Vikings OTAs Get Underway With Veterans in Attendance
Phase three of the offseason got going on Monday with the Vikings kicking off the "OTA" period at TCO Performance Center. This phase will run for the next four weeks, culminating in mandatory minicamp in mid-June.
There had been some speculation that certain players might not show up for OTAs, as the NFL Players Association recommended. Back in April, the Vikings (like nearly every other team in the league) put out a statement through the NFLPA that said "many of us have decided to exercise our right not to attend in-person, voluntary workouts." This was primarily due to concerns over the NFL's handling of COVID-19.
But that hasn't turned out to be an issue. Players presumably took notice of Broncos tackle Ja'Wuan James getting hurt away from the team and potentially losing up to $20 million because of it. Vaccination rates have been going up as well. When Mike Zimmer last spoke to the media on May 15th, he expressed confidence that the Vikings wouldn't have an issue with guys declining to show up.
Media members like myself will have access to OTAs once a week for the next three weeks, but that didn't start today. However, the Vikings' posts on social media (particularly their Instagram stories) confirm that a ton of notable veteran players attended Monday's session.
Here's a list of players who are clearly visible in a Vikings social media post:
- Kirk Cousins
- Justin Jefferson
- Adam Thielen
- Dalvin Cook
- Anthony Barr
- Mackensie Alexander
- Kris Boyd
- Brian O'Neill
- Patrick Peterson
- Harrison Smith
- Dalvin Tomlinson
- Michael Pierce
- Armon Watts
- Irv Smith Jr.
- Cameron Smith
That doesn't include rookies like Kellen Mond who are obviously there as well after getting a head start with rookie minicamp.
One player who stands out as not being visible in any of the posts is Danielle Hunter, who is coming off of neck surgery and whose alleged unhappiness with his contract was the biggest story surrounding the Vikings back in March. That remains a storyline to follow going forward. We'll see if he's out there on Wednesday when reporters have access.
It's also worth noting that Cam Smith was back on the practice field for the first time since undergoing open-heart surgery and missing all of last season. He's someone who's easy to root for this offseason. Smith has changed his jersey number from 59 to 32.
Here's a description of what will be taking place during this phase of the offseason, via NFL.com.
"Clubs may conduct in-person meetings and classroom instruction subject to COVID-19 testing cadence, tracking, facility access and other protocols. During Phase Three, teams may conduct a total of 10 days of organized team practice activity, or "OTAs". No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-9, and 11-on-11 drills are permitted."
Stay tuned for my report from Wednesday's practice.
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