Matthew Coller: A difficult juxtaposition in Vikings' camp-opening press conference

Vikings head coach and GM addressed Khyree Jackson's tragic death and Jordan Addison's off-field trouble in opening presser...

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O'Connell / Matthew Coller

Monday was my eighth training camp-opening press conference covering the Minnesota Vikings. The only other time that there were long stretches of silence between questions was in 2018 when offensive line coach Tony Sparano passed away right before camp began. That year there was also a change in quarterback and an uncomfortable transition from questions about the team dealing with grief and a new quarterback.

This year’s discussion with head coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah featured even more discomfort because the leadership first addressed the devastating death of cornerback Khyree Jackson and then shifted to wide receiver Jordan Addison’s citation for suspicion of DUI and then turned to the quarterback competition.

The last part represents an enormous shift from Kirk Cousins to the intrigue surrounding former top draft pick Sam Darnold and the highest selected Vikings quarterback in history JJ McCarthy, yet it felt insignificant by comparison.

The press conference opened with a shaky-voiced O’Connell explaining the feeling of getting the call informing him of the crash that killed Jackson.

“To get that phone call that not only Khyree but two other tragic lives were lost, all young adults gone way, way too early, it just leaves your heart broken – and just your thoughts and your prayers and your support for the family,” O’Connell said.

The Vikings’ head coach demonstrated one of the strengths of his leadership when talking about how he approached the team in the immediate aftermath of Jackson’s passing and noted that he addressed the 38 players who reported for camp early on Monday. He told them about his own emotional reaction to the tragedy.

“I did feel like it was important to at least get those guys together after the early report conditioning test and make sure that I touched on it with that group and made sure once again they're aware of the resources and the great folks we have to help through traumatic times like this,” O’Connell said. “Just let them know how I was feeling and where I'm at and the vulnerable side of their head coach to know that it's okay to feel however they're feeling.”

O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah have created an environment that has been lauded by players over the last two years. Part of that success is the effort they put into players connecting with each other. In a short period of time together, the GM, coaches, rookies and veterans that spent OTAs and minicamp with Jackson got to know him well.

“Khyree was not a part of our team long but the way our culture is….it does not take long for guys to build strong bonds and relationships,” O’Connell said. “It was pretty remarkable to hear the kind of impact that he had in such a short amount of time, and that's our jobs to make sure that we understand that everybody will grieve differently…how we honor him will be a daily thing but you know how we individually do that with the type of energy and spirit that I think will honor Khyree in a great way.”

When a team selects a player in the draft, they aren’t just picking a name off a card and hoping it works. Adofo-Mensah got to know Jackson throughout the process and remembered specifically when he was sold on the idea of bringing the Oregon star into the organization.

“He's talking me through his favorite song by Major Nine, and he said something to me that ultimately helped lead to why we wanted to bring him in this building, but just speaks a lot to how he was brought up, he said, ‘Kwesi, there's no wishes in this life. You get out of life what you put into it,’” Adofo-Mensah said. “Between his joy, the way he attacked life, and also just that hard-working spirit, was partly why we were so excited to add him to this building.”

The Vikings’ GM and head coach demonstrated a great deal of empathy and announced that they along with special teams coordinator Matt Daniels and defensive backs coach Daronte Jones would be attending Jackson’s funeral on Friday. The team will be contributing to the funeral expenses, wearing patches to honor Jackson and providing his estate with the remainder of his signing bonus. The Wilfs plan to fly Jackson’s family to Minnesota for a celebration of life that will allow them to connect with his teammates and coaches.

“We have great ownership here,” Adofo-Mensah said. “It's never a question of details or anything like that. It's always, what's the decent thing? What's the human thing? What is the right thing to do?”

Eventually the questions had to shift to Addison being cited for suspicion of DUI. Namely: Will there be any immediate punishment from the team for the receiver’s second offseason incident behind the wheel in as many years?

“There's a continuing legal process playing out and the NFL through the different aspects of their process to play out,” O’Connell said. “We'll let those things happen, and then in regards to specifics and details of discipline and things like that, the time will come for that clearly, but I look at it right now like I'm excited to get Jordan back in our building, get him around his teammates, and begin that process of wrapping our arms around him and twofold with the discipline and accountability being a part of it.”

Asked whether a suspension or fine would come from the NFL first or if the team would consider discipline for Addison, O’Connell said:

“With most of these situations around the league it's normally an NFL player conduct thing that a process plays out over a period of time,” the head coach said. “The legal process is still playing out as well. We'll let those things happen and work off that accordingly.”

Adofo-Mensah explained the team’s philosophy when approaching an off-field situation is more about finding solutions for Addison than dolling out punishment.

“Using words like discipline and different things like that, we don't really talk about it like that inside these walls. Inside these walls, it's about designing for the outcome we want,” the GM siad. “The outcome we want is for Jordan to be the best version of himself on the field and off the field, and he's bought into that same exact thing. So how do you do that from a planned standpoint? Who do you have to have him talk to, speak with to learn the things he needs to learn, to get to where he wants to go? That's how we're approaching it from this standpoint.”

There was a jarring juxtaposition between the team’s deep empathy for a player who died in an incident that police reports said involved alcohol and the lack of a hard line when it came to a young star’s second concerning incident behind the wheel. One can only hope that their approach will have more success this time than it did last year when he was cited for driving 140 mph.

To further the overall discomfort, there were still football things to discuss. TJ Hockenson is starting camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list, as expected. Andrew Van Ginkel is ready to roll but will work in slowly.

Oh, and the quarterback situation.

At the end of minicamp, O’Connell acknowledged that Sam Darnold would start training camp as the starting quarterback in training camp and that fact didn’t change during the summer.

“Sam will be taking the majority of his reps with that first group, but I think you'll see J.J. maybe get some as well,” O’Connell said. “It's about the quality and as much as the volume of those reps throughout camp to really continue to holistically attack this quarterback development program and process for J.J.”

O’Connell added that he wants a “competitive” camp between the two quarterbacks and that there are many practices, preseason games and joint practices between now and Week 1 so he doesn’t have a “preconceived” depth chart going into camp.

One thing that is on everyone’s minds as camp opens is: Where is the bar that JJ McCarthy has to clear that would allow him to become the starting quarterback? Would Sam Darnold struggling accelerate the process of the rookie getting a chance?

“Our decision to bring J.J. here was all out of the belief that we feel that we can put together a plan that helps him become the best player and best quarterback that hopefully he can become,” O’Connell said. “I don't know if it's the former quarterback in me, but I will not allow any factors outside of what's best for J.J. and what's best to help the Minnesota Vikings win in regards to the answer to that question. That's just how I feel about it.”

Translated, it seems O’Connell is steadfast about not rushing McCarthy. Adofo-Mensah added that he would never regret “doing the right thing” by McCarthy. All of that doesn’t exactly sound like they are thinking McCarthy will be ready Week 1.

In the end, nobody walked out of the media room feeling good. When the team takes the field for practice on Wednesday, the sunlight of an overhauled roster will have a cloud overhead because of the events of the past few weeks. O’Connell’s leadership will be needed to guide the team through the trauma of losing Jackson and — not to conflate the two — the challenge of getting a starter up to speed and developing the QB of the future. There is plenty of reason for excitement around camp and plenty of tension surrounding it. Off we go.