Storylines to watch for as Vikings OTAs resume
EAGAN, Minn. (KMSP) - The Vikings resumed organized team activities Tuesday at their new facility in Eagan, the next installment of their offseason training program as they look ahead to the 2018 season.
It's the time of year when major team storylines start to emerge and players begin to prove themselves, even if there's no contact quite yet.
Here are the narratives we're looking forward to as training camp approaches:
- Kirk Cousins settling into his role as leader of the Vikings' offense
Cousins has thrown for more than 4,000 yards each of the last three seasons, and shows huge potential as the Vikings' leading man under center. He's been practicing with his receivers even before the other players arrived for OTAs, but in the next few weeks we'll get a feel for how he's adjusting to the new program as he goes up against an actual defense in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills.
2. Who goes where on the offensive line
How will the offensive line look come September and the season opener against San Francisco? It's an open question that wasn't necessarily answered on draft night when the team failed to address their needs at guard, which leaves many options for Minnesota's coaching staff to consider.
Does Mike Remmers slide over from tackle to guard, or do they plug in a player like Tom Compton or Danny Isidora? They could even acquire someone from free agency.
We'll get our first indication of how that group is meshing together this week as OTAs continue.
3. Dalvin Cook's triumphant return
Runningback Dalvin Cook makes his return to official Vikings team activity after a brutal ACL tear ended his 2017 season early, though it's not immediately clear how much he'll be able to do right away.
The rookie showed just how versatile he is last year in just three and a half games, and after listening to his interviews recently it's clear he's itching to get back out on the field and pick up where he left off.