DAILY CLIPS

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2020 LOCAL NEWS: Friday, May 22, 2020

Pioneer Press

Vikings assistant : ‘It’s kind of weird for your boss to be your dad’ By Bob Sansevere https://www.twincities.com/2020/05/21/vikings-assistant-adam-zimmer-its-kind-of-weird-for-your-boss-to-be-your-dad/

After breakout 2019, Vikings defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo preps for starting role this fall By Jace Frederick https://www.twincities.com/2020/05/21/after-breakout-2019-vikings-defensive-end-ifeadi-odenigbo-preps-for-starting- role-this-fall/

Star Tribune

Vikings defensive lineman Ifeadi Odenigbo is ready to take the next step By Chris Miller https://www.startribune.com/vikings-defensive-lineman-ifeadi-odenigbo-is-ready-to-take-the-next-step/570679642/

The Athletic

After a breakout year, Ifeadi Odenigbo eyes a starting spot on Vikings’ D-line By Chad Graff https://theathletic.com/1829327/2020/05/21/ifeadi-odenigbo-vikings-defensive-line-starting-spot-everson-griffen/

NATIONAL NEWS: Friday, May 22, 2020

Associated Press

Odenigbo’s opportunity: Vikings pass rusher now in key role By Dave Campbell https://apnews.com/be82ac9190a4c5734dcc40ae39a33401

Maven Media

Vikings Defensive Tackles Preview: Who Will Emerge at Three-Technique? By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/vikings-defensive-tackles-preview-three-technique-competition

Vikings 2021 Free Agents: Which Players are Entering Contract Years? By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/vikings-2021-free-agents-contract-years

MULTIMEDIA NEWS: Friday, May 22, 2020

NFL at Home: Adrian Peterson Remembers His First Career NFL By NFL Network https://www.vikings.com/video/nfl-at-home-adrian-peterson-remembers-his-first-career-nfl-touchdown

GMFB: Is The Vikings' Success In 2020 Completely Reliant on Kirk Cousins? By NFL Network https://www.vikings.com/video/gmfb-is-the-vikings-success-in-2020-completely-reliant-on-kirk-cousins

Next Man Up: Ifeadi Odenigbo By KSTP http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=1f610c56-a835-4c4e-8065-c4ef6266f091

Eager to Show Off New Defense By KMSP http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=16373f1e-ea16-43b9-8bea-4958095487cc

Odenigbo Preparing for Bigger Role By KARE http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=d05ca6e7-864d-4b85-a301-f2f43baf8135

VIKINGS ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK: Friday, May 22, 2020

Ifeadi Odenigbo Ready for Potentially Increased Role in 2020 By Eric Smith https://www.vikings.com/news/ifeadi-odenigbo-2020-season-potentially-increased-role

PUBLICATION: Pioneer Press DATE: 5/22/20

Vikings assistant Adam Zimmer: ‘It’s kind of weird for your boss to be your dad’

By Bob Sansevere

Adam Zimmer has been an assistant coach under his father, Mike Zimmer, since 2013. Adam was the assistant defensive backs coach with the Cincinnati Bengals when Mike was the defensive coordinator there. They both left for Minnesota in 2014, when Mike became the Vikings’ head coach. After spending the past six seasons as the Vikings’ linebackers coach, Adam was elevated to co-defensive coordinator along with Andre Patterson. Adam chatted about that and so much more with the Pioneer Press.

After things shut down, I spent about a week in my apartment in Uptown. Then I said, “I’m tired of this.” I’d go to Dunkin’ Donuts to get a coffee and that was about the only human interaction I had. So, after a week, I drove to stay with my dad at his place in Kentucky. It’s about 30 minutes south of Cincinnati. It’s not in the middle of nowhere. There are restaurants and grocery stores nearby. We have a lot of land, and it’s close enough to grab dinner or something.

On weekends, I walk around the land. It takes about an hour. My dad and I mowed a golf course (into our land) and we hit balls. We shoot some trap. The typical stuff we’d do when we’d come to visit.

I spend much of the day separate from my dad. I’m working downstairs. He works upstairs. We cook dinner and watch TV together. My middle sister, Marki, is here also.

Football always comes up. A few nights ago, my dad pulled out a white board and drew on it. It’s always on our mind. That’s what we do.

I’m definitely itching to get back to normal. We have these virtual meetings, and it’s been good. I want to get back to driving to work every day and having meetings every day instead of virtual stuff. We’ve tried to have virtual walk- throughs. We make a call to each position group and they have to explain what to do. That’s as much as we can get out of this, trying innovative ways to do things.

I’ve gone to practices since I was 3. It was early on when I decided I wanted to coach.

I want to be a head coach someday. That’s been in the plan ever since I’ve started. I’ve taken some notes from every head coach I’ve been with. I made mental notes and, you know, (figure out how) I would do this if I was a head coach or I wouldn’t do this for certain reasons. If you’re in this position now, that’s the next step. I don’t want to do it when I’m not ready. I want to thrive in this role first and then get to that position.

I’d be all for it if we won a .

If I could time travel, sentimentally, I’d like to go back to when my mom was living. She passed away in 2009. It was my last year with the (New Orleans) Saints. I was basically like a graduate assistant. The last year they added assistant linebacker coach.

My favorite cereal as a kid either was Fruity Pebbles or that honey-smack cereal. My dad loved Cap‘n Crunch, so I had that, too.

I love the movie “Miracle.” I get goose bumps every time I watch it.

For comedies, I like all those movies with Will Ferrell.

I got my degree in finance from Trinity University in San Antonio so, if I wasn’t coaching football, maybe I’d be doing something in that nature or teaching.

My dad has been the greatest influence on me. I learned a whole lot from him and my mom. When I first got to the Saints, Joe Vitt taught me a lot about coaching and being in the meeting room. He had an influence on me, too. He took a kid right out of college and took me under his wing and trusted me to do stuff. He let me run drills and run meetings. His son-in-law is , and he’s coaching with the Jets now.

At the facility and around the team, I mostly call my dad Coach. It’s kind of weird for your boss to be your dad. I refer to him as Zimm in front of players. Players call me Zimm, Coach or Adam. As long as they don’t call me a—hole, I’m good.

Everyone says we’re similar, my dad and me. But I think we both have our own little quirks. I don’t think I’m as boisterous as he is. No, I don’t yell as much as him. I’m more of an explain-things-coach instead of a yeller. We’re all intense on game day, so that’s a little different. But around the players, I think I’m a little more talkative instead of yelling.

Since we started coaching together, I think our relationship definitely is stronger. I spent just one year in Cincinnati with him. It was an adjustment period in Cincinnati. Eventually, we became more comfortable. I went there in 2013 and he got the job in Minnesota in 2014. I learned more football in these last seven years than I could have imagined.

I played four years of football in college. I was a defensive back. I wasn’t anything to write home about.

One of the coaches I had the most respect for was Charlie Weis. I worked for him in Kansas City (in 2010). He saw things really, really well as a coach. He called an outstanding game. He says he tries to put himself through the players’ eyes and see what they can do, not something that’s drawn up and they can’t do and is unrealistic. I tell the players all the time, “You guys are the ones that have to play. If you don’t think we can do this, tell me and we’ll adjust things.” A lot of things look good on the chalkboard or talking through it on the film, but if they can’t go out and execute it, it’s doing no good. It’s hurting you instead of helping you.

Being a co-defensive coordinator with ‘Dre has been really smooth. We’ll get together and meet and put together a schedule. He does a little more in the front and the run game. I do a little more with the back end, the DBs, linebackers and coverage. It’s not difficult at all. I’ve known ‘Dre since I was in grade school, so it’s a good relationship.

Worst thing I did as a kid? Maybe at training camp, getting my dad’s golf cart stuck in a sand trap at the college he was at in training camp when he was with Dallas. It was like a volleyball sand court. I was 12 or 13. He had to come and push it out. He was younger then and in much better shape.

We moved to Dallas when I was in fifth grade and my dad was there coaching with the Cowboys until I graduated college. I was on the sideline holding his cord from Day One. My two favorite players were guys he coached, Deion Sanders and Rod Woodson. Great guys.

Deion had me out to the Reds’ training camp one year when he was playing baseball. I sat in his chair, and on one side of me was Barry Larkin and on the other side was Ken Griffey, Jr. I got signed balls from those two guys. When he was playing with the Reds, I was playing baseball at the time and Deion was going to work on my swing with me, so we went in the batting cage, then we came into the Reds’ clubhouse and I sat and talked with those two. That was a pretty good memory.

My favorite food in general is TexMex. I’m still looking for a good spot in the Twin Cities because they don’t make it the same they do in Texas.

Since we’ve been here (in Kentucky), we bought a smoker and I’ve been smoking different meats every couple of nights and trying different things out. I think the brisket I I smoked on Draft Day was probably the best we’ve had. They all raved about it. I smoke some beef jerky pretty regularly because my Dad and I both like the recipe I found online. I cut up a steak and I found this recipe with soy sauce and Worcestershire and red peppers, and marinate it overnight and put it in the smoker.

Since I’m an amateur smoker, we got an electric smoker where it has a digital thermometer on there and you can plug it into the meat. You pretty much watch it and replace the wood chips every hour or so.

I’m not the most social person, so maybe if I could change anything, I’d be a little more outgoing.

I think Vikings fans are very passionate. We had passionate fans in New Orleans and Kansas City when I was there, and even the Bengals had some. I think Vikings fans are more talkative on forums than the teams I’ve been around. They’re very passionate. It’s one of the loudest stadiums in the league, if not the loudest. They’ll love you, win or lose, most of them. I think they support us great.

My epitaph? I’d like to be remembered as a champion. That’s why you do a job like this — it’s to win. Also, that I was a good teacher and good mentor and someone who got the best out of his players’ ability. PUBLICATION: Pioneer Press DATE: 5/22/20

After breakout 2019, Vikings defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo preps for starting role this fall

By Jace Frederick

It wasn’t until a January phone call with his mother the morning after a disappointing loss to San Francisco in the NFC Divisional Round, which ended the Vikings’ season, that Ifeadi Odenigbo took a moment to reflect on what he had accomplished over the previous few months.

Three years after the defensive end was selected in the seventh round of the draft, then eventually cut and later placed on a practice squad, Odenigbo was a legitimate contributor on a playoff team.

And after a breakout season that featured seven sacks — four in the final five weeks of the season — despite limited snaps in 2019, Odenigbo may be the favorite to start at defensive end opposite Danielle Hunter for the Vikings this fall after Everson Griffen’s offseason departure.

“I’m taking that approach,” Odenigbo said Thursday in a conference call with reporters. “I’ve seen my development from the preseason (last fall) when I was pass rushing to Week 14, when I started to get in the groove. … I had a breakout year, but my approach this year is being more efficient.”

Odenigbo attributes his 2019 success to opportunity and buy-in. He is pleased with his recent results, but noted in January that he’s guarding against being content. This is the same guy who was humbled upon entering the NFL out of Northwestern, where he quickly realized he wasn’t as good as he suspected. He has been moved to defensive tackle — where he gained 25 pounds in such a short order that he joked he cramped every time he went to scratch his butt — and back to defensive end again. He has been knocked down time and again.

But when Odenigbo finally got a chance to succeed, he grabbed it, and doesn’t plan on letting it go now.

“Because what happens in this league, you start reminiscing about ‘Oh, I did pretty good,’ and then you get slapped in the face the next year,” he said. “No one cares if you got seven sacks last year. What do you do now? That puts more pressure on myself, but I like that. I like the fact that I got seven sacks, I know what it takes to get to the quarterback. I’m ready to let everybody know that this is not a fluke, and I’m here all day, every day.”

At age 26, Odenigbo is still a relatively young player, which could make a virtual offseason a challenge. But he feels he is far enough into his career to be able to take information from the coaching staff, teach himself and translate it to the field.

The Vikings have roughly two hours of Zoom meetings each day, and Odenigbo’s camera is off for just about all of it. That’s because as the coaches are providing instruction, Odenigbo is putting it to practice in real time.

“I kind of get into my stance because no one’s able to see me, and I start visualizing, I start doing power steps, I start working long arms,” he said. “So it’s kind of cool, the fact that nobody can see me, so when (co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Andre Patterson) is talking, (I work on things), because it starts with visualizing. And when you’re able to visualize it, then you’re able to apply it.”

Odenigbo said he knows the technique and fundamentals of playing the position — he has had prime examples in watching Hunter, Griffen and Linval Joseph — and is simply working now to master the mechanics and fine-tune the details. The conditioning is key, too. He experienced the grind of a 22-game season last fall and noticed the toll that took, and that was only in a part-time playing role. It wasn’t until the Week 17 game against Chicago — during which most of Minnesota’s starters didn’t play — that Odenigbo got a start and played the majority of the snaps.

“It’s like, ‘Yo, this is wild,’ ” Odenigbo recalled that game. “(You have to) have your body conditioned and have the mindset, because when you’re playing 60-70 snaps, you have to be locked in.”

Upon the season’s conclusion, Odenigbo said the Vikings coaching staff told him he has shown he belongs on an NFL field, and it was simply time to build off it.

“I’m pretty excited for what’s in store,” he said in January, “and I’ve just got to take care of business this offseason.”

He planned to hone in his diet this spring, but has been careful not to ramp up his conditioning too much just yet.

“We’re kind of in this limbo land, so I’m working hard, training. But I’m also trying to find the right time to peak,” he said. “I’ve been taking it one step at a time, working on the fundamentals, details and stuff like that. If we don’t have OTAs, then in the July area, that’s when I’ll really start upping the conditioning, because I’ve got to get used to playing 40, 50, 60 snaps.” PUBLICATION: Star Tribune DATE: 5/22/20

Vikings defensive lineman Ifeadi Odenigbo is ready to take the next step

By Chris Miller

When — or if — the Vikings open the season against the Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sept. 13, Ifeadi Odenigbo will likely be introduced as a starter at defensive end.

But Odenigbo’s real introduction to Vikings faithful came in a 56-yard return for a touchdown against the Chargers last December in Carson, Calif. Now that he’s on the radar … he could become a well-known name as he steps in following the departure of 10-year veteran Everson Griffen.

That means Odenigbo could become a three-down player after being used primarily in pass rushing situations during his first full year in the NFL in 2019.

“Watching film, I’ve seen my development from [last] preseason when I was pass rushing toward Week 14 when I started to get into a groove,” Odenigbo said Thursday during a Zoom teleconference. “My approach this year is to be more efficient.”

Vikings players are having two-hour video meetings most days with their coaches, and Odenigbo’s group is being tutored by co-defensive coordinator Andre Patterson, who has been the defensive line coach under Mike Zimmer since 2014.

“So what we try to do,” Odenigbo said, “during the Zoom meeting — good thing the cameras are off — Coach ’Dre will say things and he’ll tell me I need to do this, and I’ll kind of get into my stance when no one is able to see me, and I start visualizing, I start doing power steps … ’cause it starts with visualizing, and when you are able to visualize, you’re able to apply.”

Odenigbo, 26, was a seventh-round draft pick in 2017 and spent his rookie season on the practice squad. He was cut in 2018 and spent time on the Cleveland, Arizona and Vikings practice squads, turning down a late-season opportunity to sign with the Eagles to remain in Minnesota. He played in every game last season, getting seven sacks while playing both tackle and end.

With Griffen and nose tackle Linval Joseph gone, the Vikings likely will build the line around Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter, Odenigbo and tackles Shamar Stephen and Michael Pierce, a free-agent signing. And the early stages of that build have come with players checking in remotely and losing the chance for hands-on coaching because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Adversity comes at you different ways,” Odenigbo said. “I’ve been watching this Michael Jordan documentary and watching all the adversity he’s come through … this pandemic — yeah, we’re not together, people are using excuses, [but] this is my time to get right.”

As for stepping into Griffen’s spot, Odenigbo said, “I’m taking that approach,” adding: “I got to study him and study his mechanics, Everson, the way he goes about it, there’s no wasted movement. As a vet now, I know the technique and the fundamentals, it’s just work out the mechanics, just fine-tune the little details.

“We’re in this limbo land, and I’m working hard training, but I’m also trying to find the right time to peak. There’s no point in me peaking in June right now. If we don’t have OTAs, mid July or something, I’ll really up the conditioning, because there’s when I’ve got to get used to playing 40-50 snaps [a game].”

For now, he is enjoying watching the first-year players go through the orientation of becoming a pro, and remembering when his head was swimming in a similar situation.

“As a rookie you get in and Coach ’Dre is teaching all this pass rushing, run stance, all that stuff so it’s an overload to the brain,” he said. “You got to take it in bits and pieces; I was fortunate that Coach Patterson was patient. When I first got there I looked kind of slow or kind of hesitant because of all that information, and I became more comfortable and started feeling more confidence, it became easier.

“So the most important thing as a young guy … is just buying in. Coach is absolute, know what I mean? Coach ’Dre has an impressive résumé, he’s been doing it forever. There’s really no point of ever doubting him. … Just do what Coach ’Dre says and he’ll get you right.”

PUBLICATION: The Athletic DATE: 5/22/20

After a breakout year, Ifeadi Odenigbo eyes a starting spot on Vikings’ D-line

By Chad Graff

Before the Vikings took a chance on Ifeadi Odenigbo in the seventh round of the 2017 draft, the start of a winding path that now has him on the doorstep of a starting job, they needed to be swayed.

Defensive line coach Andre Patterson, a close friend of Mike Zimmer with a track record as good as any at picking late-round pass rushers, had enjoyed chatting with Odenigbo at the scouting combine. He gave Odenigbo his phone number, something Odenigbo took to be a test.

So Odenigbo spent the next week studying Patterson’s players and took a liking to watching Everson Griffen play. This was the spring of 2017, just before the best season of Griffen’s career. Odenigbo noted that he’s a similar size to Griffen. Maybe he’s not quite as fast, but he felt they looked alike on the field.

“We’re lowkey kind of similar body types,” he said.

So Odenigbo called up Patterson. They talked football for a while then Odenigbo offered his pitch. If you could groom Griffen into a good NFL player, maybe you could do the same for me? The move was enough to have Patterson ask the Vikings to draft Odenigbo in the final round.

“I think I put that idea in his head and he’s like, ‘Huh, you’re not wrong,’” Odenigbo said in December while re- counting a long journey to a breakout season that included being twice cut by the Vikings.

Four years after that conversation with Patterson, Odenigbo is now the presumptive favorite to replace Griffen, a franchise icon and leader of the Vikings, the player Odenigbo once tried so hard to emulate.

“It’s cool,” Odenigbo said Thursday in a Zoom call with reporters. “Everson is a remarkable player, a mentor. For guys like me, I’m 6-foot-3, a little shorter for defensive ends, so having a guy like Everson and being the same size, I got to really watch his game. There were two or three years in a row where I got to watch him play. My rookie year, where he had 10-plus sacks, I really got to study his mechanics. Everything about Everson and how he goes about it, there’s no wasted movement.”

While the door has not completely closed on a return for Griffen, the 32-year-old veteran is expecting a hot market for his services once team facilities open and doesn’t sound inclined to take the sort of hometown discount that might be necessary if he’s to play for the Vikings next season. That adds up to the increased likelihood that Odenigbo takes over Griffen’s old spot as the main pass rusher opposite Danielle Hunter.

So as the Vikings continue virtual team meetings with eyes set on an on-time beginning to the 2020 season, Odenigbo is preparing as if he’ll be the team’s starter next season.

“I’m taking that approach,” Odenigbo said. “Obviously we have Danielle Hunter, who is just a freak, so I’m working hard. We all know that Danielle is an established vet. I don’t need much motivation because I see that guy go out, bust his butt every single day, never complains. Even when I’m working out, I’m thinking, ‘What’s Danielle doing now? Danielle is probably doing some crazy stuff and being lowkey incognito.’ It’s good to have guys like him, but I don’t want to be a drop-off.”

While losing Griffen certainly isn’t ideal, the Vikings feel like Odenigbo proved last season that he’s ready for a bigger role. After struggling to stick his first two seasons, Odenigbo was able to play at defensive end, his preferred position, last season and delivered a breakout campaign in the process.

His seven sacks marked the third most on the team (one fewer than Griffen), and his 56-yard scoop-and-score in Los Angeles was a highlight of the season.

“I think it just kind of clicked,” Odenigbo said. “Also, I was given an opportunity and I made the most of it. But obviously, having guys like Everson Griffen and Linval (Joseph), who kind of set the mark and how to act like a professional (helped). Having guys like Danielle too. My time when I was on practice squad for the first couple of years, I kind of very slowly took notes, saw how coach Dre (Patterson) was coaching them, saw the preparation and I really took mental notes. I was fortunate enough to have a good year because I was buying in. That’s the most important thing as a young guy, you have to buy in, get rid of your old ways and embrace the new ways.”

The campaign became what Odenigbo had been hoping for since he thought he was finally ready for a shot on the 53-man roster in 2018. Toward the end of that season, he remained on the practice squad when a call from the arrived. They wanted him on their 53-man roster. They were going to make a spot for him on game day.

It was tempting, sure. Odenigbo thought he was going to take it. But he didn’t want to throw aside all he had worked toward with Patterson and the Vikings. And, hey, a raise from Minnesota didn’t hurt, either.

In hindsight, Odenigbo is thrilled he made the decision to remain on the practice squad with the Vikings. At the end of last season, his dad, who initially didn’t want Odenigbo to play football at all, brought up that decision.

“My dad told me, ‘Hey, son, I am proud of you. You are a man now. What you did was a man’s decision,’” Odenigbo said.

Now, as he tries to prove his breakout wasn’t a fluke, Odenigbo knows he has big shoes to fill. It’s one thing to record seven sacks while he was a third-down pass-rushing specialist given the opportunity to work against guards. It’s another if he takes Griffen’s spot and has to go against the best offensive tackles in the game.

Oh, and Odenigbo presumably has to prove he deserves that spot, too. But as a strange offseason continues, Odenigbo prepares to replace the player he once tried to emulate.

“I’ve been taking it one step at a time, working on the fundamentals, details, and stuff like that,” Odenigbo said. “If we don’t have OTAs, then in the July area, that’s when I’ll really start upping the conditioning because I’ve got to get used to playing 40, 50, 60 snaps.”

PUBLICATION: Associated Press DATE: 5/22/20

Odenigbo’s opportunity: Vikings pass rusher now in key role

By Dave Campbell

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The , like the rest of the NFL during this virus-restricted offseason, have been forced to rely on virtual instruction over video conference calls between staff and players.

Ifeadi Odenigbo’s opportunity to become a full-time starter at defensive end has arrived. And, he has tried to take full advantage of the screen time with defensive line coach Andre Patterson.

The old adage about working hard when nobody’s watching? Consider it part of Odenigbo’s daily routine in this strangest of spring practice sessions.

“It’s a good thing that the cameras are off. Coach Dre will say things and tell me I need to do ‘this.’ I kind of get into my stance because no one’s able to see me, and I start visualizing. I start doing power steps. I start working long arms,” said Odenigbo, whose seven sacks were third on the team in 2019 behind Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen.

This is all part of the preparation for what will undoubtedly be the biggest role yet of Odenigbo’s fledgling career that made its first major acceleration over the second half of last season. Griffen, the longest-tenured player on the team, became a free agent and did not re-sign with the Vikings. Hunter, the two-time Pro Bowl pick who last year became the youngest player in NFL history to reach 50 career sacks, could use a consistent rush on the opposite side and up the middle to maintain his top-level production of the last few seasons.

“I don’t need much motivation because I see that guy go out and bust his butt every single day, never complains,” Odenigbo said Thursday from his home in Chicago on a video conference call with reporters. “Even when I’m working out, I’m thinking, ‘What’s Danielle doing now? Danielle is probably doing some crazy stuff and being low-key, incognito.’ It’s good to have guys like him, but I don’t want to be a drop-off.”

Over the last three regular season games in 2019, Odenigbo had three sacks, seven quarterback hits, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries — including one he returned for a touchdown against the .

“That’s one thing that I’m excited about, seeing him this year, because I feel like he’s ready to go out there and show what he’s got, and I believe that it’s coming this year,” Hunter said last month. “He’s a good worker. He has great work ethic. That’s the type of guy that we like around here.”

Griffen is one of five players who departed from the most common defensive lineup last season, a dangerous level of turnover for a team still carrying enough accomplished veterans to remain in win-now mode. The teaching acumen of assistants like Patterson will be put to the test, for sure, but coach Mike Zimmer said recently he sees the higher than usual number of unproven players in the mix as a “refreshing” change for him and his staff.

“When I say refreshing, I don’t mean I’m glad these guys are gone,” Zimmer said. “What I mean is it energizes us as coaches to try and get these guys up to speed as fast as we can. It reminds me, honestly, of college.”

At the NFL scouting combine earlier this year, when Griffen was still expected to return, Zimmer said he sees Odenigbo as capable of playing full time at the demanding defensive end position despite being slightly undersized at 6-foot-3 and 258 pounds.

Drafted in the seventh round out of Northwestern in 2017, Odenigbo spent his rookie season on the practice squad. He was a training camp cut in 2018 who landed on three practice squads over the first nine weeks of the season: Cleveland, Arizona and back to Minnesota again. Philadelphia offered him a spot on the active roster near the end of that year, but the Vikings were high enough on his potential to persuade him to stay for a raise.

The move paid off for both sides.

“I was given an opportunity,” Odenigbo said, “and I made the most of it.”

PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 5/22/20

Vikings Defensive Tackles Preview: Who Will Emerge at Three- Technique?

By Will Ragatz

With the NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, we're going to take an early look at each position on the Vikings' 2020 roster. We'll break down any notable competitions for certain roles or roster spots before making a prediction on who makes the 53-man roster, who winds up on the practice squad, and who will be continuing their football career elsewhere. We continue on the defensive side of the ball with a look at the big guys up front.

At some point, NFL teams will be cleared to begin practicing at their facilities in preparation for the 2020 season. That training period seems likely to be condensed from its usual format and perhaps affected in other ways by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but every team will deal with the same alterations and adjustments. Whether they start in July, August, or – in a worst-case scenario – even later, players and coaches will need at least a couple weeks of buildup before jumping into games that count.

Once that portion of the preseason schedule commences, the re-tooled Vikings will have quite a few competitions for important roles. Backup quarterback, third wide receiver, both starting guards, and the two cornerback spots next to Mike Hughes stand out as a few exciting battles that lie ahead. But for my money, there isn't a more fascinating positional contest than the one set to take place at three-technique defensive tackle.

That spot was a blatant weakness in an otherwise stout front seven for the Vikings last season. It was manned by Shamar Stephen, a 2014 seventh-round find by Rick Spielman who spent 2018 with the Seahawks before returning to Minnesota. Stephen is a big, physical player who can adequately plug gaps against the run, but he's severely lacking the explosiveness and penetration ability that three-techniques are supposed to provide. Last year, he recorded just six pressures and one sack in 314 pass-rushing snaps. The Vikings used Stephen on early downs and, knowing his deficiencies as a pass-rusher, rotated defensive ends into his spot (and Linval Joseph's) on third downs.

(Note: For anyone unaware, "three-technique" refers to the tackle who aligns on a guard's outside shoulder. The Vikings' 4-3 defense features a nose tackle at zero- or one-technique, a three-technique, and two defensive ends. The picture-perfect 3T is the Rams' Aaron Donald, who lives in opposing backfields and is a menace on twists and stunts.)

To put Stephen's six pressures into comparison, look no further than the player he replaced. The Vikings spent $8 million to sign Sheldon Richardson to a one-year deal in 2018, and he rewarded that decision by producing 47 pressures and 4.5 sacks in a three-down role. He then received a major payday on a multiyear deal from the Browns that the Vikings couldn't afford to match. Richardson was the latest contributor in a long run of consistent production at three-tech for the Vikings, who got several strong years out of Tom Johnson after a decade of excellence from Kevin Williams.

Stephen is still around and will compete to keep his starting role as he enters the second year of a three-year, $12.45 million deal. But the Vikings know how important it is to get interior pressure from that position, so they'll presumably be hoping that a more traditional three-tech emerges in camp.

What makes this positional battle so intriguing is the number of unproven players that will take part, all of whom could theoretically tap into varying levels of upside (with help from outstanding defensive line coach Andre Patterson) and become starting-caliber defensive tackles. Returning players joining the veteran Stephen in this competition are a quartet of homegrown, fairly young players: (a 2017 fourth-round pick), Jalyn Holmes (2018 fourth), Hercules Mata'afa (2018 UDFA), and Armon Watts (2019 sixth).

Holmes and Mata'afa are former college edge rushers who weigh around 285-290 pounds, which is prototypical size for a three-tech, and offer the gap-shooting quickness teams tend to desire from that position. Johnson and Watts are bigger players in the mold of Stephen – though with more upside – who can fit as sturdier three-techs but could also be considered for rotational snaps at nose tackle.

Mata'afa and Watts are particularly interesting to me. Mata'afa was the 2017 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year at Washington State, but was viewed as a tweener DE/DT in the NFL – not long enough to play on the edge, but too small for the interior. The Vikings scooped him up as an undrafted free agent, and after missing his rookie year with an ACL tear, Mata'afa impressed last offseason and made the team. This year, in an effort to compete for a starting role, the Hawai'i native bulked up to 289 pounds, a considerable jump from his listed 2019 weight of 254. If he retains his explosiveness (he ran a 4.76 40 at the 2018 combine) with the added mass, Mata'afa could be a major factor in this competition.

Watts was a one-year starter at Arkansas who is still developing but looked good in limited action late last season, receiving easily the highest PFF grade of these four players. His combination of size and agility make him a compelling prospect to watch in the coming years. The Vikings' coaches seem to be very high on Watts' potential, so I'd be shocked if he didn't make the roster in 2020.

Johnson and Holmes could also garner consideration for the starting job, even if both former fourth-rounders have failed to earn significant playing time across their first few seasons. Johnson had 7.5 sacks as a senior at Iowa and is coming off of his best NFL season, with 3.5 sacks in a rotational role. He saw over 400 snaps last year and has the most experience of this group. Johnson has some upside, but it's now or never as he enters the last year of his rookie contract. Holmes looks the part of an NFL three-tech; he's an excellent athlete with long arms and a powerful frame. But he has been a disappointment thus far, playing just 131 snaps in two seasons.

There's a chance that the best three-technique on the roster isn't a returning player, but rather someone who the Vikings just added in April. Spielman selected Baylor's James Lynch as one of his three fourth-round picks in this year's draft, and the Vikings believe he has a ton of potential. Lynch is a converted edge rusher who had a dominant 13.5-sack season in 2019 and was named the Big 12 DPOY. He has a quick first step and possesses the strength, intelligence, and pass-rushing moves to be an immediately disruptive force at three-tech. However, the 21-year-old will likely have to deal with a shortened offseason that could make the transition to the NFL tougher than usual. The other rookie on the roster is Boise State's David Moa, who was signed as a UDFA.

The Vikings will also have a new nose tackle in 2020. Joseph had a strong six-year run in Minnesota, but he signed with the Chargers this offseason. To replace him, the Vikings went out and made their only major signing of free agency, bringing in former Baltimore Raven Michael Pierce on a three-year, $27 million deal. Pierce, who is four years younger than Joseph, was one of the best nose tackles in the NFL in 2017 and 2018. He's a massive, 340- pound run-stuffer who plays with good leverage and isn't fazed by double teams. Pierce will slide right into Joseph's role as a space-eater who makes plenty of plays against the run and whose presence will allow linebackers Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr to come downhill and fill gaps.

Pierce, like Joseph over the past few years, likely won't offer much as a pass-rusher. That's one of the main reasons why the Vikings need to upgrade from Stephen at three-tech and find an interior pressure-creator.

Predictions Starters: Michael Pierce, James Lynch

Make 53-man roster: Armon Watts, Jaleel Johnson, Hercules Mata'afa

Practice squad: David Moa

Cut: Shamar Stephen, Jalyn Holmes

Pierce is a lock, but there are a whopping six players with a shot at the three-tech spot. Johnson might be the favorite because of his experience, but I'm going to go somewhat bold here and pick Lynch to win the job. His 2019 tape is incredibly impressive and I think he legitimately might offer the most pass-rushing ability of any DT on the roster. Mata'afa is the wild card here. Watts will make the team and see snaps. Cutting Stephen adds even more dead money to the Vikings' books, but I don't see a role for him on this team in 2020.

PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 5/22/20

Vikings 2021 Free Agents: Which Players are Entering Contract Years?

By Will Ragatz

The Vikings experienced an exodus of talent this offseason, though only a portion of that was due to traditional free agency losses. Trae Waynes, Mackensie Alexander, Stephen Weatherly, Jayron Kearse, Andrew Sendejo, and Laquon Treadwell were the notable names who signed elsewhere after their contracts expired in Minnesota. The other big departures were cap casualties (Everson Griffen, Xavier Rhodes, Linval Joseph, Josh Kline) or traded (Stefon Diggs).

Several of the Vikings' notable free agents were re-signed, tendered, or franchise tagged by the team, including Anthony Harris, C.J. Ham, Eric Wilson, Dan Bailey, Britton Colquitt, and Ameer Abdullah.

I say this to explain that just because a player is set to hit free agency, that doesn't mean they won't be back with the same team the following year. And even if a player is under contract for several more years, there's no guarantee they'll play out that contract with the organization that they signed it with.

With that in mind, here's an early look at the Vikings' 2021 free agents, courtesy of Spotrac.

Stars with extensions likely coming soon

RB S Anthony Harris

The Vikings' most obvious remaining priority before the 2020 season begins is to work out contract extensions with Cook and Harris. Cook is entering the final year of his rookie deal and still doesn't have a new contract. Harris was the team's top unrestricted free agent in March, but the Vikings applied the franchise tag and now have until July 15th to work out an extension.

The slight conundrum when it comes to both of these players is that their ability and their value may not exactly align. Cook is a transcendent talent, especially in the Vikings' wide-zone scheme, but running backs have become increasingly viewed as expendable and aren't particularly valuable in the eyes of analytics. Harris is also an incredible player, but the Vikings must decide if it's worth committing roughly an eighth of the salary cap to two safeties, a position Mike Zimmer has said is not "the most important" on defense.

Other expiring rookie contracts from the 2017 draft class

LG DT Jaleel Johnson LB DE Ifeadi Odenigbo This is a big-time prove-it year for Elflein (third round), Johnson (fourth), and Gedeon (fourth) from the 2017 draft class. Elflein has played both center and left guard and struggled in pass protection at both spots. Johnson finally earned a rotational role last year in his third season, but the Vikings have a lot of depth at defensive tackle. Gedeon has been the most solid of these three, but he has dealt with concussions and will also face plenty of competition at linebacker.

Odenigbo is technically a different story, as he was cut twice and signed a two-year deal in 2019. But since he's the only late-round pick from the 2017 class still around, I thought I'd include him here. With Griffen gone, Odenigbo is in line to start at defensive end.

2017 UDFA who signed an RFA tender this offseason

LB Eric Wilson Wilson has come a long way since going undrafted three years ago, signing a $3.26 million tender to stay in Minnesota in 2020. He'll likely be the No. 3 linebacker and could get a decent-sized contract somewhere next offseason.

2018 UDFAs who will be restricted free agents

CB Holton Hill DT Hercules Mata'afa RB Mike Boone WR Chad Beebe How about the Vikings' haul in college free agency two years ago? They found a corner who could potentially start this year, a defensive end-turned-tackle who has a chance to start at three-technique, and a couple offensive weapons with NFL talent. This year is a big opportunity for Hill and Mata'afa to earn themselves a lot of money. Boone could stick around past this season as the No. 3 RB, while Beebe could be in the team's long-term plans if he's able to stay healthy (a big if).

Players who signed one-year deals this offseason

WR Tajae Sharpe DE Anthony Zettel LB DeMarquis Gates RB/KR Ameer Abdullah QB Sean Mannion OT Rashod Hill G Dakota Dozier C Brett Jones All eight of these players are essentially on prove-it deals for 2020. If they make the team and play well, they could earn long-term deals in Minnesota or elsewhere next offseason. Otherwise, they may have to look for another one- year deal somewhere.

The only one of these players I have projected to get cut this year is Dozier, but I have the other seven making the team in backup or depth roles. Sharpe might have the clearest path to contributing if he can win the WR3 job over Bisi Johnson, KJ Osborn, and Quartney Davis.

Players who signed two-year practice squad deals last offseason

OL Aviante Collins LB Cameron Smith WR Alexander Hollins Collins was a UDFA in 2017 and has a chance to win a backup job at either tackle or guard this season, while Smith (fifth-round pick) and Hollins (UDFA) are 2019 acquisitions looking to stick around for the future. I don't have any of these three making the 2020 team in my current projections, though I do have Smith staying on the practice squad for another year as depth.

One-year reserve/future deals

WR Davion Davis CB Kemon Hall RB Tony Brooks-James CB Nate Meadors DE Stacy Keely I have all five of these players getting cut before this season, so their free agent status likely won't matter.

One-year deal from another team's practice squad

DE Eddie Yarbrough The Vikings signed Yarbrough from the Bills' practice squad in December, and he'll compete with players like Zettel and Kenny Willekes for a spot on the roster. I don't currently have him making the team.

Check out my position previews (eight of 12 are currently available) for breakdowns of every player and my 53-man roster and practice squad predictions.

PUBLICATION: Vikings Entertainment Network DATE: 5/22/20

Ifeadi Odenigbo Ready for Potentially Increased Role in 2020

By Eric Smith

EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings defense underwent some turnover this offseason, and there could be as many as five new starters on that side of the ball.

That means a chance for others to step up in bigger roles, with Ifeadi Odenigbo near the top of that list.

With Everson Griffen voiding his contract and remaining unsigned as a free agent, the Vikings need to fill the starting spot at defensive end opposite Danielle Hunter.

If the roster stands as is, will Odenigbo be ready for the challenge of an increased role, and increased playing time?

"I'm taking that approach. Obviously, we have Danielle Hunter, who is just a freak, so I'm working hard," Odenigbo said. "We all know that Danielle is an established vet. I don't need much motivation because I see that guy go out, bust his butt every single day, never complains. Even when I'm working out, I'm thinking, 'What's Danielle doing now? Danielle is probably doing some crazy stuff and being low-key, incognito.' It's good to have guys like him, but I don't want to be a drop-off.

"We're kind of in this limbo land, so I'm working hard, training, but I'm also trying to find the right time to peak. There's no point in peaking in June right now when we're playing in August," Odenigbo added. "I've been taking it one step at a time, working on the fundamentals, details and stuff like that. If we don't have OTAs, then in the July area, that's when I'll really start upping the conditioning because I've got to get used to playing 40, 50, 60 snaps."

Odenigbo played 368 total defensive snaps in 2019 as a situational pass rusher, but he made the most of it with a career-high 7.0 sacks.

He was used more in the final month of the season, playing at least 30 snaps in each game from Weeks 14-17. Odenigbo, who recorded three sacks in the final three games of the season, didn't hit the 30-snap mark in the first 12 games of the season.

A Vikings 2017 seventh-round draft pick, Odenigbo endured a winding road before his strong 2019 season. He was on Minnesota's practice squad for his entire rookie season, and did not make the 2018 roster out of training camp.

He spent parts of the 2018 season with Cleveland and Arizona before linking back up with the Vikings on Oct. 31 of that season. He accomplished his goal of making the roster out of training camp in 2019 and then produced his best season in a limited role.

He could now be tasked with replicating that success with the spotlight on him. But with the world in an uncertain time, Odenigbo said he's leaning on his past experiences.

"I think my early years, when I was cut a couple times and I didn't really know what was going on, you always have to adjust to adversity," Odenigbo said. "Adversity comes and hits you in different ways, and it's about how you respond. I've been watching the Michael Jordan documentary, and you see all the adversity he's come through. It's nice watching that because it's like, 'Hey man, this pandemic … we're not together, and people are making excuses, but this is my time to get right.'

Every Ifeadi Odenigbo Sack From The 2019 Season "I've been watching a lot of film. These [video] meetings have been good, and I'm watching film. I've seen my development from the preseason when I was pass rushing, to Week 14 when I started to get in the groove. What I'm watching now is making sure — I had a 'breakout year' — but my approach this year is being more efficient," Odenigbo added. "This is my fourth year in the league now, so I've learned quite a bit. Now, I can really coach myself. The meetings have been kind of hard, but I've been doing my own training. Fortunately, it's not my first year, and I've been with Coach Dre for some time, so I know what to expect when we eventually report."

Odenigbo said he'll lean on Hunter's quiet leadership in this time and also recall the lessons he gleaned from Vikings Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach Andre Patterson, Griffen and defensive tackle Linval Joseph, who was released in March.

"I think it just kind of clicked. Also, I was given an opportunity and I made the most of it," Odenigbo said of his 2019 season. "But obviously, having guys like Everson Griffen and Linval, who kind of set the mark and how to act like a professional. Having guys like Danielle, [too].

"My time when I was on practice squad for the first couple of years, I kind of very slowly took notes, saw how Coach Dre was coaching them, saw the preparation, and I really took mental notes," Odenigbo said. "I was fortunate enough to have a good year because I was buying in. That's the most important thing as a young guy, you have to buy in, get rid of your old ways and embrace the new ways."

Ifeadi Odenigbo 2019 Season Highlights

That certainly paid off for in 2019 Odenigbo, whose highlight play was a 56-yard fumble return against the Chargers that was the first touchdown of his life.

Odenigbo said he's been hard at work behind the scenes to get ready for what could be an expanded role.

Even taking the literal steps of visualizing himself having success when the Vikings defensive linemen are in the middle of virtual meetings.

"What I really try to do during the meetings, it's a good thing that the cameras are off – Coach Dre will say things and tell me I need to do 'this,' I kind of get into my stance because no one's able to see me," Odenigbo said. "I start visualizing, I start doing power steps, I start working long arms.

"So it's kind of cool, the fact that nobody can see me, so when he's talking [I work on things] because it starts with visualizing," Odenigbo added. "And when you're able to visualize it, then you're able to apply it."