Defense and Special Teams on Day 4:
Barr working with the defensive line
During this year’s OTAs and minicamp, the Vikings began to experiment with linebacker Anthony Barr lining up on the defensive line. That experiment continued on Sunday with Barr as Minnesota had him work with the team’s pass rushers for the majority of the session.
The Vikings are clearly serious about using the linebacker more as another pass-rushing weapon in 2018.
Hughes expected to be this season’s kick returner
When Minnesota selected UCF cornerback Mike Hughes in the first round of last April’s NFL Draft, they knew they were getting more than just a talented defender. Hughes is also very skilled as a return specialist.
When speaking with the local media after the team’s walk-thru on Sunday, Vikings special teams coach Mike Priefer said he believes the rookie will end up as the team’s kick returner and Marcus Sherels will remain Minnesota’s punt returner this season.
Priefer mentioned that Hughes could get some opportunities returning punts during camp and the preseason, but basically it’s Sherels’ job to lose.
Collins and Downs get into a scuffle
It did not take long for things to get a little chippy in Vikings camp this year. Midway through Minnesota’s practice on Sunday, fans at the TCO Performance Center got to witness their first training camp fight of 2018.
The scuffle was between Vikings offensive tackle Aviante Collins and rookie linebacker Devante Downs. It didn’t last long and this type of stuff is pretty normal for training camp. Luckily, it doesn’t appear that Collins or Downs suffered any serious injuries from the fight.
Devante Downs and Aviante Collins slugging it out (if I got the names wrong, blame @eric_j_thompson) pic.twitter.com/O4iMo3PoiB
— Arif Hasan, but NFL 🏈 (@ArifHasanNFL) July 29, 2018
Hill continues to impress his teammates
Outside of Dalvin Cook, Minnesota rookie cornerback Holton Hill has been among the team’s most impressive performers at camp this year so far.
Undrafted out of Texas, Hill has been batting away a number of balls all over the field. He is still making some rookie mistakes, but getting praise from Xavier Rhodes and Stefon Diggs in the past two days has to mean something, right?
Minnesota Vikings
Kearse getting reps on 1st team
Ever since Mike Zimmer became the Vikings’ head coach in 2014, Andrew Sendejo has been one of the team’s two starting safeties. It’s possible Minnesota could be checking out other options next to Harrison Smith in the defensive backfield this year.
On Sunday, safety Jayron Kearse was reportedly working with the first-team defense next to Smith. Kearse, who is entering his third season with the Vikings, is just 24-years-old and has really only seen the field on special teams during his two years in the Twin Cities.
No word on if Sendejo was not with the first-team due to injury or not. He did miss time during Minnesota’s OTAs and minicamp this year due to an injured calf he suffered in the 2017 NFC Championship.
The Vikings will hold their fifth training camp session of 2018 on Monday, beginning with a walk-thru at 10:30 a.m. CT and then the pads finally go on for practice at 2:45 p.m. CT.