Minicamp is all about happy-talk…saying good things about guys the fans and/or media are down on in hopes of turning some of them around. And no one on the Vikings is a tougher sell than Tarvaris Jackson who despite going 8-4 as a starter in ’07 still has lots of doubters.
Coaches and players are already out there plugging away on behalf of T-Jack. Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell spoke of Jackson’s improvement from last minicamp to this:
"I think he’s better in every area from this time last year to where he is now. He’s made great improvements, and that’s a credit to him and how hard he’s wanted to work to get better."
Receiver Bobby Wade says the team believes in Tarvaris:
"He kind of had a taste of what it’s going to be like in a career for a quarterback to get knocked down and have to get back up, have to still find a way to win games, find a way to manage games and lead a team. It’s the hardest position on the field, but you can definitely see his confidence in his ability and also the confidence that the team shows him."
Back-up QB Gus Frerotte sees leadership qualities coming out in his young protege:
"I can see it. There’s no hesitation when he calls plays. He’s very confident with himself and how he’s handling himself in the huddle and with the other players. That’s really good to see. That’s all about being a leader and being a quarterback."
We know he has the physical skills…but does he have it between the ears? Most crucially perhaps, will he be able to develop the accuracy on the deep throws to make the Bernard Berrian signing worthwhile? I’m pretty sure he can handle the meat-and-potatoes West Coast stuff…now he needs to be consistent on the long passes. The pressure on him is a little different this year, I think, because the guy sitting behind him on the bench is someone fans in Minnesota have seen before, and know can chuck it. The drum beat for Gus will get real loud real fast if Berrian is torching people on fly patterns and the ball isn’t getting to him.