Vikings' Odds And Ends

The Minnesota Vikings have completed one week of training camp in Mankato. Well, rookies and select veterans have completed one week of training camp. The entire team has only been practicing since Thursday. Head coach Mike Zimmer decided to get the youngsters in a few days early to get them acclimated, and a few extra reps without the clutter of the veterans. Several teams have been doing this for a while. Thinking that a few extra days now might help the rookies make more of an impact during the season, Zimmer decided to give it a whirl. It can't hurt.

There seemed to be more activity than usual when the veterans arrived in Mankato on Wednesday. It was nothing even remotely close to Brett Favre's training camp arrival in 2009. Or 2010. It would be outstanding if the Vikings never again see a media circus like that. But there was some media commotion when Teddy Bridgewater arrived. Actually, the commotion started on Thursday when he spoke to the media for the first time since his knee did what it shouldn't last August 30. Since the media hates being left out of anything several demanded to know why Bridgewater had been avoiding them for nearly a year. I can answer that. His career, quality of life, maybe even his leg was in the balance so he had something much more important to do. Some of the questions were about what was going through his mind that day when his knee gave way. Why does he have to relive it? Other questions were about a potential team schism when Bridgewater returns to the field. A Teddy Bridgewater-Sam Bradford divide among the team? The media is always so hell-bent on reporting drama that they'll create it themselves if it doesn't occur naturally. The media can be so annoying. I'm probably in the minority but none of Bridgewater's press conference was enlightening. All that I cared about was how he was progressing from an horrific knee injury. The fact that he was at training camp, in his red #5 jersey, doing real, but limited, football work was all that I needed to see. There's a light at the end of this for Bridgewater. His football career isn't over. Report on that. It's a far better story now than what happened that day last August or some team schism that doesn't even exist. But that's just me.

Enough of that.

The Vikings did a lot of roster-tweaking last week.
7/21. Signed DT Chunky Clements. Released DE Caleb Kidder.
7/23. Signed T Arturo Uzdavinis.
7/26. Signed CB Sam Brown. Released Arturo Uzdavinis.
7/28. Signed LB Noor Davis. Released QB Wes Lunt.
7/29. Signed LB Darnell Sankey. Released LB Shaan Washington.

One of the more interesting nuggets that came with these transactions was the addition of Darnell Sankey. He's the cousin of Vikings running back Bishop Sankey. Apparently their little family reunion was the first time that the two had ever met.

Injuries at the position triggered the need for linebackers. Undrafted rookie Shaan Washington was put on the PUP list when camp opened. The Vikings needed more players to take some reps so they added Noor Davis. #2 middle linebacker Kentrell Brothers suffered a hamstring injury on Friday so Sankey was added on Saturday. Hopefully Brothers is back soon but hamstring injuries are a delicate matter. They can't be rushed.

Washington was at practices following his official release so it's possible that he might be brought back and placed on IR.

Arturo Uzdavinis sure had a short Vikings career. With his short stay it was clear that he was simply needed for the few days before the veterans arrived. Now the Vikings know him better on and off the field if there's a need for offensive linemen at a later date. Which brings me to.....

Injuries.

Injuries, especially on the offensive line, were a major problem for the Vikings last season. They played a significant role in a promising 5-0 start turning into a disappointing 8-8 season. There were a lot of injuries in 2016 but they mostly occurred just before the season (Bridgewater) and during the season. If I recall correctly, training camp was relatively injury-free. That hasn't been the case through the first week this year. On Thursday, the first day of full-team practices, left tackle Riley Reiff, running back Jerick McKinnon, and receiver Adam Thielen left the field with injuries. Fortunately, Thielen missed essentially no time and McKinnon appeared ready to return over the weekend. Kentrell Brothers suffered the apparent hamstring injury on Friday and rookie defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo injured his ankle. The former could be troublesome and the latter doesn't appear serious. So, Reiff and Brothers have missed some practices and could miss some more. The Reiff injury is especially troubling. He was signed to help fix the team's biggest problem. The offensive line. Injuries wrecked it last season and this isn't the way to start this season. It's enough to prompt nearly everyone around the team to say, "Not again." Soon after the Reiff's injury, Zimmer said that it's only a "twinge" but didn't say what part of the body was "twinged." It can be considered a positive thing that Reiff has been on the sideline for practices over the weekend. If he was seriously injured he'd probably be somewhere else. It's giving promising youngster Rashod Hill some time with the first team. So, there's that. The Vikings need Reiff on the field.

The Vikings dealt with some injury issues before training camp even opened. Teddy Bridgewater, RB Latavius Murray, and LB Shaan Washington were placed on the PUP list. DT Sharrif Floyd was placed on the NFI list.

On a much more positive note, the Vikings signed a couple of their top defensive difference-makers. Defensive end Everson Griffen signed his extension on Wednesday. Xavier Rhodes became one of the best-paid cornerbacks in the league yesterday. Griffen's extension was a bit of a surprise since he was under contract through 2018. Now he's under contract through 2022. Rhodes' extension was expected. He's one of those franchise cornerstone players that a team simply must keep.

When reports first started popping up on Saturday that Rhodes' deal was nearing completion there were also some mentions that the Vikings were looking to lock up DT Linval Joseph, and LBs Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks. The fact that Kendricks can't negotiate an extension to his rookie contract until the end of the season takes some steam out of those rumors but it does appear that the Vikings' front office is serious about keeping a strong defensive core together.

Upon signing his extension, Rhodes tweeted:

"The bank account done caught the Holy Ghost!!!"

There were four money bag icons that followed that exclamation. He's earned this big contract.

Another player that could be due for a nice raise in a couple of years faces Rhodes every day in practice. Stefon Diggs. The only thing that's held Diggs back in his first two seasons is injuries. When he's on the field he's been a playmaker. The funny thing about Diggs is that many consider him an under-the-radar talent because he was selected in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Those people ignore the injuries that limited him in college and forget that he was one of the top receivers in the nation coming out of high school. He's a very talented football player. He just has to get over the injuries. Fortunately none of the injuries were career-changing, no torn ligaments or tendons. It's shooting high, but Diggs has Antonio Brown-like quickness and route running. Great hands too. Here's what Vikings safety Harrison Smith had to say about his teammate when asked about the numbers that Diggs might post this year.

"I don't even know what the good stats are, but he's really good. That's all I know."

The first week of Vikings football is in the books. Football is back.