Vikings Camp Journal: Day 3

Kevin O'Connell gave an update on Justin Jefferson's injury (and who is ready to step into his place)

Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

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By Matthew Coller

EAGAN — The Minnesota Vikings had their first bit of bad news of training camp on Friday. Let’s dive right into it for today’s recap…

What I heard

Justin Jefferson left practice on Thursday with “tightness” in his leg, which turned out to be a mild hamstring strain that will keep the superstar receiver out for some time. Kevin O’Connell said that there is no concern that Jefferson could miss the season opener but they are going to be patient with his recovery.

“We're going to be really cautious with it,” O’Connell said. “It is not the same leg from a couple years ago. I know that question is probably coming. And I credit Justin just for his ability to recognize how he was feeling and the fact that we were able to avoid anything major. So we're going to hold him out here for a bit and then reevaluate him next week.”

O’Connell joked that he already had no plans of playing Jefferson in the preseason anyway.

In terms of who will be stepping into his place on the first team, the head coach nominated four players.

“Yesterday you saw it, there was a couple guys jumping in there taking reps with Jordan and [Jalen Nailor] in that group, Rondale Moore had a chance to make a couple plays, I think we saw Lucky Jackson, I think we saw Tai Felton, and Jeshaun Jones,” O’Connell said. “They're going to get a chance.”

A quick rundown of each player:

— Moore has looked sharp coming off a major injury last season with Atlanta. He has 135 career receptions, largely as an underneath receiver with Arizona. The Vikings signed him with hopes that he could add a different dynamic to the offense, though he did show development as an all-around receiver with the Cardinals. He will be looking to show that he should be the guy bumped up to WR3 if/when Jordan Addison is suspended for the first three games.

— Jackson has been with the Vikings for two seasons on the practice squad. Though he does not have an NFL catch, he has shown well during camp in the last two years and knows the offense inside and out.

— Felton has made a strong first impression as the third-round pick, snatching a pass along the sideline when he got into practice with McCarthy. He has tracked the ball well and appeared to have improved since minicamp. His long speed sets him apart from the other receivers.

— Jones is a dark horse player who was in camp with the Vikings last year and ended up on the practice squad. He doesn’t have any tool that stands way out like size/speed/quickness but he has really good hands and a year in the system.

Every else who is behind these four will be vying for reps with McCarthy.

Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips talked after practice. He started with a discussion about what new center Ryan Kelly is bringing to the table.

“He's just such a vet in that he's seen everything they can give you up front over the years and been in a few different systems,” Phillips said. “He's had to change some things that he's done, had some different line coaches, but I think it's been a good challenge for him to learn something different, learn some new terminology, but you wouldn't really know it when he goes out there and communicates with the guys. And then and then on top of the communication his physical ability to be able to really sit down and anchor he's just a big strong guy presence in the middle of that anchor that you want.”

While we can look at things like Kelly’s ranking by PFF last year (seventh best in pass blocking), his ability to command the offensive line and guide JJ McCarthy through his first days in the NFL.

Kelly talked about the relationship that he’s been building with his young QB throughout the offseason.

“We started in April and worked through May and June,” Kelly said. “We played golf and went to dinner together. Those things in the offseason are so critical…. it’s the way he [acts] in the locker room… the way he carries himself at 22, 23 years old is so impressive.”

The veteran center, who has played with all sorts of different quarterbacks over the years, compared McCarthy to two of them by name specifically.

“I look back at some of the veteran quarterbacks I’ve had — Rivers, Luck — and you can see that at such an early age, it’s impressive. KO holds a high standard, the whole organization holds a high standard but it’s not nearly as high as the standard he holds himself to.”