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DAILY CLIPS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2020

LOCAL NEWS: Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Pioneer Press

Riley Reiff won’t balk if Vikings ever ask him to play guard By Chris Tomasson https://www.twincities.com/2020/08/11/riley-reiff-wont-balk-if-vikings-ever-ask-him-to-play-guard/

Star Tribune

Vikings' 2020 training camp preview: Coaching staff By Ben Goessling https://www.startribune.com/vikings-2020-training-camp-preview-coaching-staff/572075972/

The Athletic

‘It’s kind of refreshing’: With new doubts on defense, Vikings brace for challenge By Chad Graff https://theathletic.com/1988103/2020/08/11/vikings-defense-2020-mike-zimmer-andre-patterson-harrison-smith-eric- kendricks/

Purple Insider

Camp rundown: Kicking without fans might still be loud By Matthew Coller https://purpleinsider.substack.com/p/camp-rundown-kicking-without-fans

NATIONAL NEWS: Wednesday, August 12, 2020

ESPN

Vikings lean on continuity on offense to prepare for season of uncertainty By Courtney Cronin https://www.espn.com/blog/minnesota-vikings/post/_/id/30097/vikings-lean-on-continuity-on-offense-to-prepare-for- season-of-uncertainty

Maven Media

Vikings Looking For Big Things From Armon Watts in 2020 By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/vikings-looking-for-big-things-armon-watts-2020

Former Vikings Updates: , , , and More By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/former-vikings-updates-trae-waynes-xavier-rhodes-everson-griffen-more

MULTIMEDIA NEWS: Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Highlights From Tuesday's Rookie Practice at Training Camp By VEN https://www.vikings.com/video/highlights-from-tuesday-s-rookie-practice-at-training-camp

Brandt: Kirk Cousins Is My 'Dark Horse' MVP Candidate By NFL Network https://www.vikings.com/video/brandt-kirk-cousins-is-my-dark-horse-mvp-candidate

Little Time to get Ready for Vikings O-Line By KMSP http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=46a35d08-b19a-4c16-81af-a16c0367e744

Special Teams Gearing Up For Games By KMSP http://mms.tveyes.com/PlaybackPortal.aspx?SavedEditID=c406d8a7-b5f2-494e-b452-b4c789eed7eb

VIKINGS ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK NEWS: Wednesday, August 12, 2020

10 Vikings Potential X-Factors in 2020: Holton Hill By Lindsey Young https://www.vikings.com/news/holton-hill-2020-nfl-season-potential-factors

Vikings Defense Shuts Down Notion of Lower Expectations By Eric Smith https://www.vikings.com/news/vikings-defense-shuts-down-notion-of-lower-expectations

Greenway Helps Minnesota Family Honor Son's Memory By Lindsey Young https://www.vikings.com/news/chad-greenway-helps-minnesota-family-honor-sons-memory

PUBLICATION: Pioneer Press DATE: 8/12/20

Riley Reiff won’t balk if Vikings ever ask him to play guard

By Chris Tomasson

It’s not on the table now, but if the Vikings ever want to move Riley Reiff to guard, he wouldn’t complain.

During each of the past two offseasons, Vikings coach has said he was open to the possibility of shifting Reiff from left tackle to guard. It didn’t happen last year, and offensive coordinator said last week he doesn’t consider it a possibility for this season.

Reiff said in June 2019 the possibility had been brought up. He said this week he didn’t hear anything about it this offseason but would be receptive if the Vikings ever wanted him to change positions.

“Heck, I’ll play whatever as long as it helps the team,” he said.

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Former Vikings and longtime NFL offensive line coach said in April that Reiff would be better suited to play another position on the line other than the marquee left tackle spot. For now, though, the plan is to enter the season with Reiff there for a fourth straight year.

Any position change would be made more difficult because the coronavirus pandemic wiped out on-field spring drills. There is now much less time to get an offensive line in order. “I think we’re one of the groups on a football field that really needs to get those live reps,’’ Reiff said.

Kubiak said last week that four spots on the line appear to be set with incumbents Reiff, Pat Elflein at left guard, at center and Brian O’Neill at right tackle. To replace right guard Josh Kline, released in March, Kubiak said the primary competitors are holdovers Dakota Dozier and Aviante Collins, and rookie Ezra Cleveland.

Cleveland, a second-round pick, played left tackle at Boise State. He could be a candidate to take over at that spot in 2021.

Reiff has the Vikings’ second-highest salary-cap number at $13.2 million, although he never has made a . According to Pro Football Focus, Reiff ranked 29th among 89 NFL guards in 2019.

“Some things I’d like to work on are, obviously, pass (protection),” Reiff said. “I think I can get better in run blocking, too.”

Entering his eighth NFL season, Reiff has been a team captain since he arrived in Minnesota in 2017. He wants to be available to help young players however he can.

“These young guys, I hope they reach out to me and ask me, ‘Hey,’ about this or that,’ ” he said.

SPECIAL STABILITY The Vikings are in line to return the same three specialists for the first time since 2016. Kicker Dan Bailey is entering a third Vikings season, and punter/holder Britton Colquitt and long snapper Austin Cutting will be back for a second one.

“It feels pretty good, to be honest,’’ said special teams coordinator Marwan Maalouf. “As much as I like to have a bunch of different guys doing that … it also will be nice to focus in on those three.”

The Vikings started camp last summer with two long snappers on the roster in Cutting and incumbent Kevin McDermott, later released. They brought in kicker-punter Kaare Vedvick to compete with Bailey and incumbent punter Matt Wile. Vedvick and Wile were waived, and Colquitt was signed after being released by Cleveland.

RELATED ARTICLES Vikings’ Dan Bailey: kicking without crowd noise would be ‘weird’ Vikings waive Cameron Smith but plan to put him on reserve list due to heart issue Vikings waive undrafted free-agent signee Tyler Higby Vikings hope dissing of their defense will motivate them Vikings LB Cameron Smith to miss 2020 season due to open-heart surgery BRIEFLY Linebacker Cameron Smith, waived Monday, cleared waivers on Tuesday and has been added to the reserve/non- football illness list. Smith soon will undergo open-heart surgery and will miss the season. … Maalouf said it will be a challenge getting special teams in order with the pandemic having wiped out preseason games. “I’m not exactly sure how (Zimmer) is going to do it, but I’m sure he’s going to sprinkle in some full speed and contact practices once we start getting this thing going,” he said.

PUBLICATION: Star Tribune DATE: 8/12/20

Vikings' 2020 training camp preview: Coaching staff

By Ben Goessling

The Vikings are getting closer to playing football. Training camp ramps up this week with the start of full practices, which can begin Wednesday. Until then, we’ll preview the key points at each position every day. Practices in full pads start Aug. 17.

Coaching staff

Head coach: Mike Zimmer

Coordinators: Gary Kubiak (offense), Andre Patterson/ (defense), Marwaan Malouf (special teams)

Offensive position coaches: (quarterbacks), Kennedy Polamalu (running backs), (wide receivers), (offensive line/run game coordinator), Phil Rauchser (assistant offensive line), Brian Pariani (tight ends), Christian Jones (offensive quality control), AC Patterson (offensive quality control)

Defensive position coaches: Dom Capers (senior defensive assistant), Patterson (defensive line), Adam Zimmer (linebackers), Daronte Jones (defensive backs), Imarjaye Albury (assistant defensive line), Nick Rallis (defensive quality control/assistant linebackers), Roy Anderson (assistant defensive backs)

Special teams assistants: Ryan Ficken, Nate Kaeding (kicking consultant)

Strength and conditioning: Mark Uyeyama (director of competition development), Derik Keyes (assistant strength and conditioning), Chaz Mahle (assistant strength and conditioning)

Offseason moves

In: Kubiak (named offensive coordinator), Janocko (shifted from assistant OL to wide receivers), Rauscher, Capers, Jones, Albury, Anderson

Out: (became Browns’ head coach), (became Browns’ tight ends coach), George Edwards (became Cowboys’ senior defensive assistant), Jerry Gray (became Packers’ DB coach), Robert Rodriguez (became Arizona State DL coach) Jeff Howard (became Browns’ passing game coordinator/DB coach)

Outlook

After co-owner Mark Wilf released a statement supporting Zimmer and general manager before the team’s playoff game against the Saints in January, the Vikings didn’t finalize three-year extensions for their head coach and general manager until the eve of training camp. But the team’s commitment to its current direction never seemed in doubt, not with Zimmer quickly giving Gary Kubiak play-calling duties in January after the Browns hired Stefanski and choosing his son Adam and Patterson (his longtime assistant and confidant) to split coordinator duties after the Vikings parted ways with George Edwards.

Zimmer (who turned 64 in June) is the fourth-oldest head coach in the NFL, but just the second-oldest on his staff after the team added Capers in an advisory role similar to the one Kubiak played last season. The Vikings quickly turned play-calling duties over to Kubiak, out of a desire to maintain their current offensive structure after Stefanski’s departure. As they try to make back-to-back playoff trips for the first time in Zimmer’s tenure, their offense has more stability than a defense trying to indoctrinate young players during a truncated training camp.

The head coach has said the Vikings will implement some live tackling once players can practice in pads on Aug. 17. He’s made frequent use of game-like situational drills in recent years, trying to put players through scenarios they’ll see on Sundays in the fall. With young corners like first-round pick and third-rounder possibly in line to play big roles for the Vikings this fall, Zimmer could rely on the drills to help his defenders make up for the preseason game action they won’t get this month.

Patterson and Adam Zimmer will continue to work with their position groups while taking on their new roles in defensive game-planning. Zimmer has called the Vikings’ defensive plays in games since he became head coach, though he’s mused at times about giving up those duties. On the defensive line, Patterson will have to rework the Vikings’ tackle rotation after Michael Pierce opted out for the 2020 season; he’s said he likes the Vikings’ group of young players like Jaleel Johnson and Armon Watts, and he’ll use training camp to assess options alongside Shamar Stephen while trying to help Ifeadi Odenigbo continue his emergence at defensive end.

Kubiak hinted the Vikings would opt for continuity on their offensive line last week, pointing out the team returns four of its five starters from last season. If Pat Elflein is indeed set to start again at guard, the Vikings will need to find one more guard for their zone blocking scheme, while Janocko works to sort out the group behind Adam Thielen.

Notable number

3: Number of coaches on the Vikings’ staff who have been head coaches in the NFL. In addition to Zimmer, Kubiak spent eight years as the Texans’ head coach and won a with the Broncos in 2015. Capers was the first head coach for both the Panthers (in 1995) and the Texans (in 2002), before Kubiak replaced him in 2006. PUBLICATION: The Athletic DATE: 8/12/20

‘It’s kind of refreshing’: With new doubts on defense, Vikings brace for challenge

By Chad Graff

At the end of a turbulent and often unsettled offseason, the areas of intrigue and concern for the Vikings weren’t what they often are. Stories and talk-show segments didn’t fret what’s to be expected from the quarterback.

For the most part, you know what you’re getting from Kirk Cousins. You know what Gary Kubiak’s offense looks like and what Dalvin Cook and Adam Thielen can do. You know the offensive line will have questions. And, though it feels hexing to write about Vikings specialists, you pretty much know what you’re getting from the 32-year-old kicker and 35-year-old punter.

Amazingly, the notion that holds true more than any other about this team — and one that seems crazy to write for a Mike Zimmer-led unit — is that you don’t know what you’re getting from this defense.

The rest of the league watched as the Vikings lost two top defensive linemen, their three top corners, and, because of an opt-out the team couldn’t have foreseen, their lone significant free-agent signing. It prompted speculation that perhaps this is too big a challenge for even Zimmer to make this a top-10 outfit. Maybe, after years of dominance, the Vikings won’t have a good defense.

“I guess I’ve kind of been out of the loop — I didn’t know we were supposed to be bad,” said safety Harrison Smith.

Well, maybe not “bad.” But few are expecting the type of squad that has carried the Vikings in recent years.

“Well, yeah, I guess that motivates me,” Smith said. “Everybody takes things differently. People are going to say things no matter what, so I just try to play well. If you want to talk about it, that’s cool. If you don’t, that’s cool.”

On the one hand, it seems ludicrous to doubt Zimmer’s defense seven years into his tenure. The Vikings have ranked in the top 10 in points allowed since 2015 — and they ranked No. 11 in 2014, his debut season as a head coach. They still boast one of the league’s best pass rushers (), one of the league’s best middle linebackers (), and what probably amounts to the best safety duo in the league (Smith and ). Zimmer kept in tow Andre Patterson, the acclaimed defensive line expert and elevated him to co- with his son, Adam Zimmer.

On the other hand, they lost the leader of their defense in Everson Griffen and have serious concerns on the interior of the defensive line after not replacing Shamar Stephen and having Michael Pierce opt out. They boast great linebackers, yes, and great safeties, yes, but those are probably the two positions on the defense that provide the least value. What’s much more important in the modern NFL is and they have few answers there. They need first-round pick Jeff Gladney to play as a starter right away. They need Holton Hill, a player saddled with two different four-game suspensions a year ago, to both play well and stay out of trouble. And they need Mike Hughes to elevate to the No. 1 corner they hoped he’d become when they drafted him in the first round two years ago. So, yeah, they need a lot.

“It’s kind of refreshing,” Mike Zimmer said of the challenge. “It gets you rejuvenated to go out. Honestly, people say, ‘Hey, they’re not going to be good on defense.’ OK, well, let’s find out.”

It’s an attitude he shares with Patterson. The two spent time this summer talking about the challenge ahead and of the importance of molding corners, Zimmer’s specialty, and defensive linemen, Patterson’s strength.

They know why there’s plenty of doubt. Teams don’t typically turn over almost all of their defensive line and cornerback positions and deliver impactful seasons. But they also feel they’re different, that their track record of success should build a little more trust.

“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 mindset too. They look forward to the challenge. Every year you have to earn how good you are. It doesn’t carry over. You start from ground zero, you play 16 games and when it’s all over and done with, you look and see how well you have done. It’s definitely a motivation for me and I would expect it’s a motivation for our players also.”

Of course, the revamping of the defense was done with a long-term lens, and not simply for success in 2020. That’s part of why Zimmer was relieved to sign a three-year extension and know that he’s got the security to put in time with this crop of young defenders.

But it also threatens to make this unit the worst since Zimmer arrived, less of an insult than it sounds considering they’ve never ranked lower than No. 11. A year ago, even with a secondary that struggled, the Vikings ranked tied for fifth in fewest points allowed and No. 7 in DVOA.

Vikings defense under Mike Zimmer 2014 21.4 11th 2015 18.9 5th 2016 19.2 6th 2017 15.8 1st 2018 21.3 9th 2019 18.9 5th Total 19.3 2nd Now, about everyone around the league expects a bit of dropoff. The Vikings ranked as the 11th-best defense by The Athletic’s national football writer Sheil Kapadia, who noted that they had the second-best injury luck last season while also acknowledging, “There’s a case to be made that the new group of corners can actually be better than last year’s trio, considering how badly (Xavier) Rhodes struggled.”

How personally does Zimmer take the defense’s success or failures? Even with the offense returning all of their key players except (whom they’re replacing with a first-round pick), Zimmer still wasn’t willing to concede that the offense would probably be a bit ahead of the defense, at least early on. “We’ll just have to see if that happens,” he insisted.

So, no, don’t expect Zimmer to temper expectations even while those on the outside anticipate a slip in play. He still thinks this can be a great defense.

If that’s to happen, it will largely be because of how the team’s young players fare.

Few rookie will have the chance to earn playing time like Gladney and third-round pick Cameron Dantzler will. And few former sixth-round picks with 121 career NFL snaps have such a legitimate chance to take over a defensive tackle job as Armon Watts does with the Vikings.

It’s unfair to put the fate of the Vikings’ defense on just a few young players. But what’s unavoidable is that they’ll need major contributions from inexperienced players to deliver what Zimmer seems to have faith in even if few others do — that the Vikings can again be a top-10 defense.

“These young guys have an opportunity to get in and make a big splash,” Eric Kendricks said. “You can take it one way and be nervous or feeling a little bit anxious about it. Or you can take it as a challenge and a chip on your shoulder. 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.”

PUBLICATION: Purple Insider DATE: 8/12/20

Camp rundown: Kicking without fans might still be loud

By Matthew Coller

One day closer to actual practices, everyone.

On Monday, Riley Reiff, Dan Bailey, Britton Colquitt and special teams coordinator Marwan Maalouf talked to the Twin Cities media on a Zoom call. There were some fun/interesting topics. Here’s a few…

Kicking in empty stadiums

Earlier this offseason I wrote about how fan-less games might change the home field advantage equation. One thing I did not think about: Kicking.

Vikings kicker Dan Bailey brought up a point that I’ve never heard before: He will be able to hear the opponent trash talking him before kicks. If you thought only your buddies did this in rec league basketball when you are at the free throw line or when you have a gimme putt for birdie on 18, well, it turns out that NFL players do it too.

“You can definitely at times – especially at home games – you can hear the other team yelling stuff at you before you’re going to kick,” Bailey said. “In my head, I’m like well there’s no crowd noise or even a low crowd noise to block that out and that’s something you’re going to have to think about and get ready for. Hopefully it doesn’t throw you off or anything like that. It’s going to be different.”

Bailey recalled having opponents say things like, “you’re going to miss it” and “I’ll give you my paycheck if you miss.” I’m sure there have been a few other things that he didn’t want to mention on a family-friendly Zoom call.

Kicking at home and away are not statistically different — in fact, last year teams made 81.0% at home and 83.8% on the road. Bailey said that he will miss having the jeers from the sideline drowned out by road crowd noise.

“You can almost kind of feel [road crowd noise] in your chest, like it would be going to air show or something and those jets are flying by,” Bailey said. “It could actually help the situation honestly because it just kind of drowns everything out so you’re not really in your thoughts. You’re not really hearing specific things here and there. So if anything it’s actually kind of a good thing, I think.’’

Bailey’s suggestion for practicing in camp without crowd noise (the team has rolled out a golf cart with speakers on it in the past) was to have his own teammates yell insults at him. Seriously.

“Maybe I can talk to Zimmer or [Marwan Maalouf] and see if we can maybe do some simulated stuff,” Bailey said. “I’m sure the guys would love would love to talk some noise, have some friendly banter. I don’t know. I think it would help. I’d be up for it for sure.’’

It’s usually against the rules to report things that we hear on the practice field but if this happens, there needs to be an exception.

For the record, kicking in empty stadiums is very unlikely to be different than it would be with fans. If Bailey can tune out trash talkers and jet fighter-level sound, he can kick just fine in a quiet environment.

Kicking/punting/holding continuity

Britton Colquitt not only punted well last season but was a good holder, leading the Vikings to sign him to a contract this offseason. Photo courtesy of the Crazy little factoid for you: The Vikings will have the same kicker and punter combo two years in a row for the first time since 2016.

In 2017 Kai Forbath gave them consistent field goal kicking but struggled with extra points so the Vikings decided to draft Daniel Carlson in the fifth round, a decision they regretted pretty quickly when he missed a potential game- winning kick against the Packers and got cut.

It was always pretty surprising that the Vikings moved on from Forbath after he hit a 52-yarder late in the game — it may the best kick in Vikings history (though I’ll take nominations in the comment section). Bailey was signed after Carlson’s gaffe in Green Bay

On the punting side, Ryan Quigley went the entire 2017 season without a touchback but the Vikings were intrigued with the booming leg of Matt Wile. However, it turned out that Wile struggled with holding, which impacted Bailey. So they traded a fifth-round pick for kicker/punter Kaare Vedvik, who proved he could neither kick nor punt.

Out of 2019 camp, veteran Britton Colquitt was signed and ended up rating by PFF as one of the better punters in the NFL. He also turned out to be an outstanding holder. This offseason the Vikings signed both Bailey and Colquitt to three-year contracts.

Long story short: They can feel secure at kicker and punter (and long snapper) for the first time in a long time.

“It makes things transparent and enables us to do our job better and get to that part of it,” Colquitt said. “In the past and in my whole career, I’ve competed a lot. And there’s a lot of good things that come out of competition but there are things that kind of distract you from what you’re really trying to do.”

Who’s returning punts?

Draft analysts felt the Vikings stretched a bit to pick KJ Osborn in the fifth round but they saw him as a potential Day 1 punt returner. Maalouf said that they will give multiple players a shot at the returning job.

“We have to get better in that phase and even a little bit in the kickoff return phase,” Maalouf said. “KJ [Osborn] has done a good job for us so far. He's a mature rookie, he's taking reps, there's a bunch of guys who have taken reps. Mike Hughes, KJ, has taken reps for us, Chad Beebe is healthy and back. So we have some options and we have good competition. Ameer [Abdullah] has done it before and he's getting better at it…. Who knows, there could be a chance where we put two guys back there.”

This isn’t the first time Maalouf has mentioned putting two guys back on punt returns. It doesn’t seem likely that happens but you wonder if teams will ever get more creative on punt returns. Last year the entire league totaled just seven punt returns for . Numbers vary from year to year but in 2010 there were 13 TDs on punt returns, in 2000 a total of 15 returns went for a score.

Could football actually be more fun with less offseason work?

Call me skeptical on this one but players are saying the league could see better play because of the lack of workload this offseason. Nobody really knows how this season will look so maybe they are right. Of course, the players negotiated to have zero preseason games, so it would make sense to argue that it’s a good thing.

Colquitt said he has observed that his teammates seem more fresh and ready to roll.

“There’s not this, ‘Oh man, it’s training camp,’” the Vikings’ punter said. “Guys on the team are like, ‘C’mon, let’s ramp it up. Let’s get to the real training camp,’ because we’re still in that kind of transitioning phase, so there’s something to be said about that, where you kind of get beaten-down in the spring sometimes and then you really love that summer and then, ‘Oh, training camp,’ and you just get right into it and it hits you so hard and so fast.”

There are so many questions going into the season that will be very interesting to answer. Will teams with new coaches and quarterbacks struggle? Will the Vikings keeping the same systems be helpful? Will offenses seem rusty or defenses struggle to cover and give up a load of points? Will any of that actually matter or are players so well trained these days that the system was antiquated to begin with?

“I think with the time that we did have, I think teams nailed down going over the playbook and stuff like that,” tackle Riley Reiff said. “I think the play is going to be better, actually. There’s less distractions this offseason. Guys were taking care of their bodies and stuff like. But we’re working on limited time, too, so I’m hoping that the product is good.”

Same, Riley. PUBLICATION: ESPN DATE: 8/12/20

Vikings lean on continuity on offense to prepare for season of uncertainty

By Courtney Cronin

MINNEAPOLIS -- For the past six seasons, it was easy for the Minnesota Vikings' defense to quickly fall into a rhythm at the start of training camp.

A unit that had been together for the majority of coach Mike Zimmer's tenure since 2014 had long been the model of stability, strength and cohesiveness. The notion that the defense was ahead of the offense was common in Minnesota as new quarterbacks, offensive coordinators and scheme changes became a routine part of every July and August.

But all that is changing in 2020.

2020 NFL Training Camp

The NFL season is just around the corner. Here are the biggest questions heading into training camp and roster projections for all 32 teams. Read more » • Full schedule | Depth charts » • Transactions | Injuries | More NFL »

"It's kind of unfamiliar territory for me," said Vikings safety Harrison Smith, who is part of a defense that lost nine veterans in the offseason. "It's nice. It's kind of the flip side, we're talking about the defense changing and stuff, that's normally not what we're talking about. [Usually] we're talking about the offense. Now we've got continuity with [quarterback] Kirk [Cousins] and a bunch of guys over there, building on success. Especially without preseason games, it'll be good to go against a group like that in practice who's going to be clicking at a high level ... It's definitely going to help us out as a defense leading up to the season."

Continuity has been the buzzword around a Vikings offense that will be the backbone of the team during a season filled with uncertainty. Minnesota ran Gary Kubiak's offense last season when he was a senior advisor. Now he is the offensive coordinator after Kevin Stefanski left for the . And Cousins received a two-year contract extension after winning his first playoff game.

The faces are largely the same except for the receivers group that lost Stefon Diggs via a trade to the Buffalo Bills. That unit is undergoing its own version of a rebuild with veteran Adam Thielen assuming a No. 1 role while first-round pick Justin Jefferson aims to fill big shoes as a rookie.

Beyond that, not much else has changed. And that's seen as a good thing.

"We're not starting from ground zero," Kyle Rudolph said. "Anytime you enter a training camp, we always go back and start with install one, even though we may have gone through it all in OTAs and minicamp. So from that standpoint, as we go through meetings here in training camp, that doesn't feel any different. But it's important for us as an offense. Now we're able to kind of hone in on details of Gary's scheme and things that we can build on from last year."

Adam Thielen, left, will be Kirk Cousins' undisputed No. 1 receiver this season after the trade of Stefon Diggs to the Bills. Kiyoshi Mio/Icon Sportswire After struggling on the interior offensive line last year, Minnesota went into the offseason planning for a "wide open competition" at both guard spots, especially after right guard Josh Kline was cut in free agency. They drafted Ezra Cleveland to potentially supplant Riley Reiff at left tackle as a rookie. New players were expected to assume roles in the latest revamp.

Those were the plans in April. Now, Kubiak is having to weigh consistency by keeping four starters from last year -- Reiff at left tackle, Pat Elflein at left guard, Garrett Bradbury at center and Brian O'Neill at right tackle -- in their same spots rather than experimenting with new lineups.

The COVID-19 pandemic prevented Cousins from building a rapport on the field with his new pass-catchers this offseason, but he doesn't have to learn a new offense.

"It's rare to have continuity, but you appreciate it when you get it," Cousins said. "So, like you said, with a little bit less work this offseason, going into my ninth year, I am probably not as concerned about that, but my concern is more on young offensive linemen, our draft picks at positions we know we're going to need to be counting on, that's probably where my concern is. I've got to help get them along, get them caught up to speed, and that's as much my job, potentially, as it is for the coach or the player himself."

Minnesota ranked 10th in offensive efficiency in 2019, a product of Cousins' downfield passing ability. It was an offense that stayed healthy outside of Thielen's hamstring injury and relied on a run-first attack that ushered in more opportunities for Cousins to play his best.

But not everything will stay the same. Will the offense be more aggressive on early downs with Kubiak as the playcaller? Will tight end usage spike in the passing game to compensate for the absence of Diggs? How can the run game take the next step behind an offensive line that's still a work in progress?

The answers to those questions will begin to be uncovered over the next five weeks. But the carryover from last season makes the offense's job easier to get up to full speed.

"It gives you a little comfort zone as coaches," Kubiak said. "You know, how far can we take this? How much more can we give them? If we were sitting here with three new faces on the offensive line and a new quarterback, something like that I think we'd have to stop and say ‘Well, we better slow down here.'

"But for the most part we've been able to keep moving forward, had great teaching sessions virtually throughout the course of the offseason. The players have been great and we're starting to watch them respond as we get on the field. I think it's a plus, but you've still got to put a plan into action so that's what we've got to do now." PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 8/12/20

Vikings Looking For Big Things From Armon Watts in 2020

By Will Ragatz

One of the most notable developments during the stretch run of the Vikings' 2019 season was the play of rookie defensive tackle Armon Watts. The sixth-round pick out of Arkansas was supposed to essentially take a redshirt year, but was thrust into action when missed a couple games in mid-November.

With just one season of starting experience in college, Watts was seen as a fairly raw prospect. But he stepped up and was highly impressive, earning a rotational role at defensive tackle even when Joseph returned to the field. Then, with starters resting in Week 17, Watts capitalized on his first NFL start and wound up as the Vikings' highest- graded defensive player for the game, per PFF.

Heading into 2020, Watts was expected to compete with Shamar Stephen and others for the three-technique job. But with nose tackle Michael Pierce opting out of the season, there are suddenly a lot of available snaps at DT for the Vikings. Based on how he played last year, Watts has to be considered a favorite to seize a bunch of those snaps.

Both head coach Mike Zimmer and co-defensive coordinator Andre Patterson had good things to say about Watts recently.

"Armon's played really well, I think," Zimmer said. "He's done a nice job when he's been in there. He's a big, strong, athletic guy, so we're looking for another big jump out of him this year."

Patterson gave a more detailed assessment of Watts's strengths when asked about the second-year tackle.

“He’s got really good strength, he plays with really good contact balance, he’s got quick feet," Patterson said. "He’s a physical football player, but the one thing that Armon can also give you is he does have some natural feel in transition on his pass rush. He was able to make some plays in games and make the quarterback feel him. So I’m just hoping that he continues to improve in his progression. I was very pleased with how far Armon came at the end of the season. It’s too bad he got injured, because I would’ve loved to see him continue to play those last two football games.”

As Patterson mentioned, Watts suffered an injury in Week 17 that held him out of the Vikings' two playoff games. But he showed more than enough upside in the seven previous weeks to have plenty of positive momentum heading into this season.

What stands out about Watts are his size and pass-rush ability. At 6'5", he made his presence known by batting down a pass attempt that turned into a pinball Anthony Harris pick-six in Week 11. Watts also showed off some impressive burst and power as an interior pass-rusher, and seems to have a high ceiling in that area. Where he needs to keep improving is in run defense, but that should come with continued reps.

Check out my full player preview on Watts from June for more.

Watts briefly landed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, but was activated after just two days, so it likely was a false alarm. PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 8/12/20

Former Vikings Updates: Trae Waynes, Xavier Rhodes, Everson Griffen, and More

By Will Ragatz

With training camps underway for all 32 teams and padded practices right around the corner, let's take a few minutes to go around the league and check in on some former Vikings.

Trae Waynes suffers pectoral injury, could miss two months Some tough news first: Trae Waynes reportedly suffered a pectoral injury early in camp and could miss up to two months. He is apparently seeking a second opinion, but it doesn't sound good.

After signing a three-year, $42 million deal with the Bengals this offseason, Waynes has had a tough start to his career in Cincinnati. First, he couldn't actually sign his contract for several months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now he's dealing with a serious injury right out of the gate, just as he was getting ready to be a starter for a team that has a lot of positive momentum after drafting .

Vikings fans will still be able to watch starting for the Bengals early on in the season, and hopefully Waynes won't miss more than a handful of games.

Xavier Rhodes is finding life to be a little easier in Indianapolis Just a few years removed from being an elite shutdown corner for Mike Zimmer and the Vikings, Xavier Rhodes is looking for a career resurgence with his new team. Rhodes flamed out in Minnesota after two awful seasons, and signed with the Colts this offseason. In speaking with Indy media recently, he revealed that he's excited about the change in defensive schemes. The Colts play a lot more zone defense than the Vikings do, which Rhodes thinks will suit his game.

“It’s so much easier, I’ll tell you that,” Rhodes said. “The defensive concept I came from is more of a man (coverage) concept, and this one is more zone – eyes to the quarterback on some plays,” Rhodes said. “That’s going to be the main difference for me, is being able to play looking at the quarterback rather than looking at the man.”

Rhodes also said that some of his struggles the last few years were the result of playing hurt at times. Check out this story for more quotes from Rhodes.

Adrian Peterson in line for more carries with Derrius Guice released An ugly situation for a member of the Washington Football Team recently came to light, as it was reported that Derrius Guice had been arrested on significant domestic violence charges. To their credit, and Washington acted quickly in releasing Guice.

That could mean that 35-year-old will be the clear No. 1 running back in DC. He'll get some competition from Peyton Barber and rookie Antonio Gibson, but Peterson seems like the favorite for the lion's share of the carries. The all-time Vikings great and future Hall of Famer said recently that he wants to win a Super Bowl and break 's career rushing record (he's 4,140 yards away).

“I look forward to playing a couple more years, 3-4 more years, who knows, depending on how my body is feeling," Peterson said on NFL Network. Never change, All Day.

Captain Munnerlyn arrested for writing bad checks Munnerlyn was recently arrested at Miami International Airport with a fugitive warrant for writing bad checks in Las Vegas. Uh oh. "This is a complete misunderstanding and we will clear this situation immediately," was the statement from his agent. Hopefully he's right.

The 32-year-old Munnerlyn hasn't technically retired, but he hasn't played in the NFL since 2018 and this probably doesn't help his chances of getting picked up by a team. Munnerlyn spent seven of his ten seasons in the NFL with the Panthers, but was with the Vikings from 2014-2016.

Also in Vikings/Panthers news, Stephen Weatherly is excited to get started in Carolina and feels like he has something to prove.

Seahawks interested in Everson Griffen We're approaching the middle of August, NFL facilities are open, and Everson Griffen still doesn't have a new team. The latest news from a few days ago is that the Seahawks remain interested in signing Griffen. I've always thought that made a lot of sense as a landing spot given their need for an edge rusher and the connection with , Griffen's college coach.

The Cardinals were also rumored to have interest at one point. So were the Packers, but I don't think there was ever anything real about that. Hopefully Griffen will find his new home soon, and it's still not worth ruling out the possibility that he could return to Minnesota.

Linval Joseph's Chargers are on Hard Knocks The latest season of Hard Knocks premieres on HBO on Tuesday night, with the Rams and Chargers both being featured. I have no idea if he'll get any screen time, but keep an eye out for new Chargers DT Linval Joseph. PUBLICATION: Vikings Entertainment Network DATE: 8/12/20

10 Vikings Potential X-Factors in 2020: Holton Hill

By Lindsey Young

EAGAN, Minn. – As Verizon Vikings Training Camp continues and the 2020 season nears, plenty of players will play key roles for the Vikings.

But some players will be in the spotlight more than others, whether it is because of roster turnover or their own progression in recent years.

This is a 10-part series about X-factors on the roster, consisting of players who could be primed for more playing time, and a chance to help the Vikings more than in years past.

Rookies are excluded, as are veterans who have already cemented themselves as vital players on the Vikings.

Up next? Vikings cornerback Holton Hill. Here's why he could be an X-factor in 2020:

— Showed promise in second half of 2019 season

— Year 3 is often significant for cornerbacks

— Wide-open opportunity with turnover at position group

2019 Recap

Stat line: 12 tackles (coaches' tally), one pass defensed and one recovery over eight games (one start)

Hill missed the first eight games of his second pro season while serving a suspension, so his 2019 résumé is limited. When he did take the field for the second half of the campaign, Hill had some ups and downs but showed promise.

The young corner's best performance came on the Sunday Night Football stage in Week 10, when Minnesota narrowly defeated Dallas. Hill played just 11 defensive snaps but was targeted twice by Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott; he didn't allow a completion either time, something we'll dive into more below. Prescott finished with a rating of just 39.6 against Hill.

RELATED LINKS 10 Vikings Potential X-Factors in 2020: Ifeadi Odenigbo 10 Vikings Potential X-Factors in 2020: Garrett Bradbury Hill started in the Vikings regular-season finale in which most of Minnesota's starters were held out. He played 100 percent of the defensive snaps (75) and totaled five tackles. Targeted twice in the contest, Hill allowed one completion of 18 yards.

Vikings safety Harrison Smith spoke with media members via video conference and was asked about Hill and Mike Hughes in the cornerback room. Smith pointed out that even though they've had limited reps on defense thus far, their performance on special teams has garnered attention.

"I've seen some big-time plays out of both of them," Smith said. "Really, ever since those guys have stepped in – Holton, Mike, Kris [Boyd], they've done some really great things on special teams. … Those guys have put a lot of good reps on tape, and I love how they play."

Best Splash Play So Far

As stated above, Hill's best game in 2019 happened under the prime-time lights.

The Vikings got on the board first with a touchdown catch by Kyle Rudolph, and the Cowboys looked to answer on their second drive of the game. Dallas made some progress and got past midfield, but on third-and-6 from the Minnesota 48, Hill made an impressive breakup of a pass intended for tight end Jason Witten.

The play forced the Cowboys to punt the ball back to the Vikings, and that series ended with another Rudolph touchdown and 14-0 Minnesota lead.

Vikings Workouts: August 10 View photos of Vikings players who participated in workouts at TCO Performance Center.

2020 Outlook

Season 3 is often looked at as a statement year for NFL cornerbacks.

Being that the transition from college to the pros can be steep, specifically at that position, it's common to see corners take significant steps from Season 2 to 3.

Looking at a couple of corners under Head Coach Mike Zimmer, Trae Waynes became a full-time starter in his third season and recorded career-highs in tackles and tackles for loss while tying his career-high in passes defensed. Mackensie Alexander went from 17 total tackles (press box stats) in 2017 to 43 tackles, 10 passes defensed and 4.0 sacks in 2018.

Will Hill be able to take a similar step forward in 2020?

"I've had a great offseason as far as workouts and just preparing myself for this upcoming season," Hill told Vikings producer Gabe Henderson. "It's a big one for me, going into my third year. I'm excited to take on a role and see what comes next.

"During this past offseason, I had a lot of downtime to focus more on the game and the bigger picture, as far as me wanting to play a bigger role with the defense," Hill added. "I'm just taking it day by day and going out there, making the most of every opportunity."

Opportunity is certainly ripe for the picking this season. With Waynes, Alexander and Xavier Rhodes all departing, Minnesota's starting corner positions – both outside and at nickel – are up for grabs.

Vikings 2020 Roster in Photos View photos of the Vikings 2020 roster as of August 9, 2020.

Hill may be just 23 years old and have only four starts under his belt, but he's the second-most-experienced cornerback in the room behind Hughes. Hill made three starts as a rookie, recording three of his seven passes defended that season at Seattle.

"I've learned a lot from [Alexander, Rhodes and Waynes], and I plan as time goes on to take more of a leadership role," Hill said. "Right now, I'm just trying to lead by example, by doing everything right, and hopefully those guys can watch and pick up from there."

Hill said he's learned from mistakes that led to his suspension and plans to make "better decisions" going forward.

"[I'm focused on] knowing my purpose and my 'why.' I had a lot of time to spend with my family and be around them a little bit more, so not only for me, but it's kind of bigger than me," he said. "I want to use that as more of a motivational factor for me to keep going and keep working harder."

Hill's approach has caught the eye of Vikings Co-Defensive Coordinator Andre Patterson, who said the young corner is "much more focused than when we first came in here" as an undrafted free agent in 2018.

"He looks like he's in great shape," Patterson said. "Doing the virtual meetings, he was on point as far as answering the questions and knowing what he was supposed to do, so I'm excited to see what he's going to do to his game once we get out here in pads and start playing real football." PUBLICATION: Vikings Entertainment Network DATE: 8/12/20

Vikings Defense Shuts Down Notion of Lower Expectations

By Eric Smith

EAGAN, Minn. — Harrison Smith is entering his ninth season in Purple, which makes him the eldest statesman on the Vikings defense.

The Pro Bowl safety has seen a bit of everything in his time in Minnesota, whether it was the unit ranking dead last in points allowed in 2013 … or being a key part of a defense that led the league in points allowed in 2017.

As Smith enters the 2020 season as the defensive player with the most experience in Minnesota, he has taken notice of the handful of new faces around him.

But in typical Smith fashion — one that aligns with his tough, no-nonsense demeanor — the safety isn't ready to accept the fact that the Vikings defense will suddenly be a liability after six straight seasons of being among the league's best.

"I guess I've kind of been out of the loop – I didn't know we were supposed to be bad," Smith recently said on a video chat with the Twin Cities media. "So yeah, I guess that motivates me. Everybody takes things differently. People are going to say things no matter what, so I just try to play well.

Ad : (0:11) "If you want to talk about it, that's cool; if you don't, that's cool," Smith added. "I think if we all just play well, then we'll win games, and you can say good or bad, and that's it."

To be fair, the Vikings defense will look different than in years' past. Household names and veterans such as Linval Joseph, Everson Griffen, Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander are no longer on the roster.

To put that in context, that quintet of players produced a combined 281 starts, nine Pro Bowl appearances, 62.5 sacks, 19 , 16 forced and seven fumble recoveries over the past five seasons.

But Smith is still on the squad, as he forms arguably the league's top safety duo with Anthony Harris. Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr might be the best linebacker tandem in a nickel defense, and Danielle Hunter has started his career by simply becoming the youngest player to 50 sacks.

Kendricks recently noted that he recognizes the turnover on the roster but countered there are still plenty of high- caliber names that can still perform at an elite level.

"We have a lot of guys who are obviously new, but we have a lot of guys who have been doing it at the highest level for a long time. They have those examples," Kendricks said. "The guys like myself and Harrison Smith and Anthony Barr and Danielle Hunter, Anthony Harris, you can go down the line.

"We have one goal, we're all on the same page," Kendricks added. "And I feel like the young guys naturally see how we are, how we act, and it's OK for them to feel that confidence. It's like everybody's swimming in the same direction and it gets them that confidence."

Ad : (0:11) On the defensive line, defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo appears to be in line to replace Griffen. Michael Pierce was signed during free agency to replace Joseph but has opted-out of 2020 because of health concerns.

Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach Andre Patterson said the Vikings could use a combination at the defensive tackle spots, pointing out that the system sometimes asks the nose tackle to play at the 3-technique and vice versa.

"I'm looking at all the options," Patterson said. "The beauty here is: Because of the way we play our noses have to know how to play 3-technique and our 3-technique has to know how to play nose because the offense can make those guys have to play those roles. As we go through practice, they all have to learn how to play nose and how to play 3.

"I'm going to put the best combination out there that gives us the best opportunity to succeed," Patterson said. "Shamar [Stephen] is going to take reps at nose, Jaleel [Johnson] is going to take reps at nose, Armon Watts is going to take reps at nose, James [Lynch], so is Hercules [Mata'afa] and the same with 3-technique. When it's all said and done and we go through the evaluation at camp, I'm going to put the best two D-tackles out there that give us the best opportunity to be successful."

All of those players, except Lynch, have game experience in Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer's defense, as do cornerbacks Mike Hughes and Holton Hill, two players who would start in the secondary.

Ad : (0:12) Rookie Jeff Gladney, a 2020 first-round pick, is another name who could challenge for a starting spot along with the likes of Kris Boyd, rookie Cameron Dantzler and others.

Smith said there could be some growing pains for that group as they learn in grow, but he added he has plenty of confidence in their talent and abilities.

"We have a lot of guys who are new, kind of have clean slates but a ton of talent," Smith said. "[We have] smart guys, smart coaches. A lot of people who want to win and who want to be great football players and a great defense.

"So, I think it's good to have that mix. It's good to have some new faces every now and then," Smith added. "It kind of keeps us old guys, I guess, you try to teach a little bit more, you realize areas that you need to get better at."

Added Kendricks: "I feel like these young guys have an opportunity. They have an opportunity to get in and make a big splash. You can take it one way and be nervous or feeling a little bit anxious about it. Or you can take it as a challenge and a have chip on your shoulder. 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."

Minnesota's defense will be a work in progress throughout training camp as starting spots are earned and playing time gets figured out, but a nucleus of proven players remains.

And for the three main coaches in charge of the defense, they know it will be on them to help get the defense ready to meet the lofty expectations that have been set in Zimmer's tenure with the Vikings.

But Zimmer, Patterson and Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach Adam Zimmer also embrace the challenge of proving people wrong, as the underdog role is one that suits the Vikings just fine.

"We've always been that way. The two of us have always been that way," Patterson said of Mike Zimmer and himself. "I think that motivates us to do our job, and usually the guys we bring into the program have that same mindset, too. They look forward to the challenge.

"Every year you have to earn how good you are. It doesn't carry over. You start from ground zero, you play 16 games, and when it's all over and done, you look and see how well you have done," Patterson added. "It's definitely a motivation for me, and I would expect it's a motivation for our players also."

Zimmer's six seasons in Minnesota have been highlighted by defensive continuity while the offense has endured ups and downs.

Is this the year that script switches and it's the defense that hits some bumps in the road?

When asked what it was like for the offense to be ahead of the defense, Zimmer fired back, "Well, we'll just have to see if that happens." PUBLICATION: Vikings Entertainment Network DATE: 8/12/20

Greenway Helps Minnesota Family Honor Son's Memory

By Lindsey Young

It's not often that one finds a hockey stick at a football camp.

This particular piece of equipment, however, perfectly personified the mission of 's annual Day to REACH camp: Sports are so much more than scores or rivalries.

The neighboring Minnesota communities of Hutchinson and Litchfield are hurting after the tragic loss of Litchfield's Dylan Falling, who passed away on June 8 from brain trauma suffered from a car accident three days prior. He was 16 years old.

Greenway learned of Dylan's passing through REACH Program Director Chad Harlander, who knew the Vikings linebacker would want to help.

"Of course your heart drops, and then you just start to lead with your heart," Harlander said. "The first thing that I did was reach out to Chad and say, 'Hey, Litch is our second home, and they have a family that's going through a very difficult time.' "

The tragic news hit home for Greenway, a dad to four daughters.

He recalled starting his Lead the Way Foundation with his wife Jenni after their oldest daughter, Maddyn, was born, and wanting family to be a focus of the foundation. The Greenways have helped support numerous families going through difficult circumstances, and his heart went out to Dylan's parents, Dustin and Michelle.

Falling_DylanMomDadFootball-2 Courtesy of the Falling Family "They were enjoying a great kid. Dylan was a great kid, most importantly," Greenway emphasized. "He was a great athlete, but he was just a really good person. To kind of put into the perspective of, that's a really hard thing to do, to lose somebody that close to you, somebody you raised – I just can't even imagine.

"For us as a family, you look at a situation like that and just say, 'What can we do? What can we do, if anything, to help?' Because it's just such a terrible situation," he added.

Although the Day to REACH camp typically is held in Hutchinson, it has been temporarily moved to Litchfield on a couple of occasions, including one year that Dylan attended.

"He really enjoyed it," recalled Dustin. "And I know it's not just a camp of skills. It's a camp that focuses on being a good person and life goals … It has a lot more meaning than just running some football drills."

Those values were demonstrated when Dustin, Michelle and their 14-year-old daughter Morgan were invited to Hutchinson by Harlander and Greenway for a special moment honoring Dylan's memory.

There, the family was surprised by seniors from the Hutchinson hockey team. Typically rivals of the Litchfield Dragons for which Dylan played goalie, the young men presented the Fallings with a goalie's stick signed by the entire Tigers team.

GreenwayCamp-hockey-2560 Roman Bloemke Photography Dustin, who coached Dylan in hockey over the years, called the gesture "an absolute surprise." The sentiment behind it, though, was less so.

"We're a little different out here. Though there could be a 30-, 40-mile distance and a rivalry there, when something happens, we're kind of like the same community," Dustin said. "At the end of the day, it didn't surprise me that Hutchinson would do something like that."

The Hutchinson and Litchfield communities have become family to Greenway and Harlander, as well, who surprised the Fallings with a check for $5,000 to help start a scholarship in Dylan's name.

"We've been doing the camp out there for so long, and it's always really important for us to do something that kind of gives back," Greenway said. "Hutch and Litchfield [are] rivals on the field but very similar communities and in very close proximity. Everybody knows each other, and it's a lot of back-and-forth.

"One thing about our camp, we've always talked about family – and when you're there, it's about meeting somebody new and doing something different and connecting with somebody that's not exactly like you," he added. "So our camp [overcomes] that rivalry with the two schools – it kind of cuts through that. I just felt we had to do something, and this seemed like a really appropriate thing to do."

GreenwayPresentation-2560 Roman Bloemke Photography Dylan displayed high character as a standout goalie, running back and track-and-field participant. He was an A-honor roll student and a caring, funny young man.

In blog posts written for school, Dylan emphasized the role of faith and spirituality in sports. He will be remembered for a kind heart off the field and an intense mindset on it.

"In football, his quarterback said he was an 'angry runner.' We always talked about, for lack of better words, it was 'hit or be hit' type of thing. You need to be aggressive on the field," Dustin said. "He was a good teammate."

Dylan loved the Vikings and rooting for his favorite players. The Falling family attended at least one Vikings game per season together, usually making it an all-day affair.

Dustin recalled bringing Dylan and Morgan to the Vikings Locker Room store at U.S. Bank Stadium and surprising them, telling them to pick out any jersey they'd like. Dylan chose a Purple 22.

"He liked the whole team, but he really liked the Hitman," Dustin said of Dylan's affinity for Harrison Smith. "That was an annual thing, going to the Vikes game … we're really going to miss that."

The family enjoyed watching Greenway before he retired following the 2016 season, and his genuine care for Dustin, Michelle and Morgan in the wake of tragedy has touched all of their hearts. For Dustin, the linebacker's readiness to help a family he'd never previously met only confirmed what he'd always thought of Greenway.

"Even before this, [I'd thought], 'Gosh, he seems like a good dude.' He's never said a bad thing, he's down-to-earth, and I took that away from that day, too," Dustin said. "You could tell the care in his voice, his concern and his willingness to kind of help in situations like this.

"That's a true testament to his camp that he puts on," Dustin added. "That's a direct reflection of him as a person, what he's trying to teach people. It's not just a façade saying, 'I've got to keep a good image.' That's him."

Harlander said that Greenway and his wife, Jenni, are "what athletics are all about."

"They lead with their hearts. There are people that talk the talk, and there's people that walk the talk. The Greenways walk the talk," Harlander said. "When Chad got in the league, [they said] they were going to give back to the community. What are we, 14 years later, and they're are still doing that with their Lead the Way Foundation."

***

In addition to the scholarship started by Day to REACH + Lead the Way Foundation, the Falling family plans to support young student-athletes in their community through a foundation that will be established in Dylan's memory. The 1 Foundation will help provide athletic/academic scholarships, local Catholic school scholarships and mental health resources for young people. Click here to learn more or to donate.