go hand-in-hand and say about him as well,” Risner said. “I’ve been telling scouts all week that that’s a great football player. He’s every bit as tall as me, has got long arms. “I’m a tackle, I like to see a tiny guy. I like to see a guy that doesn’t have very long arms, I can get my hands on him and manhandle,” Risner continued. “A guy like Charles Omenihu, you can’t do that. He’s a guy that has long arms, a guy that can get around the edge, also has enough strength and weight in his body to hold you on a run block. I’ve been going against Charles for three years now, so there’s a lot of mutual respect there. Not when we play on game day, but every day after that. The last three years, there’s been three days where we don’t like each other, but after that, it’s been good.” Omenihu totaled 18 of his 30.5 career tackles for loss and 9.5 of his 17 sacks in 2018. He ranked 29th in FBS in sacks per game and 31st in tackles for loss per game. Risner played in 50 games for the Wildcats. He was named to the All-America Second Team by the Associated Press. Teammates a final time
There’s a long line of Wisconsin offensive linemen who have made a mark in the NFL. This week, a pair of Badgers guards — Beau Benzschawel and Michael Deiter — were among the prospects trying to impress coaches and scouts in practice reps. The duo, however, was not part of the same combo of linemen, as the North opted to have Benzschawel with one group and Deiter with the other (the rosters for both teams are designed to be two-deep across the offensive line). Nonetheless, they said they enjoyed going through the experience together. “It’s really helpful, someone you can bounce questions off, like the playbook or something, but it’s just, we’re teammates, go through thick and thin together,” Benzschawel said. Added Deiter: “It’s awesome. He’s one of my best friends. Having him here adds that much more comfort and that much more fun to the whole ordeal. It’s really special.” How are they alike or different? “We’re pretty similar guys. You kind of have to be to play at Wisconsin,” Benzschawel said. “Differences maybe is that Deiter is a little bit squattier. He’s got a good squat on him, and I think I have more length.” Deiter said he and Benzschawel are “pretty close” in terms of personality. “Maybe I talk a little more than him,” Deiter said. “Playing football, we’re pretty similar, he’s got a better body than me, 6-6-and-a-half, super-long arms, but when it comes to playing the game, we’re pretty similar.” Benzschawel became the third offensive lineman in Badgers history to repeat as a First-Team All- American, joining Dennis Lick (1974-75) and Joe Thomas (2005-06). His 49 career starts rank fourth in school history among offensive linemen. Deiter’s 54 consecutive starts are the most by an offensive lineman in school history. He started 24 at left guard, 16 at center and 14 at left tackle. In 2018, he was named the Rimington-Pace Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero is no stranger to covering the NFL happenings during the week of the Senior Bowl, but this week was unlike any other for the reporter. Pelissero was assigned sideline duties, reporting from practices and will have the same role in Saturday’s game. He said he enjoyed getting a “jump-start on learning who these guys are” in preparation for the NFL Draft. “I think it’s particularly interesting any time around guys like the quarterbacks,” Pelissero said. “You get sense of their personality, which is evaluated more than any others, in terms of the leadership traits they have, ‘Can they command the room?’ All those sorts of things, and the coaches are getting that, too. “Jon Gruden and Kyle Shanahan are two guys who know quarterbacks well. You can look at the Raiders, and even though they’ve got Derek Carr, and the 49ers, who have Jimmy Garoppolo, you also know that by the end of the week they’re going to be falling in love with somebody, and we’ll see exactly what that leads to on draft day.”
Asked about the favorite storyline he was able to deliver this week, Pelissero said, “It has to be the actual delivery of the child of Khalen Saunders. His daughter, Kambridge, who was born on Tuesday up in Chicago.” “[Saunders] had spoken with his fiancée leading up to that event, they agreed that a small-school kid from Western Illinois needed the opportunity to show what he could do against players from bigger schools and really kind of test himself,” Pelissero said. “Scouts that I talked to say he had a really good week, has been focused. He actually got on a plane [Thursday], he’s flying to Chicago, going to see the child and fly back here [Friday] and participate in the game, so it’s a bit of a whirlwind for Khalen Saunders.” Pelissero also has a busy schedule coming up. After Saturday’s game, he’ll fly to Atlanta on Sunday and cover the airport arrivals of the Rams and Patriots for Super Bowl LIII. Practice awards The Practice Players of the Week were: Overall: Chuma Edoga (USC) Quarterback: Jarrett Stidham (Auburn) Running back: Dexter Williams (Notre Dame) Receiver: Deebo Samuel (South Carolina) Tight end: Foster Moreau (LSU) Offensive lineman: Garrett Bradbury (N.C. State) Defensive lineman: Isaiah Buggs (Alabama) Linebacker: Drue Tranquill (Notre Dame) Defensive back: Darnell Savage (Maryland) Specialist: Austin Seibert (Oklahoma)
PUBLICATION: Vikings.com DATE: 1/26/19 Lunchbreak: Cousins Tabbed as Vikings ‘Unsung Hero’ of 2018 Season By Lindsey Young There’s a lot of talk around this time of year about All-Pro honors, Pro Bowl participants and other award winners, but NFL.com’s Nick Shook reminded that those aren’t the only players who positively impact their teams and the league. Recently, Shook named one “unsung hero – someone who stepped out of the shadows to play a pivotal role – ” for every NFC team. He tabbed Kirk Cousins as the Vikings unsung hero in the quarterback’s first season in Minnesota, pointing to the “circumstances he overcame” in his debut campaign. Shook wrote: The Vikings were ravaged by injuries up front before the season even started, setting up Cousins for what would be failure for a hefty portion of quarterbacks. Cousins, instead, flourished despite facing the most pressures of any quarterback in the NFL (217) and enduring a 33.6 percent pressure rate (tied for fourth- highest in NFL among passers with at least 200 attempts), posting a 99.7 passer rating while getting sacked the 10th-most in the league (40). Of the quarterbacks who were pressured at 30 percent or more, only three posted higher passer ratings: Patrick Mahomes (113.8 with 30 percent pressure rate), Matt Ryan (108.1 with 31.2 percent pressure rate) and Ryan Fitzpatrick (100.4 with pressure rate of 30.4 percent). Of that group, Cousins posted the highest difference between expected completion percentage and actual at 5.3 percent, per Next Gen Stats. He was still pretty darn good, Vikings fans. As for the Vikings NFC North rivals, Shook highlighted Lions safety Quandre Diggs, Packers linebacker Kyler Fackrell and Bears center Cody Whitehair. Whitehair doesn’t get the credit he deserves as the center on a Chicago line that is one of the more cohesive groups in football. Whitehair ranked 10th among centers in 2018, per Pro Football Focus, and was the leader of a group that tied for eighth in the NFL in sacks allowed with just 33. With Whitehair snapping the ball to him, [Mitchell] Trubisky (and the Bears offense) should continue to improve in the years to come. Best Photos of 2018: Top 30 Defensive Line Images View the best exclusive images shot by team photographers of Vikings defensive line during the 2018 season. Vikings NFC North rivals have questions heading into 2019 The NFC North has long-since been a competitive division, it seems almost every season that the race could be a close one between multiple teams for the division title. The 2018 regular season concluded with just one team, Chicago, making the playoffs, and the Bears were eliminated in the Wild Card round. Steve Silverman, an NFL contributor for Forbes, recently delved into questions that face each of the Vikings division rivals heading into the 2019 season. Silverman wrote: Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown, as all three opponents have enough firepower to take the crown away from the Bears next year.
Silverman opined that questions surround the Bears kicking situation as well as their defense, which was dominant under Vic Fangio, who was hired as the Broncos next head coach after the season. It is no longer Fangio’s defense, since he moved on to become head coach of the Denver Broncos. Former Indianapolis [Head Coach] Chuck Pagano takes over, and while he is an affable individual who knows he has excellent personnel, he will undoubtedly make some scheme changes. Will that have a positive or negative impact on this important unit? It all needs to play out. And as for the Lions? Silverman said it will be interesting to see how Detroit fares in year two under Head Coach Matt Patricia. He said that “perhaps” Patricia will have more success in 2019 but that he “needs a legitimate game-changing pass rusher” this offseason. Ezekiel Ansah is a free agent and it’s difficult to see him staying in Detroit. Even if he did, the Lions still need help at the position. Lastly, Silverman looked at the Packers, who finished 6-9-1 and will be under the new direction of Head Coach Matt LaFleur after Mike McCarthy was relieved of his duties. The Mike McCarthy era ended before last season was over, and it will be up to new coach Matt LaFleur to reinvigorate Aaron Rodgers. If he can do that and Rodgers stays healthy, there’s no reason Green Bay won’t be formidable. LaFleur has legitimate credentials in that he has worked with Matt Ryan and Jared Goff and gotten excellent results. On the field, the Packers biggest needs are on defense, which is where they have been for the majority of Rodgers’ career. They could use a dominant edge pass rusher, a hard-hitting, playmaking safety and a tough defensive end who can dominate against the run.
PUBLICATION: Vikings.com DATE: 1/26/19 Expert Takes: Biggest Question Facing Vikings in 2019 By Craig Peters MOBILE, Ala. — In addition to opportunities for evaluating top prospects, the Senior Bowl practices offer moments to check in with experts and get their takes on the current state of the Vikings. Vikings.com asked experts what they think the biggest question facing the Vikings in 2019 is and to complete the thought, 2019 will be better for the Vikings because … Here’s what they said. What is the biggest question facing the Vikings in 2019? Lindsay Jones, The Athletic | @bylindsayhjones “I think it’s going to be, ‘What’s this offense going to look like, and can they take that next level to win those big games?’ How can Coach [Kevin] Stefanski and Gary Kubiak put Kirk Cousins in those best situations to thrive in those Monday Night games and Sunday Night games in the fourth quarter, those moments where it hasn’t quite clicked?’ Those are the big knocks on Kirk Cousins right now, so that’s the big question, to take that next level because I think the defense is still going to be really good. They have a lot of key players returning that are still under contract, so it’s going to be, ‘What is that next step that the offense can take?’ ” Pete Prisco, CBSSports/@CBSSportsHQ | @PriscoCBS “Probably their offensive line. Fix it. You look at the final four teams, the Saints had a really good offensive line, the Chiefs have a good offensive line, the Patriots have a good offensive line because [coach] Dante Scarnecchia is one of the best in football and has done a great job, and the Rams have one of the best offensive lines in the league. You better be good up front. If you’re good up front, you’re going to be able to do a lot of good things. You can run the ball and do stuff off that.” Tom Pelissero, NFL Network | @TomPelissero “I think, as everybody who tweets at me incessantly would say, it’s the offensive line, and how you patch that together. That was a significant issue last year. It hindered them in a lot of different ways on offense. Also, of course, what does Kevin Stefanski and his offense look like? I know he was a strong supporter. He wanted Gary Kubiak and Klint Kubiak, who he is tight with from [Klint Kubiak’s] first stint there. He wanted those guys to come in. “It gives them a little more experience, more of a sounding board,” Pelissero added. “Those are probably the two biggest things. The defense certainly did not play their best in Week 17 and didn’t start the strongest either, but through the middle of the season, you saw how good those guys can be. Really, it comes down to can you protect Kirk Cousins and get him to another level. Mike Zimmer, of course, talks about balanced [offense] and running the football, but all of that meshes together. They’ve just got to be more productive on that side of the ball.” 2019 will be better for the Vikings because… Jones: “I think offensive consistency. I think bringing Stefanski back was really important to keep some continuity there. You didn’t want to blow up your entire offense. It will be interesting to see his philosophy. He’s
been there for so long, but now it can be his offense with some assistance from Gary Kubiak. I think it will have that new voice, but a consistent voice.” Prisco: “They ran the ball, and Zimmer got what he wanted. I know Mike Zimmer, man. He wants to run the ball and play great defense. If you’re watching, Zim’, I know who you are and what you want to do.” Pelissero: “I’m not getting into predictions, so let’s not put the headline, ‘Tom says they’re going to be better.’ I would say, that you would think with it being the second year with Kirk Cousins as the quarterback, not a new system, but a new play caller, there’s going to be a transition there, but I’ll also tell you Kevin Stefanski, players really like him. I remember Dalvin Cook telling me he thinks like a player. He’s been in just about every room, coaching different position groups during his time with the team, so what’s his offense going to look like? Can you get that to the next level? Cousins having another offseason to work with those receivers, develop a rhythm and everything else in the NFL passing game is a big part of it.”
PUBLICATION : VIKING Update 1/26/19 Defensive playing time, analytics backed up extensions By Tim Yotter Three Minnesota Vikings defenders – one at each level of the defense – were the only ones to play 80 percent of the defensive snaps in 2018. Two of those three signed lucrative contract extensions in the offseason, too. Safety Harrison Smith led all defenders by playing in a whopping 98.5 percent of the defensive snaps. Smith was named to the Pro Bowl once again and earned the second-highest grade among Minnesota’s defensive players from Pro Football Focus, which gave him a 79.7 on the season and grades in the 90s in both run defense and tackling but only a 68.8 in coverage. Partly because of his time on the field, Smith had the Vikings’ second-best net yards over average among the Vikings’ defenders. That is an NFL- generated statistic that compares how many yards the team yielded with him on the field compared to the league over the last six years in similar down and distances and field position. Defensive end Danielle Hunter and linebacker Eric Kendricks were the only other defenders that played in more than 80 percent of the snaps. The Vikings signed each of them to five-year contract extensions last summer, with Hunter’s contract calling for $72 million over that period and Kendricks at $50 million. With Hunter blowing up for 14½ sacks in 2018 and being voted to the Pro Bowl, his contract is now considered a bargain relative to other top pass rushers in the NFL. Hunter was the workhorse on the defensive line, playing in 84.2 percent of the defensive plays – no other lineman reached 70 percent – and was efficient doing it. He earned the third-highest defensive grade on the team (78.4) from PFF. After him, Sheldon Richardson played in 69 percent of the snaps, Linval Joseph in 64.5 percent and Everson Griffen 56.1 percent. Backup Stephen Weatherly was the only other lineman at 50 percent or better. Kendricks played in 84.1 percent of the snaps, but fellow linebacker Anthony Barr wasn’t far behind at 77.7 percent. Rotating third linebackers Ben Gedeon (29.7) and Eric Wilson (32.3) each played just under one-third of the time. But, while Kendricks played more than Barr, PFF graded Barr (71.4) as the best linebacker on the team. Kendricks, Wilson and Gedeon – in that order – were all given grades between 65 and 62. Kendricks stood out for his tackling while Wilson was graded highly in run defense and pass rush. Wilson had the best net yards over average on a per-play basis of any of the defensive starters, according to NFL statistics. Gedeon was next, and Kendricks and Barr were well behind them but still in positive territory. As for the grades in the secondary after Smith, Mackensie Alexander was second, according to PFF’s view, followed by Holton Hill, Andrew Sendejo and Trae Waynes. Jayron Kearse and Mike Hughes were next among players with at least 200 snaps, while Xavier Rhodes was given the second-worst grade among all Vikings defenders. Just as Harris garnered PFF’s top defensive grade on the team, he was the top full-time Vikings defender in the NFL’s net yards over average statistic on a per-play basis. Next in the secondary was Hill, Waynes, Smith, Alexander, Rhodes and Kearse. Sendejo and Hughes finished in negative territory. What the snap counts, grades and net-yardage statistics show us is that the Vikings got their money’s worth in terms of quantity and quality of play from Hunter, Smith, Harris and Kendricks.
PUBLICATION : SKOR North 1/26/19 The future of the Vikings, Part 2: Running backs By Matthew Coller As the Minnesota Vikings head into a vital offseason, we will look at each position under a microscope. What worked? What didn’t work? What might change in 2019? What are the best and worst case scenarios? What options do they have going forward? Our series will lead up to the opening of free agency on March 13. Now onto the running backs… Dalvin Cook What worked Despite struggles on the offensive line, Cook made the most of his opportunities. He gained 4.6 yards per carry on 133 rushes and caught 40 passes on 49 targets at 7.6 yards per reception. Cook ranked fourth in the NFL in Pro Football Focus’s Elusive Rating (among RBs over 100 carries), which uses broken tackles and yards after contact in attempt to separate the runner from his blocking. Cook also graded as the third best pass blocking running back in the NFL. Head coach Mike Zimmer wanted to see Cook more often on first down for good reason. He averaged 5.0 yards per rush on first down and was tremendously successful running out of the shotgun, gaining 6.4 yards per carry on 39 runs. The former Florida State star saw an increase in workload after Kevin Stefanski took over as offensive coordinator, gaining 248 yards in three games at 5.4 yards per carry. What didn’t work The Vikings’ 2017 second-round pick suffered a hamstring injury that kept him out for most of a six-week span between Week 2 and Week 9. When he was healthy, Cook was vastly underutilized at times. Before Stefanski was handed play calling duties, he only cleared 15 carries once and was rarely given chances to make an impact in the passing game. His biggest games in terms of catches came against New England and Seattle, but he only gained 50 yards on 13 catches in those two contests. He was targeted zero times on throws that traveled over 10 yards through the air. Cook was ineffective in the red zone, gaining a first down or touchdown on just three of 16 carries inside the 20. His success also dropped off significantly in the fourth quarter, picking up just 58 yards on 23 carries in the final quarter. What might change in 2019? Lots. With the addition of Gary Kubiak as an offensive advisor, you can bet the Vikings will be running an outside zone system, which Pat Shurmur favored for Cook in 2017 and Stefanski used effectively over the final three games. Cook has outstanding patience and vision, which fits perfectly with running to the outside and finding cutback lanes. The sheer number of touches by the Vikings’ No. 1 back is likely to jump exponentially. The top running backs in the league like Ezekiel Elliott, Todd Gurley and Christian McCaffrey are getting more than 20 touches per game whereas Cook saw 15.7 per game in 2018.
Using Cook’s full skillset should be a priority. With his terrific receiving ability, the Vikings should be aiming to get him in the range of 60-80 targets. While improving the screen game should be a top priority, it would also make sense to give Cook some downfield throws like we have seen to the likes of James White, Tarik Cohen and Gurley. Best case scenario for 2019 Cook justifies everyone picking him at the top of fantasy drafts and fully lives up to his potential to gain 1,500-plus yards from scrimmage. He plays 16 games and becomes the centerpiece of the Vikings’ offense, taking pressure off quarterback Kirk Cousins. Worst case scenario for 2019 Cook can’t stay healthy for a full season, making it difficult to find continuity with his usage. Latavius Murray While Murray’s total rushing yards came short of 600 yards for the first time since his rookie year, he admirably filled in when Cook was injured. Between Weeks 5-8, Murray carried the ball 63 times for 322 yards (5.1 yards per carry). He also scored four touchdowns and added 10 catches for 70 yards. The former Raider said he would be interested in returning to Minnesota, but it’s hard to see him coming back to play a limited role behind Cook. When the Vikings’ RB1 was healthy from Weeks 9-17, Murray only saw 58 runs for 198 yards (3.3 yards per carry). Mike Boone After earning a roster spot out of camp, Boone rarely saw the field, rushing 11 times for 47 yards. He is an incredible athlete with a natural skill for breaking tackles and enough receiving ability out of the backfield to be used regularly in the passing game. Like many young backs, Boone needs to improve is pass blocking and his feel for reading blocks. He flashed enough potential to have a chance at being Cook’s backup in 2019. Roc Thomas The Vikings put Thomas on the practice squad after a strong preseason and then elevated him to the active roster briefly before assigning him back to the PS. He ran eight times for 30 yards and caught two passes in five games. Thomas has vision and patience, but struggled to stay healthy. Ameer Abdullah The Vikings brought in Abdullah when he was waived by the Lions. He caught one pass, rushed once and returned 10 kicks for 258 yards. Abdullah is a free agent. CJ Ham We can expect more of Ham this season. Historically Kubiak’s offenses have used the fullback regularly. Under John DeFilippo, he was used less than with Pat Shurmur calling the shots in 2017. His snap count went down by 65 plays. Ham caught 11 passes for 85 yards and ran six times for eight yards. Options In a money-saving venture, the Vikings could rely on Boone and Thomas to handle the backup duties, but with Cook’s injury history, it would seem they would want to either draft a running back as a No. 2 option or sign another veteran free agent backup. There are some excellent options, including Atlanta’s Tevin Coleman, who spelled Devonta Freeman. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry and caught 32 passes out of the backfield. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound runner is just 26 years old. TJ Yeldon is another all-around weapon on the market. He caught 55 balls at 8.9 yards per catch in 2018.
Other potential free agent options include Spencer Ware, Ty Montgomery, Jacquizz Rodgers, Alfred Blue, Doug Martin and Mike Davis.
PUBLICATION : The Athletic 1/26/19 Senior Bowl: Best bets to help the Vikings revamp their offensive line By Arif Hasan MOBILE, Ala. — With the Senior Bowl practices concluded for the week and the game just in the offing, the Minnesota Vikings might have found an opportunity to take a second look at some upcoming prospects as a means to shore up their squad — one that ended up disappointing by missing the playoffs. It’s no secret that the Vikings are looking for guards. They endured questionable performances this year at the position, with an out-of-position Mike Remmers struggling to assert himself against powerful defensive tackles and Tom Compton — who is a free agent — starting out of the gate with some promise and disrupting that after returning from injury. Not only that, all indications are that the Vikings are going to aggressively lean into a zone-running scheme that produced phenomenal seasons for Arian Foster, Clinton Portis, Alfred Morris, Justin Forsett, Willis McGahee, Tatum Bell, Steve Slaton and Phillip Lindsay. That will require even more movement ability from their offensive linemen than before and that might mean sacrificing some power. The Senior Bowl made sure to roster their squads with guards of every ilk, with matches for every scheme. Some will end up being good guards in the NFL without being very good fits for the Vikings, and others might end up having a skill set perfectly suited for what Minnesota wants to do, but not have enough talent to fulfill that promise. The natural guards The Wisconsin guards, unfortunately, had a poor start to the week, with both ending up on the ground in run-blocking and pass-blocking drills. Both recovered after a rough first day and finished the week much stronger, but Michael Deiter was by far the better of the two in the final accounting. Beau Benzschawel still lost a number of reps and found himself on the ground more often than should make one comfortable but did come away with some good blocks, especially in the running game. Deiter demonstrated that he could keep his hands up and active, all while moving into the second level and fitting naturally into the zone setups that coach Jon Gruden occasionally wanted from his team. His footwork in those drills was clean and his quickness blocking into the linebackers was good to see. Benzschawel showed consistency and technical proficiency on film throughout the year for Wisconsin, but he’ll likely do much more for a team willing to base block and occasionally pull a guard more than a team reliant on second-level movement and lateral agility in the run game. It might be better to look a little further south to the Oklahoma roster to find some zone fits. Both Ben Powers and Dru Samia represented the Sooners, and it’s clear that Powers had the better week of the two. Both consistently had issues stepping into their blocks with their second step — an issue neither of them really showed that much in their college tape. Still, their ability to drive base blocks or scoop underneath on zones demonstrated some real concerns about their run game work. As it was, Samia was the less successful of the two, with Powers showing real consistency from snap to snap in the second and third days, with fewer instances of power overwhelming him in protection or speed getting to be too much of a problem as a zone runner. Both are nasty offensive linemen that have earned great reputations among coaches, but that doesn’t signal a particular talent for driving off the ball. Instead a player like Samia needs to showcase the
functional strength to move defenders out of gaps. Not only that, Samia’s speed wasn’t on display, meaning that his best asset wasn’t a part of the show in Mobile. Both Samia and Powers were dominant pass protectors for Oklahoma and won with good technique, high- level quickness and solid power from their punch but in Mobile would occasionally struggle, especially against power. Neither had great a week, but Powers showed out on Day 3 and had a better Day 2 than Samia, indicating either that he took to coaching quicker or that he’s the better prospect overall. Neither did enough to say that they could be the solution to the Vikings’ offensive line woes, but film from actual college football games will project better to their NFL futures than anything else. The three other guard prospects to watch, before getting into positional conversions, are Nate Davis from UNC-Charlotte, B.J. Autry from Jacksonville State and Chris Lindstrom from Boston College. Davis and Lindstrom performed very well this week. Lindstrom, in particular, should interest Vikings fans because he’s projected to go in the second round, where the Vikings have a good chance of picking their next guard. Not only that, his skills align perfectly with the kind of scheme the Vikings deploy in the running game while also offering an upgrade in pass protection. Embedded video Joe Marino @TheJoeMarino Chris Lindstrom v Khalen Saunders 5 2:00 PM - Jan 24, 2019 · Mobile, AL See Joe Marino's other Tweets Twitter Ads info and privacy Lindstrom’s lateral agility in pass protection was excellent all week, while his movement downfield on screens and in the second level was unique among guards in Mobile; many of the guards have poor aiming points for the second level — often moving up to where linebackers are and not where they will be. Lindstrom, however, has an intuitive understanding of how linebackers respond to zone plays and can seal off lanes when uncovered. He might be the best option in the draft who also happened to play guard for most of his college career, and his film lines up with the excellent performance he put together at the Senior Bowl. A small-school standout, Autry will likely not be a fit for the Vikings because of his profile. At 351 pounds, he’s unlikely to have the movement skills the Vikings want for a zone guard, but it’s always possible. Brandon Brooks, a 346-pound guard, was excellent in Gary Kubiak’s scheme in Houston. He also ran a 4.99-second 40-yard dash and showed uncommon movement skills for a player his weight. Autry moves very well for his size, but that really means he looks more like an agile 320-pound guard than a zone-running player. During the Senior Bowl practices, Autry had difficulty demonstrating that his frame gave him the kind of power needed to consistently stonewall powerful defensive tackles. Though stronger than a good majority of guard prospects, he certainly isn’t as strong as a 351-pound guard should be, with much of the deficit coming from a problem with generating lower body strength and anchor. Unsurprisingly, Autry also had difficulty with defensive tackles that showcased a talent for bending or uncommon quickness, like Demarcus Christmas from Florida State. Autry looks like he can develop into a good guard, but it would be a bad match for both Autry and the Vikings if they took him — it’s not a situation like Will Hernandez last year where his overall talent and
athletic ability made him a likely good pick despite not being a scheme fit. Autry looks limited to a power scheme, where he has the potential to play at a high level. UNC-Charlotte’s Davis was a pleasant surprise throughout the week. While he had trouble with his footwork when pulling on power plays, he otherwise looks impressive as a drive blocker, zone blocker and pass protector, something The Athletic’s Dane Brugler noted. His lateral quickness looked fit for the position and he demonstrated better hand placement than small-school guards typically have. Davis plays with a low base, allowing him to gain leverage against all but the most prepared nose tackles, and he does a good job making sure to use his leverage advantage to generate power as either a pass protector or run blocker — all while maintaining balance and agility. He has good recovery, though it’s not quite in the same category as Lindstrom, and might turn into a solid guard down the line. The potential guard converts There are two players that played other positions in college and at the Senior Bowl that look like they could be good fits at guard. Dalton Risner from Kansas State is one such candidate, and he’s been projected to go anywhere between the first round and the fourth round, depending on the source. It’s entirely possible that the right tackle for the Wildcats ends up playing guard in the NFL, though he acquitted himself well at tackle, the position he played for most of his college career. Risner plays with a phenomenal amount of strength and has a natural feel for how rushers will attack his position. He can keep his shoulders square until the last possible moment. He’s got great movement, especially for a guard, and has been one of the top performers in the country at his position. He didn’t allowed a sack for a second straight season and might be an even better run blocker than he is a pass protector. All of that is fine, but what immediately stands out is Risner’s energy. While some scouts might be rubbed the wrong way by the way he approaches things, offensive line coaches will no doubt love his aggressive attitude towards all things related to trench play. Embedded video Reese's Senior Bowl ✔ @seniorbowl Oakland @Raiders coach Jon Gruden fired up for some OL vs DL at the end of North practice today in Mobile, Ala. #SeniorBowl #CompeteAndConnect 800 2:40 PM - Jan 24, 2019 158 people are talking about this Twitter Ads info and privacy Embedded video Joe Marino @TheJoeMarino Zach Allen v Dalton Risner 15 2:13 PM - Jan 24, 2019 · Mobile, AL See Joe Marino's other Tweets Twitter Ads info and privacy Embedded video Pete Francis ✔ @Pete_Francis
Dalton Risner getting nasty at Senior Bowl practice.@DaltonBigD71 1,533 3:54 PM - Jan 23, 2019 210 people are talking about this Twitter Ads info and privacy He’s not afraid to throw players into the ground, and he gets amped up — he celebrated his fellow offensive linemen winning their reps with vigor and seems to live for the battle in the lines. If the Vikings pick him up, it looks like they’ll have found their fit on the offensive line. Risner isn’t the only tough position convert that could stand to play a little at guard. Mississippi State’s Elgton Jenkins has been excellent at center but shows a lot of skills that translate well to guard. He has fantastic grip strength and can drive off the ball well. Like most centers, he has uncommonly quick hands. Importantly, his quick feet have allowed him to mirror pass-rushers and he did a good job making sure that even the most successful defensive tackles in practices didn’t get many wins against him. His understanding of blocking angles gives him an advantage against most defensive tackles that many guards don’t have. With an understanding of how the play is meant to develop, he can wall off effective pursuit angles without having to spend too much energy. At the same time, he played with significant strength, especially when forcing defensive tackles to disengage from their approaches. He wasn’t perfect — though he knows exactly where he needs to be when moving up to the second level, he can sometimes lag behind the play. His athleticism is good, not great, and particularly intuitive linebackers can beat him to the spot. His aggression in camp was good, but not matched by a lot of his film, which can lead to some legitimate questions about what he’ll act like once he’s in the NFL proper. In camp, he was nevertheless very good and could play either guard or center based on the practices he played in. The other interior linemen don’t seem like fits at guard. The Vikings are unlikely to move on from Pat Elflein at center, so looking at center-only prospects seems like a search for backups more than it is an attempt to resolve the issues among the starting five. Garrett Bradbury from North Carolina State seems like the best alternative option along the interior, but might also be restricted to the center position, in part a function of his play strength but also a possibility because of his size. Though he just clears minimum thresholds for guards, it seems like he really should play on the interior. In particular, when asked to anchor in games and during the week, Bradbury found himself pushed back into quarterback pockets and would need to add lower-body strength in order to consistently compete at the position, much less at guard. Nevertheless, Bradbury was the first candidate a number of talent evaluators gave me when I asked for zone-blocking interior linemen. His movement is incredibly smooth and he knows exactly where he needs to be at all times. He did an excellent job fighting through traffic to find second-level linebackers to block while also providing help on the backside for reaching guards. His movement in pass protection evidenced extremely quick feet as well as smooth handwork. He can reset at a moment’s notice, and he does a great job figuring out how to attack pass-rushers to keep them frustrated. Really, where he stands out is his combination of foot quickness and hand placement, which is unbeatable and results in a highlight reel of reach blocks that seem impossible. Embedded video Ben Fennell @BenFennell_NFL
Enjoy some NC State Garrett Bradbury reach blocks here. Man if you’re late off the ball as a DL - you’re done vs Bradbury! Light feet and loose hips... #OLPorn #2019NFLDraft 268 11:44 AM - Jan 22, 2019 63 people are talking about this Twitter Ads info and privacy If the Vikings are convinced he can be a guard, he’d be a fun addition to the offensive line. The tackles The Vikings might also be interested in tackles, where the Senior Bowl really shined. The best tackles in Mobile came from the Pac-12. Washington’s Kaleb McGary and Washington State’s Andre Dillard were the clear top two, with USC’s Chuma Edoga not too far behind. McGary and Dillard, in some ways, are unsurprising selections as top-tier linemen at the Senior Bowl; they were Pro Football Focus’ top two offensive tackles from the Pac-12, with Dillard giving up the lowest pass pressure rate in FBS, despite coming from a pass-heavy offense. Dillard did an incredible job attacking pass-rushers and controlling their movement. His grip strength made it easy for him to direct the force of opposing pass-rushers and his balance was on display all week. He won most of his reps, often against the FBS sack record-holder Jaylon Ferguson of Louisiana Tech. He entered the game having to prove that he could run block — mostly because the Mike Leach offense disdains running the ball — but he did an effective job of it. McGary was a pleasant surprise, showcasing excellent movement and cutoff angles without hurting his base as he approached pass-rushers. He did a great job handling power, too, with fantastic punch timing and hand technique. Both McGary and Dillard are polished, but McGary stood out with his initial work against pass-rushers while Dillard took on players with grip strength and remarkable hand speed — recovering against lost positions before the defenders even realized they may have had an advantage. Edoga earned plaudits from much of the Senior Bowl, and earned some “offensive lineman of the week” praise from evaluators at the practices, and it’s true that his footwork was smooth and top-notch. He didn’t give up much pressure, but there are some concerns about sustainability because he had some hand- fighting work that put him a notch below McGary and Dillard for me. All three of these tackles are very good fits for the Vikings, though Minnesota won’t be looking for a starter early in the draft at this position, unless they want to experiment with putting a tackle at guard once more, this time with Riley Reiff instead of Mike Remmers. Should one of these three tackles in the draft fall, the Vikings could end up with some serious value, as well as an immediate answer to the potential cap problems that Reiff’s contract could pose into the future. The next most impressive tackle was unfortunately injured early in Day 3 of practices, but he provides the most intriguing possibility late in the draft — Tytus Howard from Alabama State has quite of bit of work to do with regards to his hand placement and timing, but his footwork is fantastic for a small-schooler. Typically, small-schoolers invited to the Senior Bowl and other All-Star games in preparation for the draft are the opposite, with good hands and poor feet — handwork is easier to teach — but Howard comes ready with an excellent kick-step in pass protection and great movement as a run blocker. In high school, Howard was a 220-pound quarterback who was recruited as a tight end. Once at the program, he was converted to tackle and asked to gain 100 pounds. Surprisingly, he retained his athleticism and can move shockingly fast for a man of his size. Not only that, he showed improvement over the course of the week and did a good job keeping his hands up by Day 3 — though he still had consistent issues with placement, often hugging instead of pushing up into the pads of defenders.
After that, Elon tackle Oli Udoh caught the eye of some observers, but he has quite of bit of problems he needs to fix. He has impressive tools, with both the length and athleticism to develop into a high-level tackle and high-level hand-fighting technique for a player from his level of play. That said, he got worse over the week, not better, with his best day coming on Tuesday when his length could stonewall opposing defensive ends (including, notably, Montez Sweat of Mississippi State). But once defenders figured him out, he couldn’t adapt and allowed pressure after pressure while looking out of place in the run game. The final two tackles, Max Scharping from Northern Illinois and Dennis Daley from South Carolina, had unremarkable weeks. Daley might be a guard convert possibility going forward, but he still had issues dealing with power. At the same time, his footwork issues saw him beaten to the edge consistently. Daley lost quite a few reps and couldn’t make up for it with run-blocking, finding himself chasing more than leading. Scharping didn’t have as bad a week as Daley, but still didn’t find ways to stand out. In the end, the Senior Bowl practices highlighted a number of offensive linemen who could be fits for the Vikings, and the draft class is shaping up to be one a bit more friendly to Minnesota than what many preseason experts had predicted. That’s great news for a team that missed out on the excellent guard class from 2018 and desperately needs interior help along the offensive line.
PUBLICATION : WCCO Radio 1/26/19 Hey NFL—time to change the overtime and pass interference rules after title game inequities By Jeff Diamond By Jeff Diamond, former Vikings GM who hosted The Players Show with Mike Max and Harrison Smith (along with other Vikings players) this past season on WCCO Radio. The AFC and NFC Championship games last Sunday were fantastic. It was the first time in NFL playoff history that both conference title games went to overtime. The Patriots and Rams are headed to Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta on February 3 in what should be an exciting matchup of something old (Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and New England's fourth Super Bowl trip in five years) against something new (Sean McVay, Jared Goff and the Rams first time in the biggest game since 1979 for the L.A. version of the team). The NFL came out of these two thrilling title games facing controversy as the losing teams--the Chiefs and Saints--both have legitimate gripes about how their seasons ended. And the NFL needs to make rule changes effective next season that will address the inequities that helped determine the outcomes. The overtime rule cost Kansas City in their 37-31 loss as New England won the OT coin toss and Tom Brady predictably drove the Patriots 75 yards in 13 plays for the winning touchdown against a tired Chiefs defense. Under league rules, if the team that wins the overtime toss kicks a field goal on the first series, then the opposing team gets a shot at tying the game with a field goal or winning with a TD. But a TD on the first series ends the game, so when New England running back Rex Burkhead ran the final two yards into the end zone, it was season over for K.C. The Chiefs’ exciting young quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who threw three touchdown passes in leading his team to 31 second half points, never had a chance to touch the ball in OT. It's so wrong for a championship game to be determined in large part by a coin toss. Sure the Chiefs defense could have made a stop as the Rams D did when they lost the coin toss but intercepted Drew Brees on the Saints overtime possession, which set up Greg Zuerlein's playoff record 57 yard field goal to end the game. But if the league went so far as to guarantee both teams an overtime possession if the opening series results in a field goal, then it's not a big stretch to change this rule and require both teams to have a possession if a TD occurs. I know the NFL wants to keep games from going too long for player safety and for television viewing time. But how can a $15 billion per year business have its second biggest game of the year basically decided by a coin flip? So I say the league should change the OT rule and guarantee both teams will have a possession with a normal kickoff and not the college rule of starting at the opposing team's 25 yard line. And in an attempt to shorten games and add excitement, I suggest that teams be required to attempt a two-point conversion after a touchdown instead of kicking PATs (which college football requires beginning with the third overtime possession for each team). While the Patriots took advantage of a bad existing rule in the AFC title game, the Rams benefited from one of the worst non-calls of pass interference we've ever seen in a playoff game. When L.A. cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman blatantly ran into Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis (and hit him helmet-to-helmet) at the Rams 5-yard line with 1:41 to play, everyone--especially Lewis, Brees and an exasperated Saints Coach Sean Payton-- expected the officials to throw a flag, including Robey-Coleman. If the interference
call had been made or a roughing penalty for the hit to the head, the Saints would have been able to take the clock inside 20 seconds before kicking an almost certain game-winning field goal. "Yes, I got there too early," Robey-Coleman admitted. "I was beat and trying to save a touchdown. Thank you, football gods." The result of this injustice to the Saints is there will surely be an intense discussion at the next league meeting in March on making pass interference a play that can be reviewed via instant replay (as is the case in the Canadian Football League). The Vikings and their fans wish there had been instant replay to determine pass interference in 1975. Then the famous Hail Mary TD pass from Roger Staubach to Drew Pearson that beat one of the best Vikings teams ever (10-0 start that season) would have been nullified for offensive pass interference since Pearson clearly pushed off on Vikings corner Nate Wright with no call made. There is too much at stake for games to be decided on an obvious officials' error when the technology exists for the play to be reviewed and the right call to be made. The NFL doesn't have to make every play reviewable or the games will last four hours. But pass interference is a game changing play (like turnovers and scoring plays) that should be challenged by coaches or reviewed by the replay official and league office in the last two minutes of each half and in overtime. That's what should have happened for the Saints and then my prediction of the two 40 year old quarterbacks--Brees and Brady--meeting in the Super Bowl would have come to fruition. Looking ahead to Super Bowl LIII: We still have great storylines for the Patriots-Rams matchup, starting with the old vs. young theme at quarterback with the 41 year old Brady going for his record sixth Super Bowl win. He'll compete against 24 year old Goff, the No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft who just outplayed Brees in the second half and overtime (he threw for 297 yards in the title game and his passing carried the Rams on a day when star running back Todd Gurley was held to 10 yards rushing). Brady, meanwhile,e was brilliant as usual in crunch time as he passed for 348 yards and converted three 3rd and 10 plays (two to Julian Edelman and one to Rob Gronkowski) on the game-winning drive. The matchup also showcases one of the NFL's oldest head coaches--and the most successful in postseason (five Super Bowl wins)--in the 66 year old Belichick taking on the NFL's youngest head coach- -McVay (who turns 33 this week). Belichick is the league's top defensive strategist who will try to beat an offensive mastermind in McVay. Check in next week for my prediction, but I'll say now that it's difficult for me to see Brady not holding up another Lombardi Trophy come Super Sunday unless the Rams get sensational performances from NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald and his fellow defensive tackle Ndamukongh Suh. It will be tough for that to happen against Brady and his excellent offensive line (take notice, Vikings) which has not allowed him to be sacked on 90 pass attempts this postseason, not to mention opening holes for two 100- plus yard rushing days for Sony Michel. Jeff Diamond was the NFL Executive of the Year in 1998 after the Vikings' 15-1 season. He also is former president of the Tennessee Titans. He does sports/business consulting, media and speaking work including corporate and college speaking on Negotiation, Management, Leadership and Sports Business-- contact him at diamondj4@comcast.net
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