When the Minnesota Vikings convene in Eagan (it’s going to be weird to not say ‘Mankato’ when talking about the Vikings training camp for a few years) it will begin a season of high expectations. They are considered by most experts to be on a very short list of legitimate Super Bowl contenders, and for good reason. They went to the NFC Championship last year, everyone of significance is returning, and they’ve actually upgraded at a couple of key positions. But there is also reason for concern. Some positions might not have been addressed as urgently as they could have, new faces in critical positions could make for a rough transition, and the looming schedule is no cakewalk. Let’s take a look at what’s to like and what to watch out for with training camp right around the corner. Quarterback What’s To Like: Kirk Cousins is an upgrade at the position, and should finally...FINALLY...give the Vikings both quality and stability at the most important position on offense. He brings legit, big time talent and he has a bevy of weapons to distribute the ball to, whether it’s throwing or handing off. Cousins put up pretty decent to really good numbers in Washington with a pretty average running game and set of receivers. Barring the one season he had DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon, the Redskins skill players remind me in a lot of ways of the talent the Vikes had in the mid to late 2000’s, when guys like Devin Aroshamodu, Bobby Wade, and Travis Taylor were primary targets. With the addition of new offensive coordinator John DiFilippo, a guy a lot of people regard as one of the best offensive minds in the NFL, the Vikings offense looks like it might explode on the rest of the NFL, semi-1998 style. it sounds like a half-joking reference, but it’s not too far off the mark. The last time the Vikings had two wide receivers, a running back, quarterback, tight end, and offensive line this good was back then. I don’t think they’ll put up 556 points, but they’re going to be tough to stop if everyone remains healthy. What Concerns Me: There’s always been this ‘yeah, but he’s not that good...’ vibe with Cousins. I don’t know why, because he has good numbers, and has 12 4th quarter comebacks in his career, which surprisingly is one more than Aaron Rodgers. Was it the teams he’s played for, both in college (Michigan State) and in the NFL, that just gave off a ‘meh’ vibe, even though some of his Spartan teams were pretty good? Is it that he has a 26-30-1 record as a starter (RAWR RAWR QB WINZZZ RAWR RAWR)? I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s this rather undefinable...thing...about Cousins that gives people pause about him running the Vikings offense. It’s weird, and it’s mostly warrantless, but it’s there. Add in the new team, new coordinator, and new offense, and there’s this lingering doubt in the back of my mind that won’t go away until the offense proves it on the field. Sign up for the newsletter Rise ’n Grind Want NFL news and interesting links in your inbox every weekday morning? Rise ’n grind with us. Email (required) By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Notice and European users agree to the data transfer policy. Subscribe Running Back What’s To Like: Dalvin Cook is coming back healthy, and that’s a lot to like. He was right in the middle of the Offensive Rookie Of The Year conversation before he tore his ACL in week four. Hats off to Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon for stepping into the void Cook’s injury created, as the running game barely skipped a beat. But Cook adds a dimension, both in running and receiving, that is hard to replicate. A fully healthy Cook, along with Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, and a big armed QB that can make some great throws and doesn’t turn it over a lot? Giggity. What Concerns Me: This seems minor, but do you guys remember back in 2010, when super duper third down back Chester Taylor left after the 2009 season, and the Vikes tried to replace him with Toby Gerhart? Yeah, turns out a good third down running back was pretty important. It’s kind of an apples and oranges comparison between then and now, I understand that, because I think Murray is a lot better than Gerhart. My point is that after Cook and Murray, there’s a bit of a void to fill the McKinnon role, and I don’t know that there is anyone capable of doing that. Granted, if both Cook and Murray are healthy all season, this will be a really minor point. But Jet was a really solid role player for the Vikes, and any significant injury to Murray or Cook could expose a potential problem. Offensive Line What’s To Like: Four of five guys return from last year’s vastly improved line, and two guys that were hurt late in the season, Nick Easton and Pat Elflein, will be ready to roll when training camp starts— /falls asleep /starts dreaming of John Sullivan ‘back spasms’ and ‘Phil Loadholt will be ready for camp’ stories /wakes up in cold sweat, screaming Regardless, I don’t think the overall line issues are as pressing as a lot of folks think. They have some pretty good players to build around, there is versatility regarding their starting five, and I wrote about why I feel okay about this group in depth last week, if you really want to get in the weeds with this group. What Concerns Me: Although the Vikings addressed needs and depth here both in free agency (Tom Compton) and the draft (Brian O’Neill, Colby Gossett), there’s not a sure fire answer yet to replace Berger, and the depth is mostly inexperienced. The Vikings could go in two different directions for the line this year, and they still have to decide which way they’re going. They could go, from L-R, Riley Reiff, Easton, Elflein, Danny Isidora, and Mike Remmers.<doc-sep>Randy Moss has no regrets about shooting the moon in Green Bay Randy Moss has no regrets about shooting the moon in Green Bay by Adam Patrick With the team’s 2018 training camp now only a week away, this year’s first-round draft selection still has not signed his contract with the Minnesota Vikings. Of the eight players the Minnesota Vikings selected in last April’s NFL Draft, seven have already signed their rookie contract with the team. The only 2018 draft pick remaining for the Vikings to sign is cornerback Mike Hughes, who the team selected in the first round this year. Minnesota players will begin to report to training camp a week from Tuesday on July 24 and it could be without their 2018 first-round selection if the team is unable to sign him before then. Typically, the Vikings have been able to sign their first-round picks before the start of training camp. Minnesota’s last four first-round selections had their rookie deal signed before the start of the team’s June minicamp. The last time a Vikings’ first-round pick signed their rookie contract in July was back in 2013 when Sharrif Floyd, Xavier Rhodes, and Cordarrelle Patterson all agreed to their deals on the day Minnesota’s players began to report for training camp. So the Vikings have actually gone this late in the offseason before when signing their first-round draft selection, it just has not happened in the last few years. If Hughes still has not signed his rookie deal by the time players start reporting to training camp next Tuesday, one would assume he won’t be participating in Minnesota’s practices without a contract. Thanks to an injury protection agreement with the Vikings, the young corner did participate in the team’s OTA and minicamp practices this year. However, the risk for injury increases during training camp due to the physicality, so Hughes will likely want an actual contract before he steps back on the field. Time is definitely running out on Minnesota being able to get a deal done with their 2018 first-round pick before the start of training camp next week. It could go down to the wire. But based on the Vikings’ history of signing rookies with Rick Spielman as the team’s general manager, expect Hughes and Minnesota to agree to a contract before the team’s first training camp practice next week.<doc-sep>What: Verizon Vikings Training Camp Where: Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center, 2600 Vikings Circle, Eagan When: July 25-Aug. 16; 18 public practices are scheduled. Two practices a day, most of them from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 2:45 to 5:10 p.m. Key dates: First rookie practice, Wednesday, July 25; first full-team practice, Saturday, July 28; first padded practice, Monday, July 30; night practice, at TCO Stadium, Saturday, Aug. 4; Vikings and Jaguars scrimmage events, Wednesday-Thursday, Aug. 15-16 Tickets: For each public practice, there will be 4,000 free, general admission tickets plus 1,000 Kwik Trip Red Zone tickets, which cost $20 each. To reserve tickets, visit vikings.com/trainingcamp. There is a four-ticket and two-day maximum per fan. Day-of tickets will not be available. Re-entry will be allowed. Related: Eagan is ready to roll out the purple carpet for Vikings training camp Parking: Reserve $10 onsite parking with tickets or arrange a drop-off at nearby Trinity School at River Ridge, 601 River Ridge Parkway. A shuttle service will bring fans to the main security checkpoint.<doc-sep>The NFL gets a lot of things wrong. From concussions to suspensions to anthem policies to...well, just about everything Roger Goodell says and does, the most profitable and popular league in the country tends to have a tough time getting out of its own way at times. But every single year right around this time, the NFL and all its 32 teams do one thing perfectly: they sell hope. Everyone is 0-0. Every team has an influx of exciting new players and draft picks. No matter how poorly things may have gone in recent years, fans of every affiliation can hang their hats on at least one or two dynamics that could change their fortunes. As training camps start up all over the country during the coming week, positivity reigns supreme. If these players make the leap this year, or if these things break our way, or if this new coach unlocks the potential of the offense or defense, why couldn’t it be this team’s year? It’s arguably the best time of year to be a fan of all 31 teams that don’t end up winning the championship the following February. Injuries have yet to ravage your team’s top talent. (Unless of course you’re the Chargers.) There are no blemishes in anyone’s loss column. (Not even in Cleveland! I checked.) NFL fans in July are basically one giant group of 2008 Finals Kevin Garnetts. There is a bumper crop of hope going into the 2018 season for fans of the Minnesota Vikings. And why wouldn’t there be? The team is coming off their second best regular season in franchise history and have almost all of their key pieces coming back for more. A new quarterback is taking over to try and provide stability for a franchise that has had anything but at the position for decades. A new offensive coordinator is taking over, bringing some of the innovation that helped his former team win the Super Bowl last season. The top-ranked defense has already re-signed two of its key cogs to huge new deals while adding a first round pick to an already talented secondary. On paper, this is probably the most talented Vikings roster of the past decade. The Vikings are a legitimate Super Bowl contender in 2018. Fans have every reason to be excited. So naturally, just a few days before the inaugural Training Camp kicks off at the new digs in Eagan, I’m going to point out a bunch of things that I’m worried about. [Insert Debbie Downer “womp wommmmp” sound here.] Yes, I am incredibly thrilled about the upcoming season. Yes, this iteration of the Vikings is stacked with talent on both sides of the ball. However, there are still a handful of issues that concern me. Might as well discuss them now, get them out of the way, and then head to Eagan with all the remaining positivity, right? [I can practically hear all of you rolling your eyes and saying “riiiiight” from here.] Either way, let’s discuss some of the causes for concern as we approach camp, starting with the most obvious area of anxiety. Offensive line The 2017 version of the Vikings offensive line was better than the 2016 iteration. However, that’s like saying a team was better than the 2017 iteration of the Browns—it’s hard to imagine something worse. The additions of Riley Reiff, Pat Elflein, and Mike Remmers were all certainly welcome, but none of those players are vying for spots on the All-Pro team either. Of the five current projected starters, only Remmers garnered a rating of over 50 from Pro Football Focus last season. While you can certainly debate PFF’s grades—especially Reiff’s in my opinon—there is little doubt that the unit could be the weak link in an otherwise stout roster. PFF has the Vikings’ O-line ranked 28th in their 2018 season preview. Case Keenum was able to conjure some pocket sorcery last year with his ability to improvise and extend plays with scrambling. That is not a trait that has been attributed to Kirk Cousins throughout his career. Even though Cousins will have an excellent arsenal of targets at his disposal, he’ll still need a reasonable amount of time to find them. If not, the offensive line could trigger a chain reaction that would hurt all areas of the team. I believe the Vikings should be able to find a solid group of starters from the pool of players they’re bringing into camp. I think Nick Easton can continue the improvement he showed before getting derailed by injury last year. I’m excited to see how much second year guard Danny Isidora has improved. Perhaps second round pick Brian O’Neill can make up for his lack of experience with his athleticism and earn the starting right tackle gig. Tom Compton and Rashod Hill have proven to be serviceable. I wouldn’t rule out Aviante Collins making some noise in camp. That said, there are still more questions than answers with this group as we stand right now. With all the formidable front sevens the Vikings are scheduled to face this year, the team may only go as far as the performance of their offensive line, especially in any potential postseason games. And if there are any significant injuries to the starters? Let’s just move on before we have any more T.J. Clemmings flashbacks. Did the Vikings make the right choice at quarterback? On the surface, the immediate answer is probably “duh.” Cousins undoubtedly provides the highest floor of all the viable options that were available to the Vikings. The knees of Sam Bradford and Teddy Bridgewater were ultimately too unstable to hand either player the reigns long-term. Keenum had an out-of-nowhere incredible 2017 season, but it’s also fair to question whether he would be able to replicate it since his previous outings were much less stellar. Meanwhile, Cousins has put up passing numbers that would rank among the top five in Minnesota’s franchise annals for three consecutive seasons. His body of work was easily the surest thing out of the options available to the Vikings. Cousins’ track record isn’t infallible though.<doc-sep>
Next week, fans will gather at the Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center for the 2018 Verizon Vikings Training Camp. EAGAN, Minn. -- We're less than a week away from the start of the Vikings' first training camp at the team's new headquarters in Eagan. Last year the Vikings held their last training camp in Mankato after 52 years. Now fans will gather at the Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center for the 2018 Verizon Vikings Training Camp. A post shared by Kirk Cousins (@kirk.cousins) on Jul 23, 2018 at 2:54pm PDT Schedule Rookies report to camp on July 24 and have their first practice on July 25. Vikings veterans report July 27. The first full-team practice will then be held on Saturday, July 28. August 4 is when the team will hold a night practice at TCO Stadium. Then August 15 and August 16, the Vikings will host the Jacksonville Jaguars for joint practices. August 16 is the final day of practice open to the public. Tickets Training camp is open to the public but you need to reserve your tickets in advance. Attendance is capped at 5,000 for each of the 18 days. 4.000 are free, general admission tickets while 1,000 are reserved seats that cost up to $25. According to Jeff Anderson, executive director of communications for the Vikings, they expect 75,000 of the 90,000 tickets to be spoken for by the end of the week. Tickets are available through Vikings.com or your mobile ticketing app. No printed tickets will be accepted. Fans are allowed to reserve up to four tickets per day for a maximum of two days of training camp. Parking More than 2,200 parking spaces will be available but those must also be purchased in advanced; parking cost $10. Fans should reach the site by using the address 2600 Vikings Circle, Eagan, Minnesota 55121. Other info If practice is canceled due to weather the Vikings will refund any reserved seats and parking purchased on that day. Bags of all sizes will be allowed at training camp but will be searched beforehand. Concession stands and food trucks will also be on site. Fans who want autographs with players can find the daily schedule, here. Exploring Eagan "We have 16 hotels in Eagan; we have over 100 restaurants; we have amazing attractions like Twin Cities Premium Outlets, Cascade Bay Water Park. We're all putting the shine on for training camp and we couldn't be more excited," said Brent Cory, president and CEO of the Eagan Convention and Visitors Bureau. According to Cory, they just launched a new online tool to help visitors plan their trip. "So fans come in.... visiting eaganmn.com. They click on that 'Plan a Trip icon' takes them into all of the many offerings we have in town," Cory said. You can find more information on Vikings training camp, here.