TC Day 5 ~ Aug. 3rd ~ Full Pads

MaroonBells wrote:

Claiborne and Pierre's injuries sound minor. TID and Chuck D are getting 1st ream reps and Tai Felton making plays. No injuries reported (so far) and both QBs were solid until the 2-minute. I'll take it.

Chuck d (aka aura) getting first team reps? Didn’t see that one coming…I’ll be interested to see how the rook idl hold up with the pads on now.

Count Monday's padded practice as a win for the Vikings defensive line over the offensive line.

Blockers ran sprints after the 2-hour session, in which the first two 11-on-11 plays saw edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel blow up a play-action bootleg by quarterback J.J. McCarthy and edge rusher Dallas Turner break through for a stop on running back Zavier Scott.

"It wasn't our best day," center Blake Brandel said after Monday's practice. "It starts with violence and we will be better."

McCarthy later took a sack - actually falling to the grass in his red, no-contact jersey - after the pocket collapsed with edge rushers Bo Richter and Tyler Batty causing disruption. Quarterback Kyler Murray started his two-minute drill (in which both quarterbacks failed to complete a pass) with a scramble and throwaway while under pressure.

Vikings players hope Harrison Smith returns

Safety Harrison Smith's former Vikings teammates are still clamoring for him to return.

"I truly miss him," edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel said after Monday's practice. "He's been a great mentor for me. He's helped me grow. He's helped me mature and learn things at a high level, so I definitely miss him and hope I can step foot on the field with him again."

How was a safety helping an edge rusher?

"It's the little things within the scheme," Van Ginkel said. "They all play off each other. It's little things you don't even know: if you're outside leverage, he'll say get inside. Little tweaks, reminders, bouncing ideas off each other having seen the game a different way. [Defensive coordinator Brian Flores] has some things that are a little gray sometimes, so you got to be able to make sure he sees it the same way you do and using it to your advantage."

Cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. said Monday that "it's pretty different" without Smith, who has yet to formally announce whether he'll play a 15th Vikings season or officially retire.

"Having a guy back there who's probably going to tell you every single play that's coming," Murphy said, "it's pretty different. Obviously, we got guys stepping in. We got communicators like 44 [Josh Metellus], Theo [Jackson] ... it's been good to hear different guys talk. ... We just got to keep that communication going."

"My guy Harry's probably chilling right now, got his feet up," Murphy added. "I definitely want him to come back. That's my guy."

Strib

Wonder if the continued slow processing is due to a focus on mechanics? It’s year 3, he’s got to know the offense. Maybe too much reliance on a strong arm?