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3. What did McCown learn from Young’s transition from a highly successful Alabama career to an underwhelming rookie season in Carolina?
“There’s still a learning curve to this league,” McCown said. “So, it’s important to give yourself space to understand that and not put pressure or a level of expectations on them that are sometimes unattainable in year No. 1.”
McCown described McCarthy’s challenge as twofold: The offensive staff is teaching him a hefty volume of plays, and he simultaneously is having to apply those teachings against more complex defenses than he has ever faced. How you structure a practice to delicately balance the learning with the need for execution is the secret sauce.
Wednesday, McCown and McCarthy talked about feeling the pressure of grasping the offensive system while applying that knowledge against an ever-changing defense.
“That’s real,” McCown said. “That’s what it feels like (in a season).”
4. With Danielle Hunter having left for Houston, there are fewer Vikings players trotting across the practice fields who look like they could win a UFC heavyweight fight. One of them who does, however, is Jerry Tillery.
The Vikings signed the 2019 first-round pick as a potential pass-rush option on the interior. First-year defensive line coach Marcus Dixon discussed Tillery with one of his mentors, Giff Smith, who coached Tillery with the Chargers. Smith shared that Tillery is athletic, smart and committed to the team.
“You wouldn’t believe what he weighs (295 pounds) because he’s so lean,” Dixon said.
Tillery’s role remains uncertain. Harrison Phillips and Jonathan Bullard will likely man the interior defensive line spots on run-specific downs, but Tillery’s twitch might make sense in certain packages.
5. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw could have answered the question in a boring fashion, downplaying the talent of rookie edge rusher Dallas Turner. Instead, he said plainly, “I think Dallas is going to be special.”
Last week, Turner swiped and spun around one of Darrisaw’s O-line cohorts.
“It was one of those, like, ‘Holy (expletive),'” Darrisaw said. “A quick one.”
Darrisaw said that Turner’s spin looked even quicker than Hunter’s.
“Yes, quicker than Danielle’s,” Darrisaw said, nodding.
6. One of the most interesting Vikings prospects this summer is Levi Drake Rodriguez, the seventh-round pick from Texas A&M Commerce. If you want to know why, read my colleague, Kalyn Kahler, who wrote about Rodriguez as her “Prospect X” ahead of the draft.
Rodriguez arrives at the facility in the early, pitch-black hours of the morning before the Vikings staffers. He bounces around constantly during drills. He is a ball of energy, who Dixon said Wednesday “is going to be awesome. I think the future is bright for him.”
7. Akayleb Evans played outside cornerback for most of last week’s OTA practice available to media members, but second-year corner Mekhi Blackmon garnered most of the snaps Wednesday. After one pass breakup, he even jawed with receiver Brandon Powell, and Bynum stepped between them to break them up.
8. Before the Vikings began their red zone period Wednesday, they separated into groups. One of the groups focused on a specific quarterback-running back handoff from the shotgun. Only 28.4 percent of the Vikings’ runs in 2023 came from the shotgun, according to TruMedia. This number could increase heavily, but the Vikings could implement more play-action passing from the shotgun with two athletic quarterbacks in Darnold and McCarthy.
9. Without Justin Jefferson present, second-year pro Jordan Addison is manning most of the X receiver snaps. He simply looks different than the rest of the wideouts in the way he hinges off routes and glides across the field.
