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Phil Riewer -> RE: General Vikes Talk (8/11/2022 10:10:51 AM)
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More Arif:
DLine:
Phillips and Tomlinson have been excellent, though it’s difficult to have faith in the pass-rush ability of either of them until they prove it in a game situation. Still, Phillips has done an excellent job walking interior linemen back in the running game while Tomlinson has done a stellar job of shedding offensive linemen to go for the tackle.
Both put on clinics in run defense Monday night, and it looks like this feature of the game could be consistent from one snap to the next. Defensive coordinator Ed Donatell is hoping to see some pass-rush upside from Tomlinson going forward, saying “he’s working toward getting his weight where he wants it, and he’s showing that speed and quickness.”
The third lineman is likely to be Armon Watts, who has done well in pass-rush drills. It doesn’t seem as if Watts has taken a step forward in his development, but rather that this role is a better fit for what he does well. Being pigeonholed as a nose tackle in a four-man front when he was a pass rusher in college was not the best situation for him.
Behind those three is a stiff competition in which no one has taken the lead role. Like Watts, James Lynch was ill-suited for the previous scheme, but we simply haven’t seen big moves from the pass-rushing lineman on the second unit. Esezi Otomewo has shown incredible explosiveness but has been limited by his stiffness and has had issues turning his explosive first step into a consistent weapon. Jaylen Twyman hasn’t really shined. He hasn’t struggled, but he hasn’t stood out.
Among the third-team linemen, there are some intriguing names. Jonathan Bullard, a third-round pick for the Bears in 2016, has flashed in practices, showing up against first-, second- and third-team offensive linemen. Alongside him are T.Y. McGill and Taylor, who have had their fair share of wins against the second- and third-team linemen. Should the Vikings prefer depth at pass rusher, they might prefer Bullard. But there aren’t many bodies at nose tackle, and they might want to consider someone like Taylor, an undrafted free agent rookie who could sneak onto the back of the roster or operate as shadow depth on the practice squad. His injury could set him back, but he has been somewhat impressive when available.
A compromise between those two extremes could be McGill, whose play over the past couple of days has stood out. McGill’s performance Monday stood out and might have put him on track to make the team above some of the supposed second-team linemen.
Edge defenders
Early returns in camp have been mixed for the starting duo of Hunter and Za’Darius Smith. While Hunter continues to look like an elite pass rusher, Smith has been less steady in his production. When lined up over center, Smith has looked remarkable, but the Vikings haven’t been shy about putting him all over the formation. He has covered the flats and middle zones and has rushed very gap.
That could be an indication that both Darrisaw and O’Neill are already high-level tackles, but in the limited reps Smith had against Udoh, you’d hope to see more. It’s not a big concern and it’s more likely that Smith will produce once the regular season arrives, but it’s worth noting.
Among the backups, it appears as if D.J. Wonnum is taking a step forward in his development and could turn into a reliable pass rusher. He has done well picking up what’s asked of him and might give the Vikings depth at a position where it’s needed.
Patrick Jones hasn’t been all that impressive, but there is a separation between him and the edge rushers behind him.
The Vikings are likely to keep a fifth edge rusher, and the competition for that spot is wide open. Janarius Robinson has done very little to secure the job, though he did turn in a good performance during the night scrimmage. Of the third-team outside linebackers, Andre Mintze has done the most to make the case for himself as a candidate for the 53-man roster both as a pass rusher and in coverage. He’s a little overwhelmed in the run game, but he still comes out ahead of Zach McCloud, who’s seeing occasional reps with the twos, and Luiji Vilain, who can’t seem to translate his excellent testing numbers into on-field explosiveness.
ILB:
Just as it is difficult to evaluate running backs in camp, it’s tough to fully gauge the linebackers. Jordan Hicks has come into his own, though, and has demonstrated alertness, finding himself in the backfield on running plays and on blitzes. He has even generated a few turnovers. His size and speed are good replacements for Anthony Barr thus far, even if they have different skill sets.
O’Connell likes the potential of the Hicks and Eric Kendricks combination. “What this defense allows people to do is everybody’s got vision on the ball, on the quarterback on different route structures,” he said. “They can play in space, which is a real trait for linebackers in this league. Those two guys have an unbelievable ability to be instinctively where they’re supposed to be by the X’s and O’s on paper but then also show up, punch a ball out, get a hand on a ball.”
There isn’t much to say about the practices of players like Kendricks, Blake Lynch or Troy Dye — not because they’re not playing well, but rather because it’s difficult to get the full picture. Lynch has rotated in with the second team and has largely looked like he fits. He has had some highlight moments, but the fact that Dye is regularly ahead of him on the depth chart likely tells us a bit more than his perceived play in practice.
Someone to watch out for, however, is rookie Brian Asamoah. His coverage has largely been disappointing, but he has been more productive of late, including several interceptions over the last few days of practice. As a run defender, he does well when the defensive linemen clear the way, but he has a difficult time getting off blocks when contacted by a tight end, fullback or offensive lineman.
Edge:
Early returns in camp have been mixed for the starting duo of Hunter and Za’Darius Smith. While Hunter continues to look like an elite pass rusher, Smith has been less steady in his production. When lined up over center, Smith has looked remarkable, but the Vikings haven’t been shy about putting him all over the formation. He has covered the flats and middle zones and has rushed very gap.
That could be an indication that both Darrisaw and O’Neill are already high-level tackles, but in the limited reps Smith had against Udoh, you’d hope to see more. It’s not a big concern and it’s more likely that Smith will produce once the regular season arrives, but it’s worth noting.
Among the backups, it appears as if D.J. Wonnum is taking a step forward in his development and could turn into a reliable pass rusher. He has done well picking up what’s asked of him and might give the Vikings depth at a position where it’s needed.
Patrick Jones hasn’t been all that impressive, but there is a separation between him and the edge rushers behind him.
The Vikings are likely to keep a fifth edge rusher, and the competition for that spot is wide open. Janarius Robinson has done very little to secure the job, though he did turn in a good performance during the night scrimmage. Of the third-team outside linebackers, Andre Mintze has done the most to make the case for himself as a candidate for the 53-man roster both as a pass rusher and in coverage. He’s a little overwhelmed in the run game, but he still comes out ahead of Zach McCloud, who’s seeing occasional reps with the twos, and Luiji Vilain, who can’t seem to translate his excellent testing numbers into on-field explosiveness.
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