The Minnesota Vikings were one of 10 NFL teams to hold mandatory minicamp and while things are from set in stone, there were plenty of developments worth discussing.
The Vikings hold one more week of OTAs, from June 10-13, but that's for the younger players. Most, if any, veterans won't be around.
So, before all of that kicks off on Monday, let's talk about a few players that really made some headway during minicamp.
1. It's Sam Darnold's job to lose and there's no other way around it
Before J.J. McCarthy was even drafted, it was widely (and logically) assumed that Sam Darnold would be the starter heading into 2024. Unless the Vikings made a blockbuster trade, moved up into the top-5 and took a quarterback or something drastic like that.
That never wavered after the selection of McCarthy, simply because of the fact that Darnold does have the talent to be a starting quarterback in the NFL and the Vikings offense suits him well. And, the team has playmakers at all the skill positions, along with an OK offensive line anchored by borderline-elite tackle play. In all, the pieces are there for Darnold to succeed.
The thought was bolstered throughout the first two weeks of OTAs and then it really carried over into minicamp, where according to The Athletic's Alec Lewis, Darnold took every single rep with the 1s.
Darnold took every first-team rep. When the Vikings split the fields between the starters and the developmental groups, he stayed with the starting group with Mullens while McCarthy and second-year man Hall trotted over to the other field. - Alec Lewis, The Athletic
I'm going to go ahead and make a prediction: This is the way it stays all the way through training camp. The only way anything changes is if Darnold struggles on a consistent basis and starts to show that he actually isn't the guy, after all. Then he'll start the full 17-game season for the Vikings, barring awful play and injury, of course.
This is the Vikings' plan. They're going to take it very slow with McCarthy and essentially redshirt him. When it comes to the rookie, the real evaluation lies in whether or not he can beat out Nick Mullens for the No. 2 job. If he can do that before the season begins, then everything will be on track, for both the short- and long-term.
2. Shaquill Griffin should have the lead on the No. 2 cornerback job, but watch out for UDFA Dwight McGlothern
According to reports, McGlothern had a very strong minicamp, which is huge for a Vikings defense looking for questions at cornerback. Outside Byron Murphy Jr., of course.
Speaking of outside, the Vikings want to move Murphy Jr. inside when they deploy their subpackages. Meaning, the development of McGlothern, along with the ascension of Griffin, has a shot to give the Vikings the cornerback presence they need alongside Murphy Jr.
McGlothern has great confidence and anticipation, which is a big reason why he recorded seven interceptions during his last two years at Arkansas. He also has good size at 6-foot-2, 187-pounds, which makes him a good fit for Brian Flores' scheme. Per reports, he was seen running with the 1s during minicamp. And sure, while that could've easily been experimentation, it still says a lot that the staff trusts him enough to put him in that spot, to begin with.
The best part for McGlothern? He has one more week of OTAs to really show he'll be worth getting snaps with the 1s and 2s when training camp rolls around.
3. Robert Tonyan is showing why the Vikings staff immediately signed him after his workout
According to Vikings offensive coordinator Wes Phillips, signing the former Green Bay Packer, Detroit Lion, and Chicago Bear was a no-brainer when the team watched him workout a few weeks ago.
"Robert Tonyan had a great workout for us... it was kind of one of those workouts where you just watch the guy run and catch and [he] understands what you're asking him to do from his experience. And it was kind of a no-brainer - everyone just looked around and said, Yea. You know, like, Let's get him," said Phillips.
"So, I think he's really going to help us and obviously, with TJ being out, I think Robert can kind of fill some of those some of those roles that TJ did for us. [There's] a lot of production from TJ that we're gonna miss, for a little bit. And I think he can pick up a good amount of that slack."
So far, reports state Tonyan has looked the part during OTAs and minicamp. That's great news since it looks like star tight end, T.J. Hockenson will start the year on the PUP list. And, it's great news for Tonyan, who is competing with six other guys for a roster spot. Two of those guys in Josh Oliver and Johnny Mundt should have two of said spots locked up, as well.
None of the guys on the roster can do what Hockenson can do, but all them can help contribute, in their own way, until he returns and Tonyan is proving he's a viable option.
