Matthew Coller: Everything we learned from the first Vikings padded practice

The old cliche proved true: The defense was ahead of the offense.

Jalen Nailor holding his helmet during a Vikings OTA practice. / Image courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

EAGAN — The Minnesota Vikings held their first padded practice of the summer on Monday. Here were the takeaways and notes from TCO Performance Center…

The first-team offense was out of sync

We should have expected from Brian Flores’ excitement about the pads coming on during his press conference that he was going to unleash some hell on the Vikings’ quarterbacks and he certainly did that. Sam Darnold and the first-team offense struggled to get rolling, which left Justin Jefferson looking a bit flustered at one point.

Darnold found Jefferson on an intermediate pass over the middle early in the 11-on-11s but that was the only time the two connected in the first padded practice. Darnold checked down several times, scrambled on a rollout and then had a rough interception during the two-minute drill.

The second bite at the two-minute apple was more successful because Darnold completed a deep pass but the three plays before that did not took good. He missed short to Brandon Powell and then overthrew him along the sideline. His heave to Jalen Nailor was caught impressively, though it was more of a prayer than a brilliant throw.

Darnold is hardly the first QB who has had that look on his face when going up against Flores’ defense. They pressured him on nearly every throw and tossed in looks where it was tough to identify who was dropping back or rushing. It will take time for him to develop the answers.

Jalen Nailor, again

Nearly every day in practice the 2022 sixth-round pick has made a highlight-reel catch and that didn’t change when the pads came on. He is known for his straight-line speed as a deep threat but has been particularly noticeable when it comes to contested catches. When the ball is up for grabs, Nailor has come down with it nearly every time and that was true for the bomb that Darnold threw up to him in the final two-minute session.

“I feel really comfortable within the offense going into my third year trying to be as versatile as I can,” Nailor said. “I definitely feel like I fit into [the WR3] role well. I can play inside and outside and move around in the offense.”

He is the best story of camp so far considering that he got hurt early in camp last season and then when he came back he caught three passes in limited duty between Weeks 10 and 14 and suffered a concussion against the Raiders.

“It was really rough,” he said. “Injuries is the worst part of the game, trying to keep my mental right and thanks to my family, coaches and teammates helping me get over the hump.”

Kevin O’Connell has banged the drum for Nailor all offseason.

“When he has been out there he’s made plays consistently — you guys being here every day at the practice field have seen it…. I think we’re all very optimistic,” O’Connell said. “He’s proven what he is as a football player, it’s not a question of that it’s just a matter of can he be out there.”

The team is putting its money where the hype is when it comes to Nailor because they have let him and Brandon Powell battle it out for WR3 reps rather than adding someone from free agency.

McCarthy’s first drive

The rookie QB got his first taste of a two-minute drill and largely passed the test. While he didn’t have any wow throws, he completed three short passes including one over the middle to Powell that would have set up a field goal attempt. McCarthy looked in command as he barked out the signals and directed the wide receivers to their places before the snap and got rid of the ball under pressure.

That drive had to feel good during a day where there weren’t all that many highlights overall. McCarthy had to scramble when he couldn’t find a receiver and overthrew Lucky Jackson on an out route. And then he caught his own pass that popped up in the air Brad Johnson style.

Goodbye, John Parker Romo

The Vikings cut the kicker who was “competing” with Will Reichard, though it never seemed to be a competition as Reichard has crushed all kicking periods in front of the media since being drafted in the sixth round including going 5-for-5 on Saturday.

Jay Ward, cornerback

With a shortage at corner, the fourth-rounder from LSU took a bunch of reps as an outside corner. In college he played safety and corner so it wasn’t a stunning revelation considering they are down Mekhi Blackmon to an ACL tear and Shaq Griffin for at least a few days with a “soft tissue” injury.

Will Ward stay there? Could his play in practice move the Vikings in one direction or the other about adding a veteran from free agency?

Bobby loves football

The Vikings did sign a defensive back in veteran Bobby McCain, who played with Flores in 2020. Flores made no bones about it: he’s a Bobby McCain fan:

“Love Bobby, Bobby loves playing football,” Flores said. “He’s smart, he’s physical, he’s played multiple positions over the course of his career. He has a lot of familarity [with Flores’ defense]. He has a lot of leadership, for sure. Communicates well. I was excited that we had an opportunity to get him. I’m glad he’s here.”

The 5-foot-9 DB played safety with the second team in practice, an impressive feat having just joined the team. He has been in the league since 2015 and played nearly 6,000 snaps that have been split between safety and nickel corner.

McCain was asked what he considered his true position to be.

“Football,” he said.

For the second straight day Lewis Cine did not practice. We will get an update on his status from O’Connell soon if he continues to be out.

Rotating edge rushers

Four outside linebackers took turns going against the Vikings’ elite tackles: Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner and Patrick Jones. They each lined up on both sides as they worked in and out of the drills.

Turner got his first opportunity to turn loose his pass-rushing skills with pads on but Flores said he’s learned a lot about him through the offseason up until this point.

“He’s shown me quite a bit already, I know he loves the game, I know he studies the game, I know it’s important to him, I know he asks the right questions which leads me to believe he’s going to find a way to get himself in good position,” Flores said. “He’s very talented. The pads and feeling the length and strength and instincts of NFL offensive linemen, there’s getting used to that factor for every rookie. I think he’ll answer the bell because that’s what he does.”

McGlothern getting a lot of work

UDFA Dwight McGlothern, a tall cornerback who had seven INTs in his final two years at Arkansas, worked with the second and occasionally the first team on Monday. With the shortage of corners, he becomes a very interesting rookie to watch if the Vikings do not make a major move for a veteran.