DAILY CLIPS

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2020

LOCAL NEWS: Friday, June 26, 2020

Star Tribune

Offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak's history gives Vikings a big advantage By Sid Hartman https://www.startribune.com/hartman-offensive-coordinator-gary-kubiak-s-history-gives-vikings-a-big- advantage/571495132/

Purple Insider

Who is the Vikings' next great offensive development project? By Matthew Coller https://purpleinsider.substack.com/p/who-is-the-vikings-next-great-offensive

NATIONAL NEWS: Friday, June 26, 2020

Maven Media

Vikings Roster Ranked 17th-Best in NFL by PFF By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/vikings-roster-ranked-17th-best-nfl-pff

Should the Retire Any Other Jersey Numbers? By Will Ragatz https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/minnesota-vikings-history-retired-jersey-numbers

MULTIMEDIA NEWS: Friday, June 26, 2020

Nate Stanley: I Think I Was Meant to Be a Viking | Minnesota Vikings Podcast By VEN https://www.vikings.com/video/nate-stanley-i-think-i-was-meant-to-be-a-viking-minnesota-vikings-podcast

VIKINGS ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK: Friday, June 26, 2020

Anthony Barr & Anthony Harris to Participate in Free Webinar Thursday By Lindsey Young https://www.vikings.com/news/anthony-barr-anthony-harris-participate-free-webinar

Minnesota Vikings Podcast Episode 49 Highlights: Pre-Combine Flight Helps Make 1st Impression on Offensive Staff By Chris Corso https://www.vikings.com/news/minnesota-vikings-podcast-episode-49-highlights-pre-combine-flight-helps-nate-st

PUBLICATION: Star Tribune DATE: 6/26/20

Offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak's history gives Vikings a big advantage

By Sid Hartman

The Vikings will enter training camp in about a month with all new offensive and defensive coordinators as Gary Kubiak takes over for and offensive coordinator and Andre Patterson and Adam Zimmer take over for George Edwards as co-defensive coordinators.

One big advantage that Kubiak has had in this virtual offseason is that he has been a coordinator in the NFL before, with the Broncos from 1995 to 2005 and with the Ravens in 2014, and of course he was a with the Texans from 2006 to '13 and with the Broncos from 2015 to '16, winning the .

Kubiak said that being familiar with the role and working with several coaches with whom he has a history makes a big difference.

"First off, I don't want to use the word easy for me, but I am working with some guys that I worked a lot with throughout my career," Kubiak said. "The transition is very smooth from that standpoint of what I'm trying to get done and how I want to go about doing it. You know I really enjoyed myself last year. I really enjoyed working for Zim [head coach ] and Rick [General Manager Rick Spielman] and our players, a tremendous group of players, very motivated.

"I am excited to get going again, I really am. Hopefully we can get back on that field here real soon, and I really feel fortunate that I'm getting a chance to continue to contribute. So very excited about this year."

There was no doubt when Kubiak was brought in as an assistant head coach last season that he was going to play a big part in the offensive game plan with Stefanski in his first season as an offensive coordinator.

And Kubiak said that as he looks back to last season — when the Vikings finished eighth in points per game, their highest mark since 2009 — he thinks the way the team brought in some of his concepts will be a big help this year after the difficult offseason.

"I was very impressed with how the group picked up a new scheme, basically," Kubiak said. "I know there was some overlap from that standpoint with what they had done in the past. But Kevin did a tremendous job of meshing with what I have done for years and what they wanted to hold on to, and I think we made up some ground really, really quickly. There is always things that you can do better, but I think the good thing is we have been able to go back and evaluate every play probably 10 times over from last year and decide where we want to continue to grow and what we maybe want to take out."

Cousins leads

The last time the Vikings had the same as their primary starter for three seasons in a row was when Daunte Culpepper was with the club from 2000 to '04, but if stays healthy and starts the majority of the games he can break that streak.

Cousins posted the highest of his career last season (107.4) to go along with his second-highest completion percentage (69.1) and best record as a starter at 10-5.

Kubiak said Cousins has shown even greater leadership this offseason.

"Guys like him have had to take over, whether it's trying to get together with the guys and try to do some throwing, you know, getting on the computer and talking to his teammates and saying, 'Here is how I do this. Here is the verbiage. Here is how I run a two-minute drill.' You know some of that hands-on stuff has probably been [done] more so than ever," Kubiak said. "But I think Kirk came out of last year with a lot of confidence as a person and a player.

"I think he is very excited about our group moving forward and he knows he's going to have to take on an even bigger role with some of these new, young pieces like [first-round pick] Justin [Jefferson]. I think Kirk has had a really good offseason and can't wait to start throwing the ball around again. I know he is chomping at the bit."

One thing that Kubiak said will benefit both him and his quarterback is that the offensive group coming back returns nine of 11 starters — with offensive lineman Josh Kline not being re-signed and wide receiver Stefon Diggs being traded.

"If you look at our group we are pretty much a veteran-type group, or a group that has been together other than the receiver position," Kubiak said. "Obviously losing Diggs, a great player for us last year who was very productive, other than that particular position, which is going to be a very competitive position for us, we could probably line up today and go right back to work. We should make up some ground very quickly. I am hoping that carry-over helps us make a quick transition into this season, but we're still going to have to catch up and have some young guys help us."

Jottings

• ESPN published a list of the most surprising success stories in recruiting and the Gophers were the Big Ten representative. "This class has two ESPN 300 commitments in cornerback Avante Dickerson and quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis. Dickerson, from Omaha, had offers from some of the top programs in the country, including Georgia, Oregon, USC and Tennessee, but he chose the Gophers," ESPN wrote. "[P.J.] Fleck has been able to land six ESPN 300 commitments combined in his four recruiting classes from 2018 to 2021. That might not sound like a lot, but consider that Minnesota had only four ESPN 300 commitments in the nine recruiting classes from 2009 to 2017 and you can see the improvement."

• Former Gophers golf standout Erik van Rooyen finished tied for 21st at the RBC Heritage Open last weekend at 14 under par. He has made $69,225 in seven events during the 2020 PGA season. He is ranked No. 40 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Spring Lake Park High School grad Troy Merritt finished tied for 70th at the RBC and has now made $298,260 in 13 events this season. He shot 68 in the first round of the Travelers Championships on Thursday.

• Former Gophers men's basketball standout Nate Mason will play for Team CP3 in The Tournament, an event in Columbus, Ohio, starting next Friday. The tournament will air on ESPN, and the winning team will earn $1 million. Team CP3 is led by NBA legend Chris Paul. Former Gophers player DeAndre Mathieu is playing for Team Tookie, and Hopkins standout and NBA first-round pick Royce White is playing for Iowa United.

• It says a lot about former Gophers pitcher Max Meyer that after the Marlins selected him No. 3 overall in the MLB draft Miami CEO/part owner and Yankees Hall of Famer Derek Jeter called him on draft night and the two sides came to an immediate agreement on a contract.

Sid Hartman can be heard on WCCO AM-830 at 8:40 a.m. Monday and Friday and 2 p.m. Friday.

PUBLICATION: Purple Insider DATE: 6/26/20

Who is the Vikings' next great offensive development project?

By Matthew Coller

Earlier this week, we took a look at the defensive players that Mike Zimmer and staff developed from late-round picks or undrafted free agents into starters or key role players and the candidates from the 2019 and 2020 class who could be the next Anthony Harris or .

On the offensive side, there have been fewer rags-to-riches stories since 2014 but the two players who went from under-the-radar to starting became legitimate stars in and Stefon Diggs.

For whatever reason, we haven’t seen the same frequency of seeing a no-name player rise to the challenge in the Vikings’ offense despite plenty of openings over the last five years for someone to emerge as a No. 3 receiver or stud on the offensive line.

Developmental picks like MyCole Pruitt, TJ Clemmings, Willie Beavers, , Moritz Boehringer, , and Stacy Coley have all failed to emerge. Aside from Thielen/Diggs, the most successful late pick or UDFA under Zimmer is Charles Johnson, who gained 475 yards receiving in 2014.

But with Diggs dealt to Buffalo and two spots up for grabs on the offensive line, opportunity knocks for the next wave of late-rounders and UDFAs.

Here are five players (and five honorable mentions) who were drafted in the fourth round or later from either the 2019 or 2020 class who have the best shot at emerging this year…

Wide receiver, Midway through training camp the light went on for the 2019 seventh-round pick and Johnson emerged as the winner of an open receiver competition that included Jordan Taylor and . In college Johnson was hardly a dominant player, topping out at 54 receptions in his senior year but in the more complex NFL game his smarts gave the ex-Colorado State Ram an opportunity to get on the field.

When Thielen went down with a hamstring injury, Johnson jumped into action and grabbed four passes against the Lions including his first career touchdown. From Week 7-13 with the star receiver out, Johnson brought in 17 passes for 141 yards and three touchdowns. In total — with playoffs — he made 33 receptions for 311 yards and Kirk Cousins registered a 116.8 rating when targeting Johnson.

The question isn’t whether he can play at the highest level — that was proven in Year 1 — it’s whether Johnson has a higher ceiling than playing a No. 4, fill-in type role in 2020.

The Vikings wouldn’t have picked if they believed Johnson was ready to play Robin to Thielen’s Batman but there is a case for Johnson stepping into a bigger role and potentially shining. In a bizarre offseason that has required virtual learning, Johnson has a leg up already knowing the offense. And while he isn’t known for freakish athleticism, he’s a well above average athlete according to the website Relative Athletic Scores, which gave him an 8.18 out of 10 on a scale that weighs Combine scores with position and height/weight.

Jefferson also played nearly all of his snaps as a slot receiver in college, which may mean that he will need time to develop as an outside receiver. Johnson has already proven he can hold down that position and might get a shot there on a regular basis if Jefferson needs time to catch up.

Wide receiver, KJ Osborn

While many draft experts had Osborn as an undrafted free agent, the Vikings were sold by his character and playmaking ability with the ball and drafted him in the fifth round. Last season at Miami he graded by PFF as the fourth best punt returner in the nation, gaining nearly 16 yards per return and caught 50 passes for 547 yards despite abysmal quarterback play for the Hurricanes.

With Marcus Sherels out, the Vikings have a wide open punt returning competition with few candidates that have as much college or NFL experience as Osborn. He will get a fair shake at winning that job out of camp and putting himself in the mix to develop as a receiver.

“He gets downhill very quickly and has a knack for catching the ball. That’s one of the most important things that gets overlooked,” special teams coordinator Marwan Maalouf said. “I think people sometimes look for athletic guys but you have to be able to catch the ball and he’s done both in college and done it very well. You can see his explosiveness and his vision and his anticipation before he catches the ball, you can see his eyes scanning. He has the talent to do that.”

On draft day, Osborn professed his love for special teams.

“What I love about it is it changes the game,” Osborn said. “It’s so undervalued. At Miami, one of the biggest things we talked about was hitting yardage, and I feel like, you know, at punt return or at kick return, there’s so much hidden yardage. Especially, I’ll give you an example, at punt return when you get big punt returns, you’re setting the offense up with great field position. It’s a big sparkplug play. It gets the sideline going. It gets the fans going.”

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote that Osborn projects more as a slot receiver in the NFL than outside, which is where he played at Miami. That might make it difficult for him to see anything more than a sub package role with Jefferson taking the slot reps. But if he shows exceptional skill with the ball in his hands, there could be early opportunities to make plays on the occasional jet sweep or bubble screen as a change of pace.

Wide receiver, Remember Dillon Mitchell? The 2019 seventh-round pick put together a magnificent final season at Oregon with 75 catches for 1,184 yards and 10 touchdowns before leaving for the NFL. In Vikings camp, however, he failed to emerge as a candidate for a roster spot, catching just one preseason pass and never seeing the field with the second or first team in practice.

The Vikings brought him back on the practice squad for a reason. His 4.46 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and natural athletic gifts give Mitchell an intriguing upside that the Vikings were not ready to give up on yet. But in order for him to make noise in camp, something has to click.

“Mitchell has talent but needs to put the time in and take the coaching in order to become more than a WR4/WR5,” Zierlein wrote in his NFL.com draft profile.

The receiver competition is just as open as it was last year. This time, Mitchell knows the offense and what to expect. He’ll be battling with players like , Alexander Hollins, Davion Davis, etc. for a spot. The one thing that gives Mitchell a chance: He has more raw talent than any of them.

Guard,

*Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings*

Out of Oklahoma a.k.a. Offensive Line University, Samia was known as a brawler who needed refinement in order to make it in the NFL. That showed early on in his pro career when the first few weeks of training camp were as rocky for him as any of the 2019 rookies. By the third preseason game, he appeared to get his feet underneath him and played well, garnering the highest PFF grade of any lineman that day.

When it came to injuries during the season though, the Vikings turned to veteran as a replacement. Samia’s first and only game action came in Week 17 in a consequence-less game against the Bears. Zimmer called it a “red shirt” year.

On a conference call last week, Gary Kubiak acknowledged that the less experienced O-linemen are not in a favorable spot with OTA and minicamp cancellations due to COVID but left the door open to competition at each guard position.

“I think we've created a very competitive and very flexible group so we have to just get to work and see how this is going to pan out,” Kubiak said. “I say all the time: We're going to play our best five but I like our group.”

Tackle, Of the backups who played Week 17, Udoh was one of the most impressive. With some snaps coming against Khalil Mack, he gave up zero pressures on 15 pass blocks. It’s a tiny sample size but Udoh’s length and athletic gifts make him intriguing. At the Combine he ran a 5.05 40-yard dash at 6-foot-5, 323 pounds.

The question is whether he will ever see a chance to start. Entering training camp, he is behind Riley Reiff, Brian O’Neill, and possibly on the depth chart. Even in 2021 or beyond, it’s hard to see a clear path for the former standout with the second-round pick from Boise State slotted in to take Reiff’s job after this season.

Naturally the idea of him playing guard comes up. Could Udoh adapt to a new position in a shortened offseason? Does he fit the model of quick, undersized guards? Would they want to move a player with upside when he’s just begun his development?

Honorable mention

Alexander Hollins — Brought back on the practice squad and was active several times last season

Kyle Hinton — A smalls-school, highly-athletic seventh-round guard with some nastiness to his game

Brandon Dillon — The Vikings are set at tight end but Dillon could be ready to step up if there are any other injuries. The coaching staff liked what they saw in camp last year.

Davion Davis — Undrafted receiver who flashed at times during last offseason and was brought back on the practice squad.

Quartney Davis — The most interesting UDFA receiver this year, he caught 54 passes at Texas A&M last year.

PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 6/26/20

Vikings Roster Ranked 17th-Best in NFL by PFF

By Will Ragatz

According to PFF's Ben Linsey, the Vikings' overall roster doesn't rank in the top half of the NFL in 2020. Linsey recently ranked all 32 rosters, and the Vikings came in all the way down at No. 17.

For the last five or so years, the Vikings have clearly had one of the more talented all-around rosters in the NFL, with their major shortcomings being the quarterback position and the offensive line. They've now got a QB in Kirk Cousins coming off of a fantastic season, but gone is Stefon Diggs and the O-line remains an issue. More noticeably, Mike Zimmer's vaunted defense has finally undergone a transformation with the departures of three starters at cornerback and two on the defensive line.

The exodus of veteran talent could be a good thing in the long run, as the Vikings have a stable of intriguing young players to develop, including several rookies from a strong 2020 draft class. However, it's understandable that they would drop in this type of ranking.

Linsey listed the offensive line as the Vikings' biggest weakness, which is hard to argue with. For all of the draft capital Rick Spielman has spent on that area in recent years, it's still currently a liability, especially in pass-protection.

The Vikings did address the offensive line by selecting Ezra Cleveland in the second round of the 2020 draft, but it was really the interior pass protection that hamstrung the unit last season. That doesn't project to be significantly better in 2020. (41.4 pass-blocking grade in 2019) will need to take a big step in his second season even to be average for the position in pass protection. Meanwhile, both guard spots are up in the air, including a potential move to guard for either Cleveland or Riley Reiff. There are still a lot of things to work out leading up to next season.

For the Vikings' 2020 X-factor, Linsey went with the cornerback position. That's different from a weakness, as there are a lot of unknowns when it comes to the Vikings' young CB group. They could have a rough season, but they could also quite possibly be better than last year's CBs were.

Minnesota underwent a wholesale change at cornerback this offseason, saying goodbye to starters Trae Waynes, Xavier Rhodes and while selecting and in the 2020 draft. Last season's starters struggled overall, but that is still a lot of turnover in one offseason. Gladney is the rookie to watch when it comes to making an impact early. He was tested heavily downfield in the Big 12, but he stood up to that test. Gladney's 47% completion percentage allowed ranked first among FBS cornerbacks with at least 1,000 coverage snaps from 2016 through 2019.

Despite those two areas (and the loss of Diggs), 17th feels a little too low for the Vikings' roster, in my opinion. They still have elite talent at all three levels of the defense with , , Harrison Smith, and Anthony Harris. If players like Ifeadi Odenigbo and Mike Hughes break out, that could be a strong unit once again. Offensively, the Cousins--Adam Thielen trio is still quite strong, and young players like Brian O'Neill, Irv Smith Jr., and Justin Jefferson are all highly skilled.

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Linsey lists the Vikings' incredible safety duo as the team's greatest strength.

It's not hard to spot the strongest position on Minnesota's roster. The safety duo of Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris is comfortably one of the best tandems in the NFL. Over the past two seasons, Smith and Harris rank fourth and first, respectively, in PFF grade at the position. Their ability in coverage, coupled with a career year in coverage from linebacker Eric Kendricks, was able to mask some of the deficiencies Minnesota had at cornerback. They'll likely have to do the same thing again in 2020.

Personally, I think somewhere in the 12 to 15 range makes more sense for the Vikings at this point. If their young players keep developing, I can see Zimmer's squad getting back inside the top ten or even the top five very soon.

The Ravens, Saints, and 49ers lead the way in PFF's roster rankings. The Packers are best in the NFC North at No. 12, while the Lions come in just behind the Vikings at No. 19. The Bears are last in the division at No. 21.

Again, you can see the full rankings right here.

Check out all of our Vikings 2020 season preview content right here. PUBLICATION: Maven Media DATE: 6/26/20

Should the Minnesota Vikings Retire Any Other Jersey Numbers?

By Will Ragatz

I'm currently in the midst of writing previews for all 87 players on the Vikings' roster, with the number of days remaining until the season opener corresponding with the jersey number of the player I write about on that day. You can find them all right here, along with other preview content for the 2020 season.

What that means is I'm writing a player preview just about every single day. However, there are 13 jersey numbers between 1 and 99 that are not occupied by any current Vikings. Some of those are random, but six of them are the numbers that have been retired by the franchise. As a reminder, those six numbers are:

No. 10 () No. 53: () No. 70: (Jim Marshall) No. 77: () No. 80: () No. 88: () Today (June 25th) is one of the days where I have no player to write about. There are 80 days until the Vikings host the Packers on September 13th to kick off the season, and because Cris Carter's number is retired, no Viking will ever wear No. 80 again.

That got me thinking: are there any other jersey numbers that the Vikings should retire? And which numbers – if any – could be next?

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From a practical perspective, you can only retire so many numbers. But there's certainly room for the Vikings to retire more than six. NFL rosters can only go as high as 90 players in training camp, so that's at least nine available slots right there (although the positional restrictions make things slightly more difficult than that). Also, there are plenty of franchises with more than six retired numbers. The Bears and Giants lead the way with 14, the 49ers have 12, the Chiefs have 10, and there are five teams in the seven to nine range.

Here are three numbers that should arguably already be retired, plus a few that could be retired at some point down the road.

Numbers that should probably already be retired No. 84 – Randy Moss

Moss is arguably the most talented player to ever put on a Vikings uniform. He's also arguably the most talented wide receiver in the history of the NFL. He burst onto the scene in 1998 and helped the Vikings reach two NFC title games in his first three seasons. Moss was a first team All-Pro in three of his seven seasons with the Vikings, and would've shattered Carter's franchise receiving records had he stayed for longer.

Instead, Moss and the Vikings parted ways in 2005. The fact that he only spent seven years in Minnesota is presumably the main reason why the team hasn't retired his number. His occasional off-the-field antics might be another factor. Still, it has always felt weird to see somebody else wearing the No. 84 in purple, whether that's Aundre Allison, Michael Jenkins, or Irv Smith Jr.

On an unrelated note, ESPN needs to put Moss in the Monday Night Football booth.

No. 81 – , Anthony Carter

This is probably the most inexcusable one, in my opinion. Eller is a Hall of Famer who spent 14 seasons with the Vikings as one of the stars of the "Purple People Eaters" defensive line. If Page and Marshall's numbers are retired, why shouldn't Eller's 81 be retired as well? He's the franchise's all-time leader in sacks with 130 (Marshall had 127 and Page had 108). Eller is a true legend and there's no rational explanation for not retiring No. 81.

As a bonus, do it to honor Anthony Carter as well. He spent nine seasons with the Vikings and had one of the greatest playoff performances in franchise history in the 1987 divisional round. Carter is currently third in team history in receiving yards and touchdowns and fourth in receptions.

No. 93 – John Randle, Kevin Williams

This is another number that could be retired to honor multiple all-time greats. Randle is a Hall of Famer who is third in franchise history in sacks (trailing only Eller and Marshall) and is one of the most dominant defensive tackles of the past 30 years. He led the Vikings in sacks in eight straight years from 1993 to 2000. The fact that he went undrafted for being "too small" to play DT – not to mention his rivalry with Brett Favre – only adds to his legend.

Williams was also a dominant force at , finishing his 11-year Vikings career with 60 sacks. He was a first team All-Pro five times and is one of the franchise's best players of the 2000s.

Other numbers with a case to be retired No. 56 – Chris Doleman

Doleman is a Hall of Famer who is fifth on the Vikings' all-time sacks list. The No. 4 overall pick in 1985 spent nine seasons in Minnesota and is one of the best edge rushers in franchise history. His 21 sacks in 1989 stood as the team's single-season record for over two decades until Jared Allen broke it in 2011. Doleman also had some dominant seasons for the Falcons and 49ers, but he played two-thirds of his career with the Vikings.

Retiring No. 56 would be a cool way to honor Doleman, who tragically passed away from brain cancer in January at the age of 58.

No. 64 – Randall McDaniel

Another Hall of Famer, McDaniel is on a very short list of the best offensive guards of all time. He missed just two games in a dominant 12-year career with the Vikings. McDaniel is highly underrated in NFL history due to the position he played.

No. 28 – Adrian Peterson

Based on career accomplishments alone, Peterson's jersey should absolutely be retired. He's the franchise's all-time leader in yards from scrimmage, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and several other stats. Peterson owns six of the top seven rushing seasons in Vikings history and is one of the most physically dominant running backs the NFL has ever seen. He's also one of only three Vikings to ever win the MVP award, and the other two – Page and Tarkenton – have their numbers retired.

Ultimately, the reason why it may not happen has to do with the child abuse charges that resulted in Peterson being suspended for the entire 2014 season. Regardless of how you feel about the situation, that's a stain on his legacy.

Numbers that could be retired someday down the line No. 22 – Paul Krause and Harrison Smith

This one could've gone in the previous category as well. Krause is a Hall of Famer whose 53 are the most in Vikings history. He began his career with four years in Washington, but spent the next 12 seasons in Minnesota. He's one of the better safeties in NFL history.

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Retiring No. 22 could become an easy decision if Smith continues to play at a high level in a Vikings jersey for another four or five years. He's already close to becoming an all-time franchise great after just eight seasons. Smith has been one of the best safeties in the league for almost all of his career, perfectly embodies the spirit of Mike Zimmer's defense, and was an egregious snub from the NFL's 2010s All-Decade team.

No. 99 – Danielle Hunter

This is a forward-thinking inclusion. Hunter has been a Viking for just five seasons, but with 54.5 sacks during that time, he's already on pace to break some records. Hunter set the record for the most sacks in NFL history before turning 25. Yeah, he's still 25. The LSU product is one of the most freakishly athletic players in the league and is still just hitting his stride. If he stays with the Vikings for the rest of his prime, he'll write his name into team history books.

Check out all of our Vikings 2020 season preview content right here. PUBLICATION: Vikings Entertainment Network DATE: 6/26/20

Anthony Barr & Anthony Harris to Participate in Free Webinar Thursday

By Lindsey Young

EAGAN, Minn. – Athletes, coaches and parents are invited to hear from Vikings teammates Anthony Barr and Anthony Harris tonight.

The defensive duo will be featured in a We Win as One free webinar presented by Positive Coaching Alliance of Minnesota. This week's episode titled "Vague Answers Do Nothing" is the second in the series and will run from 7-8 p.m. (CT).

The following was shared by PCA in promotion of the event:

In this volatile time – with our nation poised for change – hard questions need to be considered. Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) is convinced that, when done right, sports can serve as a starting point for strength, strategy and stability during this pivotal moment of history.

Barr and Harris joined the Vikings in 2014 and 2015, respectively, and have played key roles not only on the field but also in the Minnesota community. Both are active in giving back and seeking to make a difference in the Twin Cities.

They also are part of the Vikings Social Justice Committee and are passionate about working together with teammates to push for social justice and continue important dialogue with law enforcement. Efforts have ramped up particularly after the senseless death of George Floyd on May 25.

Barr and Harris have emphasized a desire to use their platform for good, and tonight's webinar is one more way they hope to do so.

Those who would like to register for the free virtual event can do so here. PUBLICATION: Vikings Entertainment Network DATE: 6/26/20

Minnesota Vikings Podcast Episode 49 Highlights: Pre-Combine Flight Helps Nate Stanley Make 1st Impression on Offensive Staff

By Chris Corso

When the Vikings selected quarterback Nate Stanley out of the University of Iowa in the final round of the 2020 NFL Draft, it marked the first time the team selected a quarterback since 2014.

A few reasons for the selection were some wild connections that Vikings Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak had with the 6-foot-4 signal-caller for the Hawkeyes.

Stanley was a guest on this week's episode of the Minnesota Vikings Podcast, where he discussed why he believes he was meant to be a Viking.

"I have a pretty cool connection with him," Stanley said. "My freshman year at Iowa, my offensive coordinator and coach was Coach Kubiak's coach in college (Greg Davis). Being there with Coach Davis, and his recruiting me, that was also helpful."

Not only did Stanley have a connection with the Vikings offensive coordinator that dates back decades, but he just so happened to take the same flight as the Vikings staff from Minneapolis to Indianapolis to this year's NFL Scouting Combine.

"On the way to the combine I was on the same flight with the Vikings staff, so I talked to Coach Kubiak. I talked to [quarterbacks coach] ," Stanley laughed. "It was really cool to just interact with them before everything started getting crazy in Indianapolis and hopefully I gave them a good first impression, which I think I did."

Below are three more topics discussed by Stanley on this week's edition of the podcast:

Vikings Select Iowa QB Nate Stanley In Round 7 of the 2020 NFL Draft 1. Growing up in Wisconsin a Bears fan?

Stanley starred in football, basketball and baseball at Menomonie High School in the state of Wisconsin.

His dad was his mentor in the classroom and on the field, a teacher at his high school and one of his assistant football coaches.

Stanley's father had a big impact on his childhood fandom as well.

"My dad grew up in Illinois about an hour and a half away from Chicago, so growing up, the Bears and the Cubs were on the TV.

"I don't know if you can tell, but there's a Brian Urlacher bobblehead right there," Stanley said. "That's one of my dad's favorite players ever. Although he's a Chicago Bear, he's a Hall of Famer, so I figure it's OK to leave it up. My dad obviously being the role model in sports for me, that was something I just latched onto as a kid."

Although Stanley may bring the Urlacher bobblehead to Minneapolis to support his dad, he assured his ties to the Bears are long gone.

"That went out the window the second I got the phone call from the Vikings," Stanley said.

Nate Stanley College Highlights 2. A proven winner in college

One of the traits that stood out to Coach Kubiak about Stanley in the draft process was the fact that he played his best in the games that mattered the most.

Not only was he perfect in all three postseason bowl games in his career at Iowa, but he never lost to three of his biggest rivals in the Big Ten, going a combined 9-0 against Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa State.

"Those rivalry games are huge games, especially when you play in college," Stanley said. "I think something about the fans is awesome, which always gave me that extra energy.

"One thing about playing in Minnesota is those fans are crazy. It's always awesome to play in those games because of the fans. A lot of people from my hometown are Vikings fans through-and-through. I am excited to get to Minneapolis and show them what I can do."

Stanley finished his career (27-12) in 39 starts for the fourth-most wins nationally by a quarterback in the past three seasons.

Stanley: I'm Extremely Excited To Learn From Kirk 3. Meshing with Cousins and the QB Room

Vikings starting quarterback Kirk Cousins made sure to reach out to Stanley and welcome him with open arms to the quarterbacks room shortly after his draft selection.

"I can't remember if it was that night or the next morning, but I had a text from him congratulating me, and he shared some personal stories about him and his family," Stanley said. "His mom went to the University of Iowa so he had some connections, which he shared with me and just congratulated me.

"Throughout the next two of three days, and Sean Mannion reached out to me and congratulated me as well."

Stanley has meshed well with the personality of the Vikings quarterback room during offseason virtual meetings.