By Matthew Coller
The Minnesota Vikings held their first of two joint practices against the Baltimore Ravens. Here are the takeaways…
What I heard
Kevin O’Connell needs snapping issues to improve
Throughout training camp, one issue on the offensive line has cropped up too often for comfort: Snapping.
Center Blake Brandel, who is taking over starting in the middle for the first time in his career, has had issues consistently getting the ball back to Kyler Murray. On Monday, he rolled one back there and there have been others where the QB has had to reach wide right or left.
O’Connell explained on Wednesday before the joint practices why Brandel has been having problems getting the snaps to be accurate.
“Fundamentally attacking some of those combinations, running off the ball, reaching to go earn the grass and space that we want, in the gun, sometimes it takes reps and time on task to really identify, ‘I’ve got to reach this nose [tack;e] right here to my left and it’s going to be a violent movement’ — and that triggered a low and right snap,” O’Connell explained. “We have to practice it. We have time, but not that much time, as I like to say. And so we got to acknowledge it. And then you’ll see, hopefully, center-quarterback exchange for the next two weeks.”
Brandel was mostly reliable last year when it came to the snaps but the Vikings are going to be running more out of the shotgun and pistol formations with Murray, it appears. That offers some challenges that he may not have faced often last year.
JJ McCarthy is QB2 but it’s still ‘competitive’
When O’Connell declared that Kyler Murray was the starting quarterback, he said that JJ McCarthy would be the backup and there has been every indication of that during practice as he’s taken the No. 2 reps and came into the game second against the New York Giants.
However, Wentz performed well at times last year when he played in place of McCarthy and the door seems open to the possibility of Wentz being the more trusted QB if Murray were to get injured.
O’Connell said that McCarthy is the backup right now but said that he wants to see McCarthy be prepared for that role.
“There’s been some really good stuff [from McCarthy] but I want those guys feeling like they’re competing,” O’Connell said. “The philosophy around making our quarterback room competitive is to allow that to raise the standard.”
In terms of what he wants to see from McCarthy through the rest of camp in order for him to be the backup, KOC said:
“We want J.J. feeling like, ‘I’m one snap away, so I got to prepare like I’m the starter anyway,’” he said. “It’s easy to say those things, but we wanted to have a room that forced it. So we’ll see how these next couple weeks play out.”
It sounds like it’s JJ McCarthy vs. himself for the backup spot. O’Connell knows exactly what he has in Wentz but has to see McCarthy’s commitment to the job for him to be QB2 Week 1 vs. the Packers.
Jay Ward is getting the defense
One of the stars of camp to date has been safety Jay Ward, who had a “sack” and pass breakup in the situational drill against the Ravens on Wednesday. He has taken a big step from the last two years where he was only on the field in a limited role.
“I’m definitely confident, I know what I’m doing and my assignment and I’m communicating more and know who I’m playing with,” Ward said.
He has largely played in a big nickel type position but also mixed in as a strong safety with the second team due to the shortage of players with Jakobe Thomas out.
“Wherever they need me, I’ll go and play,” he said.
Teammates seeing it with Jacob Thomas
During practice on Wednesday, undrafted rookie Jacob Thomas played the second-team reps at safety and he mixed in with the 1s earlier in the week.
“He’s a very smart player,” cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. said. “He’s in the right spot and knows what he’s doing. To come in and get the defense down like that, that’s special. He’s one of those guys that’s everywhere playing multiple positions and to see him coming in every day and know what to do, he’s always in the right spot. Special, for sure.”
Thomas has put himself in position to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.
The defense enjoyed facing Jackson
The Vikings’ defense won the day against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens’ offense.
“We just had to be ourselves and didn’t make it more than it had to be but going against a great guy like him, it was able to teach us great eyes and great techniques and filling gaps and things like that, so we went in with a great mindset,” cornerback Isaiah Rodgers said.
While the Vikings were better, they had some tough matchups with former Gopher Rashod Bateman and star receiver Zay Flowers.
“They have a good group of receivers over there that are making us better,” Murphy Jr. said.
What I saw
Kyler Murray threw 25 passes and completed 15 of them with two positive throws and five negatives.
Here’s how his throw chart played out for the day:
Murray highlights:
— Had an outstanding throw during 7-on-7s to Justin Jefferson where he glided the ball out in front of his receiver and perfectly into his hands for about a 20-yard gain
— Finished practice with a 25-30 yard touchdown bomb to Jefferson that went up over top of the coverage and dropped right in the bucket to Jefferson. It was probably the best throw of the entire camp for Murray.
Murray lowlights:
— There were struggles under pressure. He had to throw one ball away and threw another couple passes off target underneath that would normally be routine passes.
— He missed inaccurately on a slant to Jordan Addison that they have hit often this summer.
— There was a lot of physical play from the Ravens that threw off the timing on some throws (and had a lot of complaints from Jefferson to the refs).
Overall:
It was not a great day for Murray but it was not a disaster either. His two explosive throws to Jefferson were the dream for the Murray-Jefferson connection and he executed some underneath stuff very well. But when the Ravens were able to bother him, Murray did not have the same accuracy that we’ve seen from him on his best days. And that’s why you practice against somebody else, I suppose.
Additional notes
— Randy Moss was in attendance
— JJ McCarthy finished up practice with a throw to Myles Price for a touchdown. It was one of McCarthy’s better throws of camp and Price continues to make play after play.
— The Vikings’ run game hit several big carries with Jordan Mason (especially when running behind Christian Darrisaw) and Demond Claiborne had one that looked like it would have been an explosive play as well.
— There were no snapping issues.
— Jay Ward had an impressive blitz that got home and nearly picked off a deep pass. He’s been consistently strong in camp.
— Dallas Turner, Andrew Van Ginkel and Blake Cashman were all over the Ravens. Levi Drake Rodriguez also had a clean win where he got a sack as well.
— Caleb Banks continued to take a heavy workload with the 1s and 2s. He looks like he’s up to full speed.
— Charles Demmings and Elijah Williams took some first-team work as well. Demmings may be in the CB3 mix.
— Overall the Vikings defense had a strong day against Jackson and the Baltimore pass game.
— There was only one scuffle during a special teams drill and it did not get out of hand.
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