Vikings camp takeaways: J.J. McCarthy's first day, Josh Metellus' contract and more

New York Times

4 days ago

EAGAN, Minn. — Who better to set the tone than Justin Jefferson?
Towards the end of Wednesday's training camp practice, the first for the Minnesota Vikings, Jefferson zig-zagged his way across the field. J.J. McCarthy feathered a pass in his direction. The window was tight. Two Vikings defenders converged on the throw, but McCarthy had placed it well enough for Jefferson to make the catch.
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Then Jefferson did what he rarely does. He dropped it.
When the play ended, and the Vikings' wideouts returned to the line of scrimmage, Jefferson crouched down into a push-up position. A silly self-punishment on what is unquestionably a meaningless rep, but a snapshot of what he expects out of himself — and others.
What other moments stood out from the muggy practice inside the cavernous TCO Performance Center practice field? How'd McCarthy perform? How much did safety Josh Metellus participate? Which other tidbits were worth noting? Here is the full report from the season premiere:
If you were putting together a highlight package of McCarthy's first day, you would likely begin with the throw he completed to receiver Jordan Addison.
It happened during a 7-on-7 rep. McCarthy positioned his eyes over the middle of the field, and, once he recognized Addison was streaking alone up the right sideline, he launched. Addison lunged to secure the catch, then trotted into the end zone. Immediately, running back Aaron Jones, who had been watching from behind the play, hollered and met McCarthy on the field to celebrate.
While the reaction made sense, and the completion warrants a mention, maybe the more notable aspect of McCarthy's day was his efficiency. He attempted passes over the middle but kept the ball mostly out of harm's way. Once, he progressed through the passing concept, drifted out of the pocket to the right, and then eventually tossed the ball out of bounds.
Quarterbacks coach Josh McCown nodded approvingly.
McCarthy's quick start shouldn't surprise. In recent weeks, he flew to Nashville to spend time with tight ends T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver for workout sessions. He also orchestrated local opportunities with Jefferson, Addison and other teammates. The goal? Develop a sense of when and where they prefer the football.
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'J.J. wanted to come down (to Nashville),' Hockenson said. 'I had been bugging him since January, just to see what vibe we have. To have him come down there, my quarterback, was awesome.'
McCarthy spread the ball around during Wednesday's practice. He connected with Jones on a swing pass. He drilled Jefferson on a comeback. It was by no means perfect, but even a late throw over the middle to Addison came after McCarthy had moved from the front side of the concept to the back side, showcasing his ability to go through the correct mental process.
Potentially the most uplifting part of the first day was the lack of pre-snap congestion. McCarthy entered the huddle with a purpose, exited quickly and didn't fiddle around at the line of scrimmage. That may not headline the highlight reel, but it matters.
It's easy to forget that Metellus once spent training camp days wondering if the Vikings would keep him over Brian Cole II. That was five years ago, and in that eternity of time, Metellus has become not only one of the key cogs of Brian Flores' defense but also one of the fan favorites.
His status explains the angst. Metellus, 27, has yet to come to terms with the Vikings on a contract extension. Neither he nor the Vikings used this fact as reasoning for his lack of full participation this spring, but a holdout (or hold-in) is always on the table for players seeking new deals.
Metellus didn't miss any team snaps Wednesday and spoke optimistically.
'Things have been going good,' he said. 'The dialogue has been going good. So, I mean, I'm not too worried about what's going on (on the business side). I'm just doing my part to be here for the team.'
He wouldn't still be here if it weren't for an awareness level that benefits him both on and off the field. Metellus was sharp enough to know that he could maintain a roster spot by carving out a special teams role in his early years. More recently, his mental bandwidth made for a perfect match with Flores. His combination of energy and production earned him respect behind the scenes, eventually leading to a nod as a leader and captain.
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Would a leader and captain sit out? What type of precedent would that set?
'A big part of it is, the guy I am in this building is the guy who is out in front, leading the way,' Metellus said, 'so it makes sense not to (sit out).'
This does not necessarily mean an extension is imminent. The Vikings and Metellus' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, have a stellar relationship, but Metellus' versatility makes for a complicated conversation regarding his value.
Metellus said Wednesday that he won't take the approach that Cam Bynum and Byron Murphy Jr. took last year — betting on themselves, achieving the market and cashing in — because they went that route and it paid off. For one, his situation is different; Bynum, for example, had just completed his rookie contract. However, that also does not mean Metellus is afraid of taking the leap if he and the Vikings cannot find common ground.
'I've been betting on myself since I got in this league,' Metellus said. 'So, I'm not worried about going out there, and having the best year of my life, and seeing what happens.'
• The Vikings' backup quarterback situation is worth following.
It's not just that the team preferred to keep Daniel Jones this offseason, but neither Sam Howell nor Brett Rypien leaped out of the gates. Critical reminder: It's only one practice. Still, both quarterbacks threw interceptions.
Howell tossed the ball right into Ivan Pace Jr.'s hands over the middle of the field, while edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel intercepted Rypien in classic Van Ginkel fashion. Rypien responded with an accurate deep ball down the left sideline, but Howell's trouble continued. There was a disjointed pre-snap rep. On another, Howell scanned slowly and had a pass deflected by linebacker Kobe King.
• Rookie receiver Tai Felton, whom the Vikings selected in the third round, fielded punts and kicks Wednesday. As he absorbs the voluminous offense, one of his obvious entry points to impact is through special teams. Felton has experience in the phase. He returned both punts and kicks in college at Maryland and looked smoother than expected.
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• Neither Will Fries (right leg) or Christian Darrisaw (torn left ACL) competed in team drills, as the Vikings want to ease them back from their injuries methodically. Offseason addition Justin Skule filled Darrisaw's absence, while the Vikings positioned Blake Brandel at right guard and rookie Donovan Jackson at left guard.
(Top photo is a shot of J.J. McCarthy at minicamp in June: Matt Krohn / Imagn Images)