DAILY CLIPS

MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2020

LOCAL NEWS: Monday, August 10, 2020

Pioneer Press

Vikings waive undrafted free-agent signee Tyler Higby By Chris Tomasson https://www.twincities.com/2020/08/09/vikings-waive-undrafted-free-agent-signee-tyler-higby/

Vikings hope dissing of their defense will motivate them By Chris Tomasson https://www.twincities.com/2020/08/09/vikings-hope-dissing-of-their-defense-will-motivate-them/

Star Tribune

Vikings rookie cornerbacks will be thrown into fire without preseason games By Mark Craig https://www.startribune.com/vikings-rookie-cornerbacks-will-be-thrown-into-fire-without-preseason- games/572060422/

Vikings' 2020 training camp preview: Linebackers By Mark Craig https://www.startribune.com/vikings-2020-training-camp-preview-linebackers/572057152/

Wilfs' e-sports venture starts a team playing , the cars-playing-soccer game By Evan Ramstad https://www.startribune.com/wilfs-e-sports-venture-starts-a-team-playing-rocket-league/572020432/

Apartment renters can join the ' Eagan neighborhood next summer By Rochelle Olson https://www.startribune.com/apartment-renters-can-join-the-minnesota-vikings-eagan-neighborhood-next- summer/572053462/

The Athletic

Vikings Training Camp Guide — S: Two of the best in the game lead the way By Arif Hasan https://theathletic.com/1984184/2020/08/09/vikings-training-camp-guide-s-two-of-the-best-in-the-game-lead-the-way/

NATIONAL NEWS: Monday, August 10, 2020

CBS Sports

Vikings' Cameron Smith discovers he needs heart surgery after positive COVID-19 test, will miss 2020 season By Bryan DeArdo https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/vikings-cameron-smith-discovers-he-needs-heart-surgery-after-positive-covid- 19-test-will-miss-2020-season/

USA Today

Vikings LB Cameron Smith to miss 2020 due to heart condition discovered after positive COVID-19 test By Lorenzo Reyes https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/vikings/2020/08/09/viking-cameron-smith-heart-condition-discovered- covid-19-test/3330146001/

Maven Media

NFL Media Projects Floor of 6-10 and Ceiling of 11-5 For Vikings in 2020 By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/nfl-media-projects-floor-ceiling-vikings-2020

Vikings Waive UDFA Offensive Lineman Tyler Higby By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/vikings-waive-udfa-offensive-lineman-tyler-higby

MULTIMEDIA NEWS: Monday, August 10, 2020 Coller Joins To Discuss Vikings Situation at Offensive Line, Replacing Michael Pierce, Retooling of the CB Position, More By VEN https://www.vikings.com/video/coller-joins-to-discuss-vikings-situation-at-offensive-line-replacing-michael-pi

Vikings LB Smith Out with Heart Ailment By KSTP http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=cdb5b886-3c07-4ed2-8933-998170e31bf6

Smith to Undergo Open-Heart Surgery By WCCO http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=705241c9-a7ce-4b6d-9573-230961238dd6

PUBLICATION: Pioneer Press DATE: 8/10/20

Vikings waive undrafted free-agent signee Tyler Higby

By Chris Tomasson

The Vikings on Sunday waived guard Tyler Higby, one of 12 undrafted free agents they signed last April.

Higby, who played at Michigan State, had been on the reserve/COVID-19 list since July 27. The Vikings technically removed him from the list before he was waived.

The Vikings have two players still on the COVID-19 list. They are tackle Oli Udoh and linebacker Cameron Smith, who announced Saturday that a heart condition was detected after he tested positive for coronavirus and that he will undergo open-heart surgery and miss the season.

The Vikings are at the NFL limit of 80 players on the active roster. PUBLICATION: Pioneer Press DATE: 8/10/20

Vikings hope dissing of their defense will motivate them

By Chris Tomasson

Before the 2017 season, several Vikings defenders said they had the best defense in the NFL. They then sought to back up that talk.

Did they ever. The Vikings finished the season ranked No. 1 in the league in both scoring and total defense, the first time they had done that since 1970, the days of the Purple People Eaters. And it was no wonder Minnesota advanced to the 2017 NFC Championship Game.

Three years later, the Vikings still speak with great confidence about their defense but there are fewer believers. The defense has been slipping since 2017 and now the loss of five key players could lead to even more of a drop-off.

“You can take it as a challenge and a chip on your shoulder,’’ linebacker Eric Kendricks said of those who believe the defense will be nothing special in 2020. “I take it as a challenge, and I feel like we’re always going to rise to that. We don’t see it in that light. We have a job to do, and we want to be the best in the league. That’s our goal.’’

SKIP AD

Kendricks was one of the best in the NFL last season, becoming just the second linebacker in team history to be named first-team all-pro while also making the . But some of his decorated teammates from recent seasons are no longer around.

In salary-related moves, cornerback Xavier Rhodes and nose tackle Linval Joseph were released and free-agent defensive end Everson Griffen was not re-signed. All made multiple Pro Bowls with Minnesota, including each having been selected during that dominant season of 2017.

Cornerback Trae Waynes and nickel back Mackensie Alexander both left to sign as free agents with Cincinnati. And the defense took another blow two weeks ago when nose tackle Michael Pierce, their top free-agent signee and the expected replacement for Joseph, opted out of the season because he has respiratory issues and didn’t want to risk playing during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Vikings have had plenty of defensive success since Mike Zimmer left as Cincinnati’s defensive coordinator to take over as Minnesota’s head coach in 2014. Between 2016-18, the Vikings ranked in the top four in the NFL in total defense three straight seasons, also having finished No. 3 in 2016 and No. 4 in 2018.

The Vikings dropped to No. 14 last season. And with there being plenty of talk that they could slip even more this year, that motivates Zimmer.

“It gets you rejuvenated to go out and, honestly, people say, ‘Hey, they’re not going to be good on defense,’ ’’ Zimmer said. “OK, well, let’s find out. Let’s go prove it.’’

After last season, Zimmer didn’t retain George Edwards, his defensive coordinator throughout his Minnesota tenure. He replaced him with co-defensive coordinators Andre Patterson, the defensive line coach, and Adam Zimmer, his son and the linebackers coach.

Patterson and Zimmer have been very close for years. Not surprisingly, Patterson feels the same away as Zimmer when it comes to anyone dissing the defense.

“The two of us have always been that way,’’ Patterson said. “I think that motivates us to do our job and usually the guys we bring into the program have that same mind-set, too. They look forward to the challenge. … It’s definitely a motivation for me and I would expect it’s a motivation for our players also.’’

As for safety Harrison Smith, he apparently didn’t get the memo that many believe the Vikings will have a drop-off on defense. But if he does hear that, he’ll gladly use it to get fired up.

“I guess I’ve been out of the loop,’’ Smith said. “I didn’t know we were supposed to be bad. So, yeah, I guess that motivates me.’’

Top defenders who return are Smith, who has made five straight Pro Bowls, defensive end Danielle Hunter, who has made two straight, linebacker Anthony Barr, who was named to four in a row before missing out last season, and Kendricks. Also back is safety Anthony Harris, who tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions and signed a one- year, $11.441 million franchise tag, giving him the highest base salary on the Vikings.

After those five, the defense mostly includes young guys. The four top contenders to comprise the two cornerbacks and the nickel back are third-year men Mike Hughes and Holton Hill and rookies Jeff Gladney and Carmeron Dantzler. Those competing to replace Joseph include third-year man Jaleel Johnson and two-year veteran Armon Watts.

Griffen’s replacement likely will be Ifeadi Odenigbo, who has been cut four times by NFL teams since being a seventh-round pick in 2017. But Odenigbo came on late last season and finished with seven sacks to rank third on the team.

RELATED ARTICLES Vikings waive undrafted free-agent signee Tyler Higby Vikings LB Cameron Smith to miss 2020 season due to open-heart surgery Vikings make signing of LB Quentin Poling official, waive RB Tony Brooks-James Andre Patterson says Vikings will ‘be just fine’ at nose tackle Good time for Vikings to have continuity “We do still have a lot of returning football players on our defense,’’ Patterson said. “We have Pro Bowl players at ever level of our defense and there’s not many teams that can say that. I think the biggest thing is like it always is: To get our guys to understand the technique and fundamentals that they have to use in order for us to be successful.’’

In other words, a lot of the young guys need to get up to speed in a hurry. And that won’t be helped by the pandemic having wiped out on-field spring drills and preseason games.

Still, count Smith as one who believes they will step up.

“We have a lot of confidence in the guys coming up,’’ Smith said. “We have a lot of confidence in the coaches. … I think it’ll be good. It’ll keep us all honest and just keep us chasing our goals.’’

And one goal the Vikings always have had under Zimmer is to be among the best in the NFL on defense.

PUBLICATION: Tribune DATE: 8/10/20

Vikings rookie cornerbacks will be thrown into fire without preseason games

By Mark Craig

Aug. 9, 2015, was Trae Waynes’ welcome-to-the-NFL moment.

He was a blazing rookie and prized first-round draft pick when Vikings coach Mike Zimmer pushed him from the comfortable nest of training camp and into the real world of playing cornerback in a league whose rule book favors the guy you’re trying to cover.

It was a valuable, live-action learning experience. One that Zimmer and his peers won’t have with preseason games canceled in this oddball ramp-up to the 2020 season.

The venue on that summer night five years ago was Fawcett Stadium, just outside the front door to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. The Vikings won that preseason opener, beating the Steelers 14-3.

But that wasn’t the story.

The newsmaker that night was Waynes. More specifically his inability to keep his hands to himself. In two periods of action with the backups, he was flagged three times.

ELIZABETH FLORES • [email protected] Mike Hughes has the most career starts among current Vikings cornerbacks — but the 2018 first-round pick only has five. He was called for two holding penalties and one 38-yard pass interference penalty. One ofthe holding penalties was declined because Waynes’ guy still caught the ball for a 35-yard gain.

“Part of the thing was I didn’t want to take him out,” Zimmer said after the game. “I wanted to find out what kind of toughness he had when things happen like that and how are you going to fight back and how are you going to respond? I thought he did a nice job with those things. He’s just got to learn some of the technical things about the NFL.”

Unfortunately for the Vikings, Zimmer’s current wave of young cornerbacks won’t see game action until they face Aaron Rodgers on Sept. 13 in a contest that counts.

“It’s a really young group,” said 31-year-old Vikings safety and self-proclaimed “old guy” Harrison Smith. “But I think it’s kind of cool to be a part of that as well because you’re going to see guys get things and catch on and grow.”

Really young became an understatement when the Vikings said goodbye to last year’s top three corners — Xavier Rhodes, Waynes and Mackensie Alexander — along with backup safeties Andrew Sendejo and Jayron Kearse.

On the roster now are 10 corners. Nary a one has more than five NFL starts. The top three are expected to be 23- year-olds Mike Hughes (five starts), Holton Hill (four starts) and rookie first-round draft pick Jeff Gladney. Another rookie, 21-year-old third-round pick Cameron Dantzler, is in the thick of it as well.

That many greenhorns in one secondary certainly sounds ripe for some harmful growing pains. Especially with an offseason limited to virtual learning because of the pandemic.

Maybe. Maybe not, says co-defensive coordinator Andre Patterson.

“It’s probably been a blessing that they’ve had all these virtual meetings,” he said. “They’ve heard the install more than any rookie class in the history of the .

“So these [rookies] have gone out there [in practice] and they’ve been vocal on making the calls. They know what to do. It’s been really impressive. I think it’s been a blessing in disguise.”

That being said, these guys aren’t playing a video game. They still need practice reps and in-person corrections when it comes to techniques and fundamentals.

“It’s just making sure that we get enough reps and enough practice so we can achieve those things,” Patterson said. “For me, that would be my No. 1 concern.”

Smith hopes the rookies can learn in practice what Waynes learned the hard way five summers ago in Canton.

“They’re coming from college to pros, and the rules are very much not in their favor,” Smith said. “When you play preseason [games], which we won’t this year, I think that’s normally like the most glaring thing [with corners]. The grabbing and illegal-contact penalties. So I think that’s going to be something we have to focus a lot on in practice.” PUBLICATION: Star Tribune DATE: 8/10/20

Vikings' 2020 training camp preview: Linebackers

By Mark Craig

Linebackers

SLB Anthony Barr, MLB Eric Kendricks, WLB Eric Wilson, WLB Ben Gedeon, Troy Dye, Jordan Fehr, DeMarquis Gates, Blake Lynch, Quentin Poling. Injured Reserve: Cameron Smith

Offseason moves

In: Dye (fourth-round pick), Fehr (undrafted), Gates (street free agent/XFL contract terminated), Lynch (undrafted)

Out: Kentrell Brothers (free agent)

Outlook

Kendricks, the best middle linebacker in football last season, and Barr, a four-time Pro Bowl pick, head into their sixth NFL season as the duo of trusted three-down backers in Mike Zimmer’s defense. And they’re still only 28. With Gedeon missing half of the 2019 season because of concussions and entering 2020 on the physically unable to perform list, the weak-side position in the base defense belongs to Wilson, a versatile overachiever who has grown from an undersized rookie free agent in 2017 to reliable backup and special teams leader to someone who more than held his own while starting six games last season. An already-green list of potential backups was dealt a blow Saturday when second-year middle linebacker Cameron Smith announced that he needs open heart surgery and will miss the 2020 season. While testing positive for COVID-19, Smith also discovered he has an enlarged heart caused by a birth defect. Smith played in five games last season. The Vikings filled his roster spot by signing Quentin Poling, a seventh-round pick of the Dolphins in 2018. Poling, who also has spent time with the Raiders and Falcons, has played in only one NFL game. He had five special teams snaps while with the Raiders last year. There are four other potential backups. Dye, Fehr and Lynch are rookies while Gates hasn’t played a regular season game since being undrafted in 2018. Dye, a fourth-round pick, has position flexibility and the distinction of being the only player to lead Oregon in tackles four straight years. Gates is a journeyman who has spent time with Cleveland and Washington of the NFL, Memphis of the of American Football and the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL, which folded due to COVID-19. Lynch also is an interesting athlete having played five positions – linebacker, cornerback, safety, receiver and running back – in 32 starts at Baylor.

Top competition

With Gedeon on PUP and his career up in the air, the top competition will be among the young backups. The Vikings like the talent they have but they can’t keep them all. How they perform on special teams in practice will weigh heavily in which ones make the team. Dye would appear to have an edge as a fourth-round draft pick.

Player to watch

Barr. The question isn’t whether he’s good. For most fans, it’s why isn’t he better? Or why doesn’t this Pro Bowl player so well-schooled in this defense do what Kendricks has done and reach an All-Pro level? Zimmer loves the guy and argues that Barr’s sparsity of SportsCenter highlights is due to the fact he plays within a 4-3 scheme that doesn’t tolerate freelancers. Hiring Dom Capers, a longtime disciple of 3-4 defense, as a consultant was an indication that Zimmer wants to explore different ways to enhance Barr’s big-play potential. The Jets envisioned Barr’s skillset as a natural fit for the 3-4 when they signed him during the 2019 free-agency period. Barr ended up backing out of the deal and returning to the Vikings for less money.

Notable number

12 passes defensed. That’s how many Kendricks had last season. So in addition to becoming the first player in franchise history to lead the team in tackles in each of his first five seasons, Kendricks also led the team and all NFL linebackers in passes defensed. “I actually learn coverage technique watching him play,” Vikings safety Anthony Harris said last fall. “I’m watching him and I’m like, ‘Is this guy a DB or a linebacker?’” PUBLICATION: Star Tribune DATE: 8/10/20

Wilfs' e-sports venture starts a team playing Rocket League, the cars-playing-soccer game

By Evan Ramstad

The e-sports venture of the Wilf family, owners of the Vikings, is expanding into family-friendly territory.

Wise Ventures on Wednesday said it formed a team that will compete in Rocket League, the cars-playing- soccer game that first emerged on Windows computers and PlayStation machines five years ago.

The game, created by San Diego-based Psyonix LLC, has since mushroomed onto multiple devices and online leagues, helped by its easily understood play dynamics and "E" game rating, making it available for all ages.

The new Wise Ventures Esports team, called Version1, will play in the Rocket League Championship Series starting on Friday, when a reconstituted schedule that ends a reliance on league play and seasons begins. With Version1, Wise Ventures Esports is also launching its first in-house broadcast operation and will have a channel on the streaming platform.

Wise Ventures Esports launched its first team last fall, called the Minnesota Røkkr, playing , a shooter game that is one of the most popular in . With the Rocket League team, the Eagan-based company gets a chance to reach a broader audience and appeal to marketers who may be averse to sponsoring a game oriented around violence.

"There are some brands for whom a shooting game is not a good fit," said Brett Diamond, chief operating officer for Wise Ventures Esports. "Now we have an opportunity to engage in conversations with potential partners with a game that does carry an E rating and is very popular."

He said the company had been considering expanding into other video sports besides Call of Duty in 2020, but it had not made any decisions when an opportunity to form a Rocket League team emerged less than two months ago.

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At that time, , a Santa Monica, Calif.-based firm that owns e-sports teams in about a dozen different video games, decided that it would no longer field a team playing Rocket League.

Version1 is being formed by two of the three players who were on the Cloud9 team — Kyle Storer, known as "Torment" by Rocket League fans, and Jesus Parra, known as "Gimmick." The pair won the Rocket League Championship Series championship in its sixth season.

They are joined by Alexandre Bellemare, known to game fans as "AxB," and coach Jason Nunez, who was a top scorer in several seasons when he was a player.

Diamond said the players won't be moving to Minnesota nor practicing in the e-sports center the Wilfs built near the Minnesota Vikings headquarters in Eagan.

As the company enters more video game leagues, some will be based here and others will be scattered around the country, he said. In part, that depends on the setup of the game leagues. The Rocket League Championship Series does not have city-based teams.

"There's not a timeline on adding teams, but we're always evaluating what that next opportunity may be," Diamond said.

While the game in Rocket League is easy to grasp — cars playing soccer in a kind of mega-arena where the rules of gravity are a bit different — like many sports it is difficult to master, particularly to a level of professional play.

"The nuance is incredibly complex," Diamond said. "It's almost like their own law of physics that the players at the professional level have to master." PUBLICATION: Star Tribune DATE: 8/10/20

Apartment renters can join the Minnesota Vikings' Eagan neighborhood next summer

By Rochelle Olson

The live/work/play campus long envisioned by the Vikings' owners for their new Eagan campus is closing in on the trifecta.

They've built the work and the play with the new headquarters for the NFL football team and their new e-sports franchise Røkker. There's also the full-service Twin Cities Orthopedics clinic and lots of walking and biking paths among the newly planted trees on nearly 200 acres.

Now comes the living part: Omni Hotels and Resorts will open its first Minnesota location there this fall, a 14-story, 320-room stunner. By next summer, 261 apartment units will open to renters.

"All of our projects here we've been able to keep on time and on budget," said Don Becker, who heads real estate and development for the Vikings. "They're happening pretty much the way we laid it out in the initial plan."

That was back in 2016, when the Eagan City Council approved the multi•phase Viking Lakes project by MV Eagan Ventures, operated by Mark, Zygi and Leonard Wilf.

The Wilfs bought the Vikings with money from their successful New Jersey real estate enterprise. The team moved its offices to Eagan from its longtime Eden Prairie quarters in 2018.

The development is rising on acreage near Dodd Road and Interstate 494 that once was the global headquarters of Northwest Airlines. Those office buildings are gone, but the new development has kept the surrounding wetlands and verdant contours of the parcel.

The Omni hotel will connect to the outdoorsy campus in various ways, including a lounge with an outdoor terrace, an outdoor pool, a full-service spa, a 7,500-square-foot ballroom and a 4,410-square-foot event center.

The hotel will feature six two-story hospitality lounges placed on every other floor with couches, communal tables, a fireplace and kitchens.

Rents for the apartments haven't been announced, and there's been no marketing yet for the complex, but Becker said he's already heard from wannabe tenants and put them on the waiting list. Many of the units will have two bedrooms, and tenants will get an underground parking spot.

Renters will have plenty of play opportunities with a full-size indoor lap pool, an outdoor leisure pool, yoga rooms, a golf simulator and bowling alley. There will be party rooms and a clubhouse, and eventually tennis and pickleball courts.

"We just think this area is going to be a destination," Becker said. "I'm seeing it already with people who show up on campus to bike or walk with their kids."

Eagan Mayor Mike Maguire said the development so far has been thoughtful and well-coordinated, with disagreements easily smoothed out. He said he's eager to find out the level of interest in the apartments and whether residents relocate.

"That will be a test of how welcoming the community is," Maguire said.

More phases are planned with additional apartments, offices, retail space and a restaurant with entertainment. Becker said specifics haven't been determined, but big-box stores won't be part of it. The offices will offer "flexible space" to reflect the new reality that employees won't be going into the office every day. An employee would call a day in advance to have their space set up for them, then their office equipment would be stored to let someone else use the space the next day.

Maguire expects the campus site to get busier with the hotel opening and the eventual arrival of entertainment.

"For a lot of the community, they're looking forward to what it's going to become," the mayor said. PUBLICATION: The Athletic DATE: 8/10/20

Vikings Training Camp Guide — S: Two of the best in the game lead the way

By Arif Hasan

(Editor’s note: This is part of a series of position-by-position articles breaking down every non-specialist player on the Vikings roster as training camp begins. We’ve already covered the , running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive line, defensive ends, defensive tackles, linebackers, and cornerbacks. To close out the series, we look at the safeties.)

If there’s a rock-solid foundation to this year’s defense, it’s at safety, where the Vikings sport perhaps the best duo in the league. Between 2017 and 2019, the top two safeties in cumulative Pro Football Focus grade were Anthony Harris and Harrison Smith. It’s difficult to beat that kind of impact.

Should the Vikings defense find ways to maintain its top-tier ranking in the NFL, it will likely be because of the efforts of their talented safety corps.

In the past, that group had been supplemented by talented and versatile depth that could fill in at the slot just as much as deep center field, but now have as many unknowns as the cornerback group. This could be the spot on the roster, aside from quarterback, where the health of the starters defines the performance of the team.

On the other hand, if the Vikings’ instincts on their rookie class of defensive backs is correct, they could be in better shape than we think.

Harrison Smith (Brace Hemmelgarn / USA Today) Harrison Smith After taking a bit of a step back in 2018, Smith returned to form in 2019 with an excellent season — one with largely similar box-score statistics, but a bigger on-field presence and one that reestablished his place among the league’s top safeties — all while dealing with a significant dropoff in play from the cornerbacks in front of him. The Vikings defensive hopes likely rely on him repeating that feat, even as he grows older.

MIN - SSHarrison Smith NINTH SEASON WITH VIKINGS AGE 31

HT 6-2

WT 214

YRS 9

Strengths: Instincts and understanding of offenses and the defense are at an extremely high-level and often freelances to benefit the defense and surprise the offense. Great sense of how to adjust the defensive call to exploit the offense. Second-lowest passer rating in coverage allowed among safeties with 1,000 snaps over the last three years, and a rating allowed of 72.0 or lower in seven of the last eight years, including a passer rating of 35.7 allowed in 2019. Great diagnosis and ability to read plays before they develop. Route recognition and pattern play among the best in the league. Doesn’t get fooled by double moves or play-action all that often. Quick recognition boosts considerable range. Athleticism still at a high level and can close on any number of passes. Does a great job preventing plays from going over the top — didn’t allow a single pass over 25 yards to be completed and only allowed two over 20 yards in 2019. Incredible stopping power; can dislodge passes from sure-handed receivers with the force of his hits. Generally good ball sense and finds ways to capture the ball in the air. Good blitzer and great understanding of how to generate pressure. Great tackling angles against the run.

Weaknesses: Missed significantly more tackles in 2019 than before — generally good form, but 12 missed tackles is alarming. Pressure production has been dropping the past few years. Most of his pressure has come from innovation and intuition and generally comes unblocked — as opponents learn his patterns, pressure can drop; doesn’t rush the passer in the same way Jamal Adams or Derwin James do, where they regularly beat blocks. Freelancing style can occasionally leave defenders out to dry — if he doesn’t win immediately as a result of that freelancing, can allow others to give up big plays he should have covered for. Man-coverage struggles limit his versatility — while improved over his first several years in the NFL, still remains a problem, especially against quicker tight ends. Has been fooled by play misdirection in the past, though that wasn’t a big issue in 2019. Speed is good not great, especially now — has lost a small step and can lose faster receivers and tight ends if forced to chase; relies on anticipation and positioning to prevent deep plays and big runs.

Anthony Harris (Chuck Cook / USA Today) Anthony Harris It’s entirely possible that, as far as on-field performance goes, Anthony Harris is the more impressive safety between him and Smith. While intangibles — like Smith’s successful freewheeling — likely put Smith above Harris in the final analysis, it’s nevertheless impressive that the Vikings have an elite duo. While Harris’ future with the team remains up in the air given his one-year contract under the franchise tag, the Vikings will be relying on him this year to cover up the inexperience of the corners playing in front of him.

MIN - FSAnthony Harris SIXTH YEAR WITH VIKINGS AGE 28

HT 6-1

WT 202

YRS 6

Strengths: Fantastic ball-hawk and great sense for where the ball is going to be. While some of it is built off of fluky tipped passes, like against Seattle, his overall rate of getting his hands on the ball on targeted passes — 48.6 percent — is the highest of any safety with at least 1,000 snaps over the last three years. Led all safeties in interceptions in 2019. That also means he has the lowest adjusted yards allowed per target and per snap in coverage, out of a sample of 96 safeties. Great diagnosis and reaction; pulls the trigger quickly on what he sees — an issue in his first couple years as a Viking. Willing to play physical, especially in coverage. Good footwork and rarely out of place attacking passing plays. Didn’t allow a single passing play of over 15 air yards in his coverage. Added size gives power to tackles in the run game. Sifts through traffic to avoid blocks.

Weaknesses: Didn’t play much in the box — largely a product of a Cover-4 style defense in 2019 but hid some issues with tackling angles. While tackling angles have improved, they are mitigated by take-on skills; ducking blocks to get tackles often results in tackles occurring later downfield. Fairly low “stop rate” on runs and largely played force role in run game rather than flowing to the ball. Can get bowled over by blockers. Some fluidity issues limit his man coverage capability. Might not ever be a truly versatile safety and could limit Vikings’ defensive versatility.

Brian Cole II (Brian Spurlock / USA Today) Brian Cole II Cole took a somewhat circuitous path to the NFL, initially committing to Michigan but seeing himself on the outside looking in because of a coaching change. He went the JUCO route before finally transferring to Mississippi State — though a credit transfer problem prevented him from playing his first year there. After finally seeing playing time in Power Five games, Cole earned the attention of NFL scouts despite playing a hybrid role in the defense. He’s more of a traits prospect than one who has played well enough to earn NFL playing time, but if he plays out to his potential, he could be a valuable asset.

MIN - SBrian Cole II SEVENTH-ROUND DRAFT PICK AGE 23

HT 6-2

WT 209

YRS 0

Strengths: On-field speed and agility is impressive. Good kick return average in college, 20.6 per return over his career — albeit over 16 career kick returns. Great size, especially for a box safety. Can bring a lot of that power to bear and does a good job jolting running backs when tackling. Plays with a fair amount of length, seems to find his ways to get hands inside the ballcarrier’s cradle and can create extension when blocked up. Good click-and-close in zone; drives on the ball well. Large tackle radius — burst is impressive and can be used as a blitzer as well. Great overall range.

Weaknesses: Some injury history — missed a good portion of his junior year. For a purportedly high-level athlete, didn’t run all that well at the combine. Didn’t run other tests aside from the 40-yard dash. Poor instincts and play diagnosis — takes a tic to respond to the play and can be fooled by misdirection and play action. Hybrid role at Mississippi State doesn’t map very well onto safety, linebacker or cornerback responsibilities. One of the highest completion rates allowed among drafted defensive backs and one of the lowest grades in coverage from that group, per Pro Football Focus. Two career pass deflections, neither of them occurring at the catch point. Primary coverage assignment occurred most often in the slot, but did a poor job dealing with vertical routes from the slot and couldn’t deal with two-way goes. Doesn’t uncoil hips well in the run game, robbing himself of power. Doesn’t take on blocks very well, choosing to skirt around instead of through.

Josh Metellus (Brian Spurlock / USA Today) Josh Metellus Metellus and Cole were almost teammates at Michigan, though Cole transferred right before Metellus arrived on campus. Metellus quickly proved his worth to the Wolverines, one of only two FBS teams to offer him coming out of high school. A high-floor, low-ceiling kind of player, the Vikings might have found the kind of backup who is valuable deep in the defensive backfield — one who doesn’t make many mistakes.

MIN - SJosh Metellus SIXTH-ROUND DRAFT PICK AGE 22 --- HT 5-11 --- WT 209 --- YRS 0 --- Strengths: Rarely out of position, tends to play both center-field and box roles with a high degree of accuracy. Relishes physical contact and improved his play against the run in his senior year. Great tackling form and does a good job running through tackles as well as breaking down for tackles in the open field. Very few missed tackles throughout his career. Great at reading the play and getting to the ball, especially in zone coverage — reads the quarterback’s eyes. Good break on the ball and willing to run through receivers to dislodge the pass. Good ball skills in the air and smart about playing the ball without giving up big plays in order to hunt picks. Experience in the slot as well, and did reasonably well there.

Weaknesses: Extremely small margin for error. While he rode the line well in college, faster NFL speeds might force him to get caught out. Poor recovery speed; losing a step usually means losing the receiver completely. Man coverage in college unlikely to translate because of limited fluidity. Can get blown up in the run game, both by physical ballcarriers and aggressive blockers. Not a lot of play strength. While emotions on the field is largely good, often lets it get the best of him and has been ejected several times over his career as a result. Though good in the air, can mistime jumps, a problem exacerbated by his average size — again, very little margin for error.

Myles Dorn (Jeremy Brevard / USA Today) Myles Dorn A heady player for UNC, Dorn generated 20 pass deflections in his final three seasons — over the course of 33 games — in addition to six interceptions. Originally a receiver recruit for North Carolina, Dorn transitioned to a defensive back role that saw him get his hands on the ball a surprising amount, putting his receiver skills to good use. While he’s certainly not a complete prospect, he’s a little bit more intriguing than your typical undrafted free agent.

MIN - SMyles Dorn UNDRAFTED FREE AGENT AGE 22

HT 6-2

WT 205

YRS 0

Strengths: Good diagnosis and instincts. Reads plays well and has an understanding of route combinations and where he needs to be to best attack them. Good at disguising coverages and making it to his true landmark quickly. Does a good job floating in zone and anticipates the quarterback, reading his eyes well. Flows to the ball in the run game and does a good job meeting the runner as he turns upfield. Hits well and generally does so without giving up missed tackles, combining effective tackling with hit power. Quick trigger to react to the offense. Above-average pursuit ability and understanding of tackling angles.

Weaknesses: Inconsistent — can make a big play in the backfield in one moment, then give up a big run in the next moment. While tackling angles are generally good, still has the capacity to whiff entirely and miss his run assignment. Top-end speed doesn’t match NFL safeties and can get turned around easily by faster receivers or lose chase against running backs. Limited range as a result — entirely reliant on instincts and diagnosis. Will still get caught out on play-action and misdirection, giving up big plays. Fluidity prevents great transition or recovery — stiff player that has difficulty turning a tight corner. Difficulty disengaging from blocks — has to avoid blocks altogether if he makes an impact in the running game. PUBLICATION: CBS Sports DATE: 8/10/20

Vikings' Cameron Smith discovers he needs heart surgery after positive COVID-19 test, will miss 2020 season

By Bryan DeArdo

Cameron Smith, the second-year linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings, announced Sunday via Instagram that he will miss the 2020 season because he needs to have open heart surgery. Smith, through further testing that was performed after he had tested positive for COVID-19, discovered he needs the surgery to fix a bicuspid aortic valve that he was born with.

"Although this will unfortunately end my 2020 season, it is really a blessing that we found this as my heart is severely enlarged and wouldn't have lasted much longer," Smith wrote. "I found this out after I tested positive for COVID and had to have further testing done as protocol. The Lord works in mysterious ways, but I could really feel him on this one!"

Smith, a 2019 fifth-round pick who appeared in five games as a rookie, is confident that he will resume his career in 2021. Smith said he "didn't think twice" about resuming his career upon receiving the news of his upcoming surgery.

"By no means am I ready to be done playing football," he wrote, "there is still so much more I want to accomplish on the field. I'm going to attack this like everything else I have in life. Already looking forward to the comeback!"

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Smith, who played collegiately at USC, was slated as Eric Kendricks' primary backup on the Vikings' proceed 53-man roster for the 2020 season. Jordan Fehr, an undrafted rookie out of Appalachian State, will look to fill Smith's spot on the depth chart. Last fall, Fehr, an All-Sun Belt Conference performer during his last two seasons at Appalachian State, recorded a team-high 109 tackles while helping the Mountaineers finish the season with a 13-1 record. PUBLICATION: USA Today DATE: 8/10/20

Vikings LB Cameron Smith to miss 2020 due to heart condition discovered after positive COVID-19 test

By Lorenzo Reyes

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Cameron Smith has a heart condition that will require surgery and force him to miss the entire 2020 season, a realization that was made only after he tested positive for the coronavirus.

Smith announced the diagnosis Saturday in an Instagram post and said the open heart surgery will fix a bicuspid aortic valve.

"Although this will unfortunately end my 2020 season, it is really a blessing that we found this as my heart is severely enlarged and wouldn’t have lasted much longer," Smith said in the post. "I found this out after I tested positive for COVID and had to have further testing done as protocol."

Smith, the No. 162 overall selection in the 2019 draft, appeared in five games last season and recorded eight tackles. A four-year starter at USC, Smith racked up 354 tackles, 3.5 sacks and four interceptions with the Trojans.

"There is a surgery that will allow me to continue to play football as soon as I am healed and cleared and I didn’t think twice about going with that one," Smith said. "By no means am I ready to be done playing football, there is still so much more I want to accomplish on the field. Im (sic) going to attack this like everything else I have in life." PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 8/10/20

NFL Media Projects Floor of 6-10 and Ceiling of 11-5 For Vikings in 2020

By Will Ragatz

The NFL recently uploaded a video to its YouTube channel titled "Every Team's Floor and Ceiling in the 2020 Season." In it, they pick three records for all 32 teams: a floor (worst-case scenario) record, a projected record, and a ceiling (best-case scenario) record.

When it comes to the Vikings, the range is about what you'd expect. They set Minnesota's floor at 6-10, their ceiling at 11-5, and the actual prediction is right in the middle at 9-7, a one-win dropoff from the Vikings' 10-6 record in 2019.

Honestly, that feels pretty fair. Some of the concerns cited by the narrator of the video include the loss of Stefon Diggs, the Vikings' turnover luck in 2019, and a below-average run defense. I recently covered some of those topics when writing about four areas where the Vikings may be primed for regression in 2020.

Here's how the Vikings are projected to fare, week by week:

Week 1 (9/13): vs. : WIN (1-0) Week 2 (9/20): at Indianapolis Colts: WIN (2-0) Week 3 (9/27): vs. Tennessee Titans: LOSS (2-1) Week 4 (10/4): at Houston Texans: WIN (3-1) Week 5 (10/11): at : LOSS (3-2) Week 6 (10/18): vs. : LOSS (3-3) Week 7 (10/25): BYE WEEK Week 8 (11/1): at Green Bay Packers: LOSS (3-4) Week 9 (11/8): vs. : WIN (4-4) Week 10 (11/16): at : LOSS (4-5) Week 11 (11/22): vs. : WIN (5-5) Week 12 (11/29): vs. Carolina Panthers: WIN (6-5) Week 13 (12/6): vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: WIN (7-5) Week 14 (12/13): at : LOSS (7-6) Week 15 (12/20): vs. Chicago Bears: WIN (8-6) Week 16 (12/25): at : LOSS (8-7) Week 17 (1/3): at Detroit Lions: WIN (9-7) PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 8/10/20

Vikings Waive UDFA Offensive Lineman Tyler Higby

By Will Ragatz

The Vikings have waived undrafted free agent offensive lineman Tyler Higby, the team announced on Sunday. Higby spent two weeks on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, which suggests he tested positive for the virus and showed symptoms. Upon his activation from that list, the Vikings chose to cut him to keep their active roster at 80 players.

Higby was signed as a UDFA after a strong four-year career at Michigan State. He was primarily a guard for the Spartans, but also played some center and some left tackle. Higby's primary calling card is his athleticism; he dominated the speed and explosiveness testing drills at MSU's pro day and has a ridiculous 9.89 Relative Athletic Score (without agility drills).

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On July 27th, Higby was among the first wave of Vikings players – along with fellow rookies Justin Jefferson, Blake Brandel, and Brian Cole II, added to the new COVID list. Brandel was activated after four days, while Jefferson and Cole came off the list after eight days. But Higby remained on the list until Sunday, just shy of two weeks after he was placed on it.

Because the Vikings need to stay at 80 players or fewer on the active roster, every recent activation from the COVID list has come with a corresponding cut. Davion Davis, Kemon Hall, Bralon Addison, and Tony Brooks-James have all been waived recently. But instead of adding Higby to the active roster and cutting someone else, the Vikings decided to waive him.

Linebacker Cameron Smith announced Saturday that he will miss the 2020 season to fix a congenital heart condition. That means the Vikings will only have to make one more cut to keep the roster at 80, which will happen when offensive lineman Oli Udoh is activated off of the COVID list.