Frank talk from Zimmer and Cousins as successful offseason program ends for Vikings
By Jeff Diamond, former Vikings GM who hosted The Players Show with Mike Max and Harrison Smith (along with other Vikings players) this past season on WCCO Radio.
Thursday's final minicamp practice for the Vikings ended the offseason program that coaches and players declared a success.
"We finished up on a good note today with some energy and the guys working hard," Coach Mike Zimmer said. "I think we had a good spring. We've still got a long ways to go from where we need to be. I thought the new things we looked at on defense, the installation on offense and our emphasis on special teams was good. I'm looking forward to getting back for a great training camp after a little time off and then get ready to go for the season."
Quarterback Kirk Cousins agreed with his coach on the positives of the offseason program. "It's been a great nine weeks and I think we've come together as a team. Offensively we really got a feel for what we can look like and do well. We've taken big strides in improving the details of our offense. And defensively there are high expectations and for good reason as it's a really good defense. Now we'll take a break, recharge the batteries and get ready to go at the end of July."
It was interesting and should be reassuring to the Vikings fan base to hear Cousins speak frankly about the need for playoff success.
"The next level is really all about winning," he said. "I'm pretty much a .500 quarterback in my career so far and I don't think that's where you want to be. That's not why you are brought in or people are excited about you.
"If I don't play well and I don't have gaudy statistics but we win multiple playoff games this year, the narrative will be I went to the next level. If we win, that's the life of a quarterback is then you are at the next level. And if I have my best year yet in 2019 but we're 8-8 then I didn't go to the next level. That's the reality of it and I'm going to do all I can, control what I can control and one thing I can do beyond just playing the best I can is to start really coaching and leading other people."
Zimmer spoke positively of Cousins' offseason work and said the defense tried to throw different looks at him to see how he would react. "Kirk had a really good spring," Zimmer said. "He worked on some of things we felt he needed to work on. We gave him lots of different looks, things that people attacked us with their defenses last year."
Other Mini-Camp Observations:
1. Cousins spoke highly of Kyle Rudolph and how "thrilled" he was that his number one tight end has his contract situation resolved with his new five year extension that also gave the Vikings over $4 million in salary cap relief due to the structure of the deal. "Any time you can keep a player of his talent and experience, it's a huge asset," Cousins said. "When some of your best players are some of your best leaders, it helps drive the culture of your team in the right direction and it makes a big difference. Kyle can show our rookies how to conduct themselves as a pro and that's a good thing for our team."
2. Dalvin Cook continued to impress everyone at minicamp. "He's had a really good spring," Zimmer said. " He looks really, really good especially with the things we're trying to do in the running game." Cook told me he will continue to train hard during the team's time off so he can come into training camp ready to go. A healthy and highly productive Cook will help sell the play action game that Cousins said is a critical part of the new offensive scheme. "Play action is just effective, period," Cousins said.
3. Wide receiver Chad Beebe continued to make his case to be the team's number three receiver and received high praise from offensive advisor Gary Kubiak who said, "Beebs has had probably as good an offseason as any player I know on our side of the ball so he's got a chance to be a really good player for us and it gives us flexibility to bounce around personnel-wise."
Congrats to Steve Jordan
It was great to see former tight end Steve Jordan at minicamp as the Vikings announced that he will be inducted into the team's ring of honor at the Washington game on October 24. This is a well deserved honor for the six time Pro Bowl tight end who was one of the brightest and nicest players I worked with during my front office career.
Jordan also was part of a group of Vikings alumni who attended the final minicamp practice and a team BBQ afterwards and Zimmer talked about how important he feels it is to have the alumni present in order to "honor the guys that have come before us and allowed us to continue to do what we love to do."
Jordan also was able to celebrate the news this week of the signing by his son Cameron (an outstanding defensive end with the Saints) of a three year, $52.5 million extension. Cameron can certainly afford to give his dad a nice Father's Day gift this Sunday.
Jeff Diamond was the NFL Executive of the Year in 1998 after the Vikings' 15-1 season. He also is former president of the Tennessee Titans. He does sports/business consulting, media and speaking work including corporate and college speaking on Negotiation, Management, Leadership and Sports Business--contact him at diamondj4@comcast.net
