Inside The Vikings

Photos, Video From Yannick Ngakoue's First Minnesota Vikings Practice

The star defensive end got his first practice in at TCO Performance Center on Thursday.

Will Ragatz

After a players' day off on Wednesday, the Vikings got back to work on Thursday with one of their final practices before the roster cutdown deadline. As over 70 players worked to impress the coaching staff, fine-tune certain details, and continue to improve, one man hogged the spotlight: new defensive end Yannick Ngakoue.

Thursday was Ngakoue's first practice for the team that acquired him in a blockbuster trade announced last Sunday and finalized the following day. The 2017 Pro Bowler – who established himself as one of the league's most fearsome young pass rushers during a four-year stint with the Jaguars – got his first opportunity to meet his new teammates and work with coaches Mike Zimmer, Andre Patterson, and Imarjaye Albury.

The day began with news that Ngakoue would continue to wear No. 91, which is the only number he's had in the NFL. It was previously occupied by Jalyn Holmes, who claimed it after Stephen Weatherly departed this offseason. I think it's safe to say Holmes, who switched to 90, received some compensation from Ngakoue to hand over No. 91.

Practice wound up being moved indoors due to windy conditions, so Ngakoue got his first look at the Vikings' indoor practice field at TCO Performance Center. 

While one of the Vikings' star 25-year-old defensive ends was participating, the other one remained out; Danielle Hunter missed his 15th straight practice. Hunter has at least stretched with the team every day this week, so he might be nearing a return to action. Then again, who knows? I'd consider him questionable for Week 1 against the Packers at the moment.

The only other player not participating in practice was defensive tackle Armon Watts.

Pool reporter Courtney Cronin from ESPN attended the practice, and took this video of Ngakoue going through defensive line drills.

For more video, check out the footage at the top of this page, which was provided by the Vikings.

Also, make sure you know how to pronounce Ngakoue's name. It's yah-NEEK in-GAH-kway.

Here's an assortment of photos of Ngakoue in his Vikings practice jersey:

Photo Credit: Courtney Cronin
Photo Credit: Courtney Cronin
Photo Credit: Courtney Cronin

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

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