3 Minnesota Vikings who need a great week of joint practices vs. Cleveland Browns
The Minnesota Vikings are set to have joint practices against the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday and Thursday afternoon at the Browns facility. It's the third year in a row that the Vikings will have joint practices, but it's the first time under head coach Kevin O'Connell will have his team traveling for joint practices, as […]
The Minnesota Vikings are set to have joint practices against the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday and Thursday afternoon at the Browns facility. It's the third year in a row that the Vikings will have joint practices, but it's the first time under head coach Kevin O'Connell will have his team traveling for joint practices, as the first three instances were at TCO Performance Center.
Having joint practices is an important element of the evaluation process. It gives you an opportunity to see a competitive environment with your players that is against other competition. Practices are viewed by many to be a better tool than preseason games. Yes, the two teams will still play on Saturday afternoon, but these practices will be a better indicator of where the Vikings' players are.
With the Vikings having joint practices, these three players need to have a good week of practice to help secure their spot on the roster.
QB Jaren Hall
The Vikings quarterback situation is more murky than it has been since before free agency and the NFL Draft. J.J. McCarthy was set to be the start of the week but is now set to have surgery to repair his meniscus. In my latest 53-man roster projections, I had Hall set to get cut after his poor performance against the Las Vegas Raiders.
With Hall set to have more opportunity to play after McCarthy's injury, it could secure him a roster spot as the developmental quarterback. There was some positive with Hall in the 2023 season, especially against the Atlanta Falcons. If Hall takes a step forward during these practices, it could be good for the Vikings.
WR Brandon Powell
Powell is an interesting case. He is firmly entrenched in a battle with Jalen Nailor for the WR3 job but has been outshined in the battle. Nailor has looked every bit the player the Vikings thought he could be when they selected him in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Unfortunately for Powell, it's hindered his chances to become the WR3 and none of it is his fault. The competition isn't over, as Powell thrived during the 2023 season, including an impressive game-winning touchdown reception against the Atlanta Falcons. It's an uphill climb for Powell to be able to win that job, but it's not impossible. String together a few good practices in a row and the competition becomes more fierce.
DT Jaquelin Roy
The Vikings' defensive line room is one of the weakest in the National Football League. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah decided to prioritize the edge rusher position over the defensive line and it looks to be the right choice so far. The edge rusher group looks excellent and primed for a great season.
What they need is for players in the defensive line room to take a step forward and become a quality player in the trenches. Roy was a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and played sparingly as a rookie. This year, the Vikings could use Roy to step forward as a rotational player but his performance against the Raiders left a lot to be desired. Against a quality offensive line that the Browns have, a good week from Roy would be a good step forward.
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