Injuries and physicality highlight Minnesota Vikings observations from joint practice with Cleveland Browns

The Minnesota Vikings had their first joint practice against the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday afternoon. It's a process that head coach Kevin O'Connell believes in, as the Vikings have hosted three joint practices over the last two seasons. This is the first one that the Vikings have had with a team that wasn't at TCO […]

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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The Minnesota Vikings had their first joint practice against the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday afternoon. It's a process that head coach Kevin O'Connell believes in, as the Vikings have hosted three joint practices over the last two seasons.

This is the first one that the Vikings have had with a team that wasn't at TCO Performance Center. They are doing so with a former Vikings coach in Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski.

What went down during the first of two joint practices? Let's discuss.

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Jordan Addison provides a major scare

The Vikings saw another player go down in wide receiver Jordan Addison. He was carted out of practice with an injury to his leg. The severity was unknown but the vibes weren't good, but the news ended up being okay when head coach Kevin O'Connell reported they believe he will be okay.

Christian Darrisaw raves about Myles Garrett

One of the best parts about Dallas Turner being developed by the Vikings is going against the likes of Darrisaw and Brian O'Neill. These joint practices allow Darrisaw the opportunity to get some development by going against Myles Garrett.

Seeing a player like that is great for Darrisaw taking the next step. He needs opportunities against elite players so he can continue growing into (potentially) the best left tackle in the National Football League.

Thayer Thomas joins Jordan Addison in getting injured

The Vikings have not had good injury luck lately. Addison went down with his ankle injury and shortly after, wide receiver Thayer Thomas also went down.

Thomas has struggled during training camp and the preseason game. He even got pushed across the field when he was a punt gunner. Considering that Thomas is trying to make the team, getting injured isn't going to help that.

The physicality was palpable

Training camp practices get chippy. You practice against the same people each day and it can get old quickly. You develop relationships and rivalries during that time, but you start to crave a new challenge.

When you face another team, it raises the level of competitiveness and gets players amped up. It can also make the practices contentious and physical. The Vikings had that against the Browns, so much so that O'Connell had to go talk to Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.

The last line is tremendous. The Vikings did struggle in completing passes in drills, especially after Addison went down with his ankle injury.

Jalen Nailor continues to cook

We are seeing a potential superstar emerge before our very eyes. A sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Nailor was hand-picked by wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell who was pounding the table for him during the draft. 

He dealt with injuries during his career, including one that kept him out for three months last season with a hamstring injury. The Vikings had hoped he would end up developing into a quality player and they seem to have been right. 

Nailor has been making these plays all throughout training camp and also thriving in the one preseason game against the Raiders. He is currently the clubhouse leader as WR3 and would be a nice addition to the Vikings' passing attack.

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