KOC presser tidbits from NFL owners meeting

[StickierBuns]

Kevin Seifert
@SeifertESPN
·
3m
Kevin O'Connell said that J.J. McCarthy is back in Minnesota after spending the early part of the offseason training in California, and has been in the building most days working out in the weight room.

[MaroonBells]

Kevin Seifert
@SeifertESPN
·
3m
Kevin O'Connell said that J.J. McCarthy is back in Minnesota after spending the early part of the offseason training in California, and has been in the building most days working out in the weight room.

Good news. Love to see him around 225 by training camp.

[StickierBuns]

Alec Lewis
@alec_lewis
·
4m
Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell mentioned Blake Brandel working at the center position this offseason. KOC also added: "I do think it's a position that's got some really unique names in the draft, depending on where you may be looking to take one. Guys with experience, upside."

Kevin Seifert
@SeifertESPN
·
7m
Kevin O'Connell on Harrison Smith: "He knows how I feel about him, how we feel about him. But we also want to be respectful and give him space to kind of continue to figure out what he wants to do."

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Alec Lewis
@alec_lewis
·
9m
Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell on signing Carson Wentz: "I just think it's about depth. ... There's pretty historical data that says if we get our quarterback play to a certain line, we'll win a lot of football games. We wanted to ensure we are able to do that."

[Zanary]

Kevin Seifert
@SeifertESPN
·
3m
Kevin O'Connell said that J.J. McCarthy is back in Minnesota after spending the early part of the offseason training in California, and has been in the building most days working out in the weight room.

...so, doing one of the things we all hoped for...well, the ones of us that didn't wave him off after 10 starts, anyway.

[StickierBuns]

VikingzFanPage
@vikingzfanpage
·
12m
#Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell on Kyler Murray:

“What we’re going to attempt to do is put Kyler in an offense that he can be comfortable with… any time Kyler Murray drops back with the ball, defenses have to really think twice about the double teams on Justin Jefferson… with his type of explosive athleticism, if he does get out of that pocket, it can be a huge play that changes the dynamic of the game.”

(Via
@KFAN1003
)

[Mattyman]

Alec Lewis
@alec_lewis
·
4m
Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell mentioned Blake Brandel working at the center position this offseason. KOC also added: "I do think it's a position that's got some really unique names in the draft, depending on where you may be looking to take one. Guys with experience, upside."

IMO the plan is to draft a Center and allow a Training Camp competition between Brandel, Jurgens and a rookie to see who starts Week 1.

[purplefaithful]

Alec Lewis
@alec_lewis
·
4m
Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell mentioned Blake Brandel working at the center position this offseason. KOC also added: "I do think it's a position that's got some really unique names in the draft, depending on where you may be looking to take one. Guys with experience, upside."
IMO the plan is to draft a Center and allow a Training Camp competition between Brandel, Jurgens and a rookie  to see who starts Week 1.

Brandel, versatile enough to play both guard and tackle during six seasons with the team, stepped into the center position for the first time last season, when injuries forced the Vikings’ hands. He appeared in six games at center, with 363 of his total 602 offensive line snaps coming at the position. He played his second-most snaps at left guard with 141.

“It is great that we feel that good about Blake’s versatility, but ultimately we want to do what’s best for Blake to ascend and reach his highest potential at one position or have the flexibility still to play multiple,” O’Connell said. 

“What his offseason looks like, what his training camp looks like and what his work flow looks like leading into the season, we want to have him more than likely at that center spot and build on some things that he did last year.”

O’Connell said he’s also encouraged by Michael Jurgens’ development. Jurgens appeared in nine games at center for the Vikings during his second year with the team after being drafted No. 230 overall in 2024.

Still, O’Connell said the Vikings “wouldn’t hesitate to add” another option via the draft, continuing to stock depth at a crucial position. The Vikings have nine picks in this year’s draft, including four in the top 100.

“It’s a position that’s got some really unique names in the draft depending on where you may be looking to take one,” O’Connell said. “There’s some guys with experience, there’s some guys with tremendous upside and then some guys that have that flex above the neck of really the smarts and the command that it takes to play center at the National Football League level. We’ll continue to work through it.”

Strib

[StickierBuns]

The Vikings will pick up WR Jordan Addison’s fifth-year option, per interim GM Rob Brzezinski. Not a tough decision, regardless of Addison’s off-field issues.

[MaroonBells]

On center...

“It’s a position that’s got some really unique names in the draft depending on where you may be looking to take one,” O’Connell said. “There’s some guys with experience, there’s some guys with tremendous upside and then some guys that have that flex above the neck of really the smarts and the command that it takes to play center at the National Football League level. We’ll continue to work through it.”

KOC says that he's encouraged by Jurgens development, but you don't talk about a position like this unless you've done some real work on it. Vikings have two picks in the second half of the 3rd round, and that's about where the top 4 centers project to go. Remember these names because I'd be willing to bet one of them will be on the back of a Vikings jersey a month from now: Jones, Hecht, Lew, Slaughter. 

One thing to keep in mind is that Blake Brandel is over 6 ft 6. Will Kyler Murray need a booster seat just to take snaps? He had a couple centers in Arizona who were 6-5 and that didn't seem to cause a problem, so it may be nothing.