https://twitter.com/i/status/1983944484694995038

Is it me or is it kind of nuts that the starting center the last few weeks for a NFL team is a guy that never took one snap there previously? I don't know whether to think its unlucky injuries/coaching ineptitude or a bit of brilliance on Brandel's part. 

"The #Jaguars are placing WR/CB Travis Hunter on IR due to a knee suffered in practice Thursday. He will miss at least the next 4 games."

This was the #2 overall pick. 1 TD and 28 catches. 11 solo tackles on defense. Yuck.

Just brutal to hear them say on TNF that the Ravens are saying Kyle Hamilton is on his way to the hall of fame and how incredibly in awe everyone is of him. Easiest pick for a first year GM right?!  Thanks Kwesi!  And he just keeps surprising us with more awful picks.  So we could have Hamilton, Verse or Quinyon Mitchell and a 3rd, 4th and 5th, instead of Cine and Turner.  Hello Wilfs!

https://www.si.com/college/minnesota/gop...he-gophers

Probably have a better career as a Viking if KAM gets him as an UDFA anyway....

As a fan? Call it what you want...

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Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy went through his first full practice since Sept. 12 on Wednesday ahead of his return to the starting lineup against the Lions in Detroit on Sunday afternoon.

“I feel like myself again,” said McCarthy, who suffered a high ankle sprain in the Vikings’ loss to Atlanta on Sept. 14. He added in a later answer that “It’s a little bit of a reset,” returning to game action after so much missed time.

McCarthy is on track for his first full week of practice since before the season opener.

As Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell emphasized in recent weeks as McCarthy returned to practice in limited fashion, the 22-year-old did not go through a full traditional week of practice prior to the Week 2 game against the Falcons because of the birth of his son.

Just eight days ago, the Vikings put McCarthy through a workout ahead of the team’s trip to Los Angeles and determined he wasn’t quite ready to play against the Chargers on Thursday night.

McCarthy also worked out on Friday after the team arrived back at TCO Performance Center, and he participated during Monday’s bonus practice session.

McCarthy’s return at quarterback comes at a pivotal point in the season, as the Vikings have dropped below .500 and play their first NFC North game since the Week 1 game against the Bears that McCarthy helped the team win in a comeback.

McCarthy and O’Connell recently rewatched both of McCarthy’s starts this season. McCarthy completed 24 of 41 passes for 301 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions in those appearances — a 27-24 win against the Bears and a 22-6 loss to the Falcons. He took six sacks against Atlanta.

McCarthy said his biggest takeaways in the rewatches came down to how important simple things like his progression through reads and footwork can be to creating success.

O’Connell echoed that in a way, talking about the pair’s discussion of getting into a rhythm and playing with great base, balance and body position as a start to fixing larger issues.

“Those things that you can control from a ‘Do your job’ standpoint yourself at an NFL level is what J.J.’s continuously working to make sure that he does,” O’Connell said. “When he does that, there’s been some really good visual evidence of him playing quarterback.”


STRIB

The roster the Vikings take to Ford Field on Sunday could be its healthiest of the year. Vikings get back well-known Goff nemesis, Andrew Van Ginkel. And from the sounds of it, both Darrisaw and O’Neill should play, giving the Vikings its healthiest line of the year, with only Ryan Kelly remaining out. And Kelly’s mandatory 4-game absence ends with this game, meaning he can return next week against the Ravens if he’s up to it. The question is…will he?

I have no idea what’s going on with Kelly, and it sounds like nobody else does either. It’s been radio silence from that camp. I think if he were going to retire, he would’ve done that 4 weeks ago. Is there a financial angle to it? Is there a benefit to resting his brain another week, or two, or 4? No clue. But I tend to think he needs to make a decision after the Lions game. Either go on season-ending IR, retire, or get out there and play.