BEREA, Ohio — Why waste time? On Thursday, the Minnesota Vikings wrapped up two joint practices with the Cleveland Browns. Here’s what we saw and heard:
Dealing with a different kind of defense
• Part of the reason the Vikings scheduled the Browns for joint practices was they wanted to go up against the Browns’ defensive structure. It’s completely different from what the Vikings have faced daily at the TCO Performance Center. Last year, for example, Cleveland played the highest percentage of Cover 1 in the NFL. The Browns major in man coverage and use four pass rushers nearly 70 percent of the time in 2023. The Vikings are the opposite. They played the lowest percentage of Cover 1 in the NFL last season and used four pass rushers nearly 30 percent of the time.
Exposure to the different defensive movements is what Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold appreciated most from these last two days.
“They keep it pretty simple to a degree,” Darnold said Thursday. “But they keep it simple and let those defensive linemen work.”
The Browns amassed the second-highest pressure rate in the NFL last year. It’s easy to see why. Myles Garrett is a specimen beyond belief. The rest of their defensive line is menacing. The Vikings offensive line battled this week, and at times tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill stonewalled Garrett’s rushes. But there were times they couldn’t offer the quarterback a chance to navigate what Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell calls “game-day pockets,” where gigantic men are barreling in on you, and Darnold had to remain calm.
He succeeded — to an extent. Early Thursday during a red zone period, Darnold placed a ball perfectly between two defenders to all-world receiver Justin Jefferson. Later, he hummed a pass high for tight end Josh Oliver, who leaped and hauled it in. On the very next play, he put some touch on a pass toward the pylon and dropped it perfectly in Brandon Powell’s breadbasket. Powell celebrated by punting the football into the sky.
.@josho_3 through the contact! #Skol pic.twitter.com/FKp7ewDtqz
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 15, 2024
At other times, though, Darnold seemed sped up, specifically in a late-practice sequence in the opposite red zone. The Vikings were operating an accelerated two-minute sequence of plays, and Darnold overthrew Jefferson down the right sideline, then sailed a pass in Jefferson’s direction to the left. On the next play, a fourth-and-long, Darnold turned down a potential checkdown and tried to fit the ball into Jefferson down the seam. The pass was picked off, ending his day.
All in all, the experience was important. Darnold got to see what it’s like when a defense allocates all of its resources toward Jefferson. Darnold was also able to sync up with O’Connell in real time, allowing them to work together as play callers.
Changing up the cadence
On Wednesday, center Garrett Bradbury suggested to Darnold that the Vikings switch the cadence. He felt like the Browns’ front had timed up Darnold’s snap count, and Darnold agreed. The switch gave Darnold and the offense a bit more time to work.
Bradbury’s recommendation changed things from the past two years under O’Connell’s offense. Why? Because the Vikings no longer have a veteran quarterback who needs to control every aspect of the pre-snap operation.
“Before, with Kirk, he knew the calls, the checks, when to change the play, when to change the protection,” Bradbury said. “Now, it’s not so much that I’m running the show, but if I see something, it’s, ‘Hey, yo, Sam, maybe check this.’ We’re kinda just leaning on each other.”
Darnold said he understands and loves the process, especially considering the Vikings’ continuity on the offensive line. Blake Brandel has only started five games over the last two seasons, but the rest of the offensive line is mostly consistent with what O’Connell started with in 2022. The Vikings also have the same offensive line coach in Chris Kuper.
From O’Connell’s standpoint, this is a sensible approach: Use some of the unit’s strengths to cover its weaknesses. Bradbury said this new level of communication has helped the linemen to be more engaged pre-snap. It’s more of an active process rather than simply listening to Cousins’ calls behind them.
“You’ve just really got to dial in and lock in,” Darrisaw said. “It starts with Garrett. He’s giving out all the calls, all the communication. He’s directing everywhere we need to go.”
Overall, the Vikings offensive line stood up to the Browns’ test.
GO DEEPER
J.J. McCarthy is done for the season, and the Vikings are left to pick up the pieces
Jones-ing for the end zone
Talk to anyone around the Vikings organization, and they’ll tell you how excited they are to watch running back Aaron Jones do his thing this season — both because of how dynamic he has looked on the practice field and how much he is as a leader and role model in the locker room.
Jones will enhance the Vikings’ run game in all situations, but he should make an especially large difference in the red zone. Last year, the Vikings averaged 2.1 yards per carry in the red zone, which ranked 28th in the NFL. Their success rate on those carries was 32.6 percent, 31st in the league. Jones, himself, averaged 3.5 yards per carry in the red zone last year and posted a 45.9 percent success rate.
Thursday, he caught a quick pitch from Darnold and blasted into the middle of the offensive line behind fullback C.J. Ham. He absorbed contact, spun out and walked into the end zone. Assessing the run is difficult in joint practices. But Jones’s burst, paired with Ty Chandler, is certain to offer the Vikings an offensive dynamic they have not had in O’Connell’s time here.
Defense looking dangerous
Brian Flores’ defense caused the Browns offense headaches for two days. Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was not loquacious when asked about Wednesday’s challenges, but he said, “Very versatile defense in what Flo does in Minnesota.”
You Vikings fans know what that means, but you may not know how good Andrew Van Ginkel, who is now healthy, has looked recently. He and Jonathan Greenard constantly provided pressure off the edge on both Wednesday and Thursday. On Thursday, Patrick Jones II joined the party, exploding through the interior for a pressure. Rookie Dallas Turner long-armed his way around the edge for a sack, as well.
The year-over-year transformation of the edge rusher group, which also includes the massive Jihad Ward, will likely be a talker in the months ahead. Pair that with Ivan Pace Jr., who somehow looks more explosive than he did last season, and a safety group in Harrison Smith, Cam Bynum and Josh Metellus that felt like it was toying with Watson and Browns backup Jameis Winston, and it’s fair to think Flores’ unit could once again terrorize opposing quarterbacks this season.
Taking it home with us.#Skol pic.twitter.com/GhDNNgI1VM
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 15, 2024
Other notes
• Undrafted rookie cornerback Dwight McGlothern continues to make plays. On Thursday, he jumped a pass and picked off Winston.
• Kicker Will Reichard continues to be money. He nailed all five field goal attempts Thursday, including a 52-yarder.
• Veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore visited the Vikings Monday and left without signing, but the team’s interest remains.
• In a team meeting, the Vikings staff raved about receiver Lucky Jackson’s tenacity on a kickoff rep.
• The Vikings ran one sweet double-reverse in the red zone, and wide receiver Jalen Nailor exploded around the edge with the ball.
• Wide receiver Trishton Jackson high-pointed a pass in the red zone, earning a loud reaction from teammates. He has had a great training camp.
• Second-year running back DeWayne McBride caught a pass in the end zone in traffic from Jaren Hall, and teammates hollered.
• In the red zone Thursday, the Vikings showed essentially an edge rusher and defensive back-only grouping that featured Fabian Moreau.
• Jefferson wore LSU cleats with his Tigers’ No. 2 on the tongues Thursday as a nod to Browns safety Grant Delpit. Jefferson’s matchups with young Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. were fiery and full of mutual respect.
• After Thursday’s practice, Garrett approached Darrisaw, dapped him up and patted him on the chest. The two battled hard, and Darrisaw said Wednesday he couldn’t wait for more of the challenge.
• Pace might have been playing with a vengeance considering the Browns passed on the Ohio native in the draft. He recovered a fumble, intercepted Watson in the flat and was essentially the football version of everything everywhere all at once.
• Let’s run through a quick injury report with these quotes from O’Connell:
Jordan Addison, WR, ankle: “Avoided a major injury. He’ll work through the rehab process, and (we) look forward to getting him back as fast as possible. Don’t see him missing any extended time.”
Shaq Griffin, CB, hamstring: “Shaq will be ready (for the start of the season). I know I haven’t been incredibly detailed with that timeline, but that timeline has always been one where we thought the regular season would not be in question.”
Blake Cashman, LB, finger: “Sustained a finger injury, which happened early on in the practice (Wednesday). Somehow, he played the whole rest of the way. He had a procedure done, and as soon as the stitches and things heal up, Blake will be good to go.”
Thayer Thomas, WR, concussion: “He’s in the protocol. He will not play Saturday.”
NaJee Thompson, DB, undisclosed and T.J. Hockenson, TE, knee: “Have a goal in mind (for both), and they’re working their way there.”
Tight end Robert Tonyan (back) and edge rusher Gabriel Murphy (undisclosed) were absent.
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(Photo of Sam Darnold: Nick Cammett / Getty Images)
