If you’ve been following the reporting from journalists and fans alike during the current training camp period, you know that the story is defense, defense, defense. The J.J. McCarthy and Sam Howell offenses have had ups and downs, but defenders like Jonathan Greenard, Dwight McGlothern, and Dallas Turner have been all over the practice field, making plays and disrupting every step of the way.
Of course, this defensive unit is much improved from last year’s, with the additions of Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen to the defensive line. Still, I thought it’d be a good idea to compare some of the headlines from this training camp to last year’s training camp, in which Sam Darnold took most of the first-team reps. Through this, I’d like to see how much of this underwhelming offensive productivity can be attributed to early training camp rust and how much could be attributed to the young quarterback and the fresh offensive line.
Darnold’s Early Struggles
As many have pointed out, Sam Darnold struggled in several of those late July practices, throwing interceptions and holding the ball too long. He obviously turned it around in August, and the rest is history after that, but it seems that early struggles are simply par for the course in Kevin O’Connell’s offensive scheme. Even a veteran Kirk Cousins struggled early on in his first training camp with Kevin O’Connell. Many have referenced the complexity of the offense, and for a rookie quarterback like McCarthy, this could be a major source of the perceived dysfunction. This, coupled with Brian Flores’ swarming defense, is a recipe for both intense struggle and potential improvement.
Injuries Abound
There were numerous injuries early in training camp last year, and a similar series of bumps and bruises has occurred this year. Justin Jefferson has been the major absentee this training camp as he recovers from hamstring soreness. Last year, Mekhi Blackmon went down with a season-ending ACL tear, Shaq Griffin had an injury scare early on, and Andrew van Ginkel took time to ease his way in after an off-season foot injury. This season has been much luckier (knock on wood) when it comes to injuries, and it’s been nice to see most of the team practicing with intensity. That said, Jefferson’s absence and the defense’s health could be another reason for the offense’s early difficulties.
Secondary Woes
One major difference in the reporting of training camp practices from this year to last year has been the secondary. The cornerback depth was thin last season with the tragic death of Khyree Jackson and injury of Mekhi Blackmon, and as a result, Sam Darnold was able to connect for numerous deep bombs during 11-on-11 periods. This season has been a completely different story with rave reviews of Theo Jackson, Dwight McGlothern, and Isaiah Rodgers early on. Jeff Okudah has also been praised for his sticky coverage. This could be seen as either an indictment of the offense’s performance so far or a testament to just how dominant Flores’ defense could be this season. Regardless, the difference in reporting should certainly be noted.
Consensus
It’s only been two weeks of training camp and a single week of padded practice, so it’s impossible to draw any conclusions. That said, a lot of J.J. McCarthy’s early struggles and triumphs are very similar to the reports of Darnold’s early up-and-down training camp. As we went into August, Darnold started to click as he began to have better practices. Vikings fans can only hope that the same can be said about McCarthy. His philosophy to get “2%” better every day will be put to the test as the coaching staff is seemingly throwing everything his way. But, as many have already pointed out, steel sharpens steel, and there is no better trial by fire than playing against Flores’ stifling defense.
