2014 Vikings Practice Notes/Interviews

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dead_poet
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Re: 2014 Vikings Practice Notes/Interviews

Post by dead_poet »

From "could be cut" to first-team look:

Greenway watches practice, giving Mauti an opportunity with the first-team defense

http://blog.startribune.com/sports/acce ... pportunity
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Re: 2014 Vikings Practice Notes/Interviews

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dead_poet wrote:From "could be cut" to first-team look:

Greenway watches practice, giving Mauti an opportunity with the first-team defense

http://blog.startribune.com/sports/acce ... pportunity
I think the danger to be cut is still there, I'm glad he's getting looks but Greenway, Watts, and Hodges were all out today so it may have just been a case of next man up.
“I think he just thinks I’m getting old maybe,” Greenway said. “Obviously, when I had the issue with it last year it makes it a little more [noteworthy], wanting to take care of it. I know what it was like to go through the entire season with it last year and I don’t want to go through that again. I think we did a good job of figuring it all out and getting it taken care of.”
I think Zimmer is taking it a bit easy on Greenway. I recall in one of the "mic'd up" sessions, Zimmer asks him if he wants to take one of the days off and Greenway says okay. Probably has to do with he being the only entrenched guy at LB right now.
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Re: 2014 Vikings Practice Notes/Interviews

Post by dead_poet »

@TomPelissero -- The wrist #Vikings LB Chad Greenway injured is the same one he broke last year. Just sprained this time. Dodged a bullet. Big year for him.
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Re: 2014 Vikings Practice Notes/Interviews

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If Mauti gets cut, I won't complain because I'm not at practice. But I WILL be disappointed. I thought he stood a chance to be a serviceable starter in this league.
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Re: 2014 Vikings Practice Notes/Interviews

Post by losperros »

DKSweets wrote:If Mauti gets cut, I won't complain because I'm not at practice. But I WILL be disappointed. I thought he stood a chance to be a serviceable starter in this league.
So did I. And I was hoping Mauti could stay healthy.

But if the Vikings aren't impressed, that will be that.
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Re: 2014 Vikings Practice Notes/Interviews

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DKSweets wrote:If Mauti gets cut, I won't complain because I'm not at practice. But I WILL be disappointed. I thought he stood a chance to be a serviceable starter in this league.
At LB its a question of whether we carry 6 or 7. To me the first six seem fairly set at:
Sam: Barr and Hodges
Mike: Brinkley and Cole
Will: Greenway and Watts

If we carry 7 the last spot comes down to Mauti versus Dean. Dean can't play LB as far as I'm concerned, but Mauti doesn't have the wheels to cover KO and punts like Dean does. I know STs are important but I think Watts' athleticism can replace Dean as long as he gets coached-up. I know Priefer is going to lobby hard for Dean but I hope we keep Mauti instead. I'd like to see Zimmer tell Preifer that Watts is his project (to replace Dean) and that he needs to show what he can do as a coach.
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Re: 2014 Vikings Practice Notes/Interviews

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http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikin ... 54091.html
The all-important third preseason game has come and gone, with Matt Cassel making another start under center. But is Vikings coach Mike Zimmer prepared to coronate his starting quarterback for the season opener?

“No,” Zimmer succinctly said.
Zimmer said Cassel played well. I'm wondering if he intendeds to publicly name a starter before the Rams game or if his intent is to keep St. Louis guessing about which QB they'll face. It's probably Cassel's job but coaches seem to like that particular "guessing game".

Regarding Josh Robinson:
Zimmer has twice tried to nudge Robinson back onto the field with subtle comments to the media, including saying, “You can’t make the club in the tub.” But he said after that the game that he was pleased that Robinson pushed through pain to play Saturday.

“I actually planned on letting him warm up then sitting him,” Zimmer said. “Then I went up and asked him how he felt and he said he feels good. So I just wanted to get him about 10 plays to try to get him a little bit of game tempo in a game situation and have a little confidence on his hamstring. So I was glad to see that he sucked it up and went out there and played.”
Sanford suffered an undisclosed injury on a special teams play in the first quarter of last night's game and did not return:
“I’m upset, frustrated,” Sanford said. “Not being able to go because you get hurt. It’s part of the game.”
He's competing for a roster spot so that injury must be very frustrating.
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Re: 2014 Vikings Practice Notes/Interviews

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Besides, I think Robinson can play well if he's in the correct position to do so.
The problem has always been for Robinson getting into the correct position. We really need him to step up and not become the next Chris Cook. His performance to date (when he's seen the field) has not been encouraging.
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Re: 2014 Vikings Practice Notes/Interviews

Post by dead_poet »

losperros wrote:
The problem has always been for Robinson getting into the correct position. We really need him to step up and not become the next Chris Cook. His performance to date (when he's seen the field) has not been encouraging.
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Re: 2014 Vikings Practice Notes/Interviews

Post by losperros »

dead_poet wrote: The problem has always been for Robinson getting into the correct position. We really need him to step up and not become the next Chris Cook. His performance to date (when he's seen the field) has not been encouraging.
I thought Robinson did show potential during his rookie year. Moving him inside might have been a mistake last season. He plays better on the outside.

OTOH, if Robinson can't improve, well, the Vikings need to know that as well so that he can be replaced. That's why I'd like to see him healthy and out there playing during preseason. It's the best way for the current coaches to evaluate him.
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Re: 2014 Vikings Practice Notes/Interviews

Post by dead_poet »

@murphPPress: DNP for #Vikings: RT Loadholt (ankle), S Jamarca Sanford (quad), LB Gerald Hodges (knee), CB Jabari Price, WR Rodney Smith
Eden Prairie, MN
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Re: 2014 Vikings Practice Notes/Interviews

Post by maembe »

Yeah, people keep talking about Thielen, but I think Stephen has been just as much of a surprise. He's done a really nice job so far.
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Re: 2014 Vikings Practice Notes/Interviews

Post by Mothman »

QB stuff:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikin ... 14831.html
Not only will rookie Teddy Bridgewater play at Tennessee, but Zimmer said there’s a “good chance” he’ll start.

“If he does start the game, it’s good for us to see how he takes the beginning of the game,” Zimmer said.
The Vikings also will get a look at Christian Ponder, who hasn’t played in the past two games. Zimmer wants Ponder’s performance to reflect what he’s seen at practice.

“He made like three great throws today and just had the poise when he’s getting rushed to make the right throws,” Zimmer said. “He’s got all the talent in the world to do those things. That’s really what you want him to do is really what he’s doing in practice.”
... and MLB info from the same link:
Zimmer has a good idea who will start at middle linebacker between Jasper Brinkley and Audie Cole, and he’ll use the fourth preseason game as confirmation in the final evaluation.

Brinkley started against the Chiefs and received 27 snaps, while Cole had 33 snaps. Zimmer said he slid Brinkley into the nickel in certain situations but could stay in the 4-3 base defense against the Titans as part of the evaluation process.

“Both did well in a lot of situations,” Zimmer said. “I think we got sloppy at the end of the game a little bit with both of them, maybe fatigue or whatever it was. They’ll get a lot of plays this week.”
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Re: 2014 Vikings Practice Notes/Interviews

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http://blog.startribune.com/sports/acce ... r-thursday
One other comment piqued my interest in Zimmer’s powwow with reporters. When asked about cornerback Shaun Prater, he said he could see the Vikings shifting him to safety “down the road.”

“Prater, obviously he was with me before [in Cincinnati], but he’s a tough, feisty kid that can do a lot of jobs,” Zimmer said. “He can play nickel. He can play corner. I’m not too sure we shouldn’t look at him some at safety, just because of his temperament and he’s doing things a lot better now.”

With that praise for Prater, it sure seems like we can pencil him onto the team’s 53-man roster.
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Re: 2014 Vikings Practice Notes/Interviews

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Linval Joseph is back in practice:
Coach Mike Zimmer said Joseph has not lost a step in conditioning or his technique. Defensive end Brian Robison concurred.

"He looks like he hasn't missed a beat," Robison said. "It's awesome to get him back and have that presence in the middle. Hopefully, he'll do a lot of good things for us Sunday."
In other injury news, Zimmer said linebacker Brandon Watts (leg) is the only player likely to be ruled out Week 1. The season's initial injury report is due Wednesday.

Linebacker Michael Mauti (foot) and fullback Zach Line (ankle) did not practice Monday.
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