Vikings’ OTA Developments & More

Welcome back to another episode of the Two Old Bloggers! We’re excited to bring you the latest news on the Minnesota Vikings’ OTA practices.

OTA developments

OTAs continue today, but first, the Vikings continued to hold OTAs last week, with the media allowed to watch one day. Reports indicate that Byron Murphy and Akayleb Evans are the top two cornerbacks, while Harrison Smith, Cam Bynum, and Josh Metellus were used in three safety looks, with Metellus in the slot. Wide receivers K.J. Osborn and Jalen Nailor have been catching the most balls, while Justin Jefferson has not been at OTAs, likely due to contract negotiations. Jefferson is due for a big payday and it is speculated that he may hold out if he doesn’t receive an extension before training camp.

Kwesi’s player personnel room slowly takes shape

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, general manager of the Vikings, has been quite active since taking over the player personnel and scouting department. While some had expected him to make sweeping changes, he has instead opted for a more measured approach. Adofo-Mensah has retained many of the experienced personnel from Rick Spielman’s department, while also bringing in some fresh faces, such as Sam DeLuca and Matt Kelly. Kelly’s hire is particularly noteworthy, given Adofo-Mensah’s preference for drafting players that attended the Senior Bowl. Even with these changes, Adofo-Mensah is aware that more work needs to be done to improve the Vikings’ draft record.

Vikings draftee spotlight

This week the draftee spotlight focus is on Jaquelin Roy, a defensive tackle drafted by the Vikings in the 5th round out of LSU. Roy is an effort player who always hustles and plays hard until the whistle is blown. He’s athletic and quick and has great upper-body strength, but he plays too high sometimes and gets knocked back a yard or two. Roy is expected to play as a nose tackle in Minnesota, but he’ll have to make plays and an impact in training camp and the preseason to earn a sizable role for himself. The Vikings' defensive line is not loaded with talent or depth, so there is an opportunity for Roy to shine.

Conclusion

The Vikings’ OTAs have been a mix of good news and some concerning news. The absence of Justin Jefferson is definitely a concern, but hopefully, the contract extension negotiations hopefully will be resolved soon. It’s great to see that the Vikings’ defense is coming together nicely with Byron Murphy and Akayleb Evans leading the way. Jaquelin Roy is also a player to watch as he has an opportunity to shine in a defensive line that lacks depth. We’ll be keeping a close eye on the Vikings’ progress throughout the off-season and into the regular season, so stay tuned for more updates!

Darren Campbell and David Stefano are the Two Old Bloggers. Both started public commentary on the Vikings two decades ago on various blogs. They now do it via live streams on YouTube and Facebook and podcasts on your favorite aggregator. We appreciate your team fandom and that you are taking the time to enjoy it with us.

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