Four days from now, the Minnesota Vikings brain trust might be spending some quality time on their TCO Performance Center patio overlooking the team’s practice fields.
Unlike their old home at Winter Park, where the whiz of cars at the intersection of 494 and 169 caused the relentless drone of traffic, the new facility provides more tranquil locales that brass have used to host guests, iron out contract extensions and — in theory — work out the 53-man roster leading up to Saturday’s deadline.
The exercise will require the utmost concentration and the answering of numerous questions. How should the Vikings balance their urge to be forward-thinking with their desire to keep veterans that could help the team capitalize on their present window? Which prospects are more likely to survive waivers and sneak onto the practice squad, and which are prone to get “poached,” as head coach Mike Zimmer describes? How does the team weigh players’ game performances versus their practice tape? And what role does health play into the equation?
“Those decisions, I’m glad, are made above my head,” said offensive coordinator John DeFilippo on Monday.
While the final calls will certainly go to Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman, DeFilippo and the other assistants will have a chance to weigh in during their dialogue with upper management.
DeFilippo’s side of the ball has been ravaged with injuries this preseason, which may simplify decision-making in some ways and complicate it in others. For instance, Mike Boone has not only been the most effective running back in the hunt to be the third man on the depth chart, but he’s also been the healthiest, perhaps allowing him to build a lead on competitors Roc Thomas and Mack Brown. At fullback, C.J. Ham’s backup, Johnny Stanton, was placed on injured reserve after the second preseason game, leaving little competition.
But then there’s the wide receiver position, where the most promising prospect early on, Brandon Zylstra, missed two games with an injury. The surging Chad Beebe missed practice on Sunday with a wrap on his leg. And the talented Cayleb Jones is suspended for the season’s first four games.
The offensive line is even more complex with little depth at center and a rotating cast of characters vying for the swing guard and tackle spots. The Vikings had to execute a trade Sunday to acquire the Giants’ Brett Jones, who provides interior flexibility.
“I don’t think anything’s ever set until that final day,” said DeFilippo. “I think you’re always in the evaluation process. I talked to our young guys about that yesterday in the offensive team meeting, this is an important game for a lot of people on Thursday. Anytime that you have a chance to put tape on of yourself in the National Football League, you want to put the best tape you can put on.”
Decision-makers have to find the balance of incorporating game performances versus practice tape. If a player struggles in practice but flips the switch during a game, how does that factor into an evaluation? By this point in the preseason, some players may have around 30 practices under their belt between OTAs, mini-camp and training camp, yet may only have 100 snaps or so of gameplay.
“The game tape is probably a little more important,” said Zimmer. “The practice tape you see every day, you’re making corrections, you’re talking the guys. But with the game tape they go out there, their coach isn’t telling them what to do, they’re out there on their own, and they’re playing and trying to make plays. I don’t get all caught up in ‘This guy had one good game and he’s had 10 crummy practices.’ That doesn’t really help. You just hope that he continues to get better. If they’re pretty much doing the same, then you look at the games and see where that takes them.”
Zimmer said he hears input from veterans on certain players but doesn’t let their opinion sway him too much. Moreso, he’s looking for his veterans to set the culture and for his young players to fall into line. If they do that, it can go a long way. The fifth-year coach has always boasted how his team likes to practice. He’s repeatedly told the story of arriving in 2014 and not needing to crack the whip as much as he expected because of the attitudes of the players. That’s a culture he wants to see persist.
“Not everybody likes to practice. They like to come out to practice,” Zimmer said of his team. “They like to compete when it’s time to go man-on-man. Those are the guys.”
Roster decisions will come down to a blend of personality, talent, ceiling and function. Even if there’s an opportunity to keep a player with future potential, it can’t come at the expense of a requisite body at a different position. “Sometimes it’s, ‘Where do we see this guy in a year from now?’ or, ‘We just need another tight end because we don’t have enough to practice with,'” Zimmer explained.
The Vikings have tough decisions to make on defense, particularly at corner and defensive line, where they have above-average depth. If the Vikings keep their traditional tally of players at both positions (six corners, nine defensive linemen), prospects like Holton Hill or Ifeadi Odenigbo may end up falling victim to the numbers game.
There is no exact formula by which to calculate the final 53, which means there’s plenty of discussion to take place later this week in the confines of TCO Performance Center.
“That’s one of the really cool things about the Vikings,” said DeFilippo, “is how much open dialogue there is between the personnel department and the coaches, because it’s not like that everywhere in the NFL, especially in some of the places I’ve been. That’s a really good deal for everybody. The more you can communicate, the more you’re on the same page.”
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