I was
excited to get to Eagan like all other days but more so today as Kirk Cousins
and Nate Stanley returned to practice after following protocol of Covid since
Saturday.
It’s only
practice but these guys need to get the reps with their offense as much as
possible since the first preseason game is a week from Saturday.
I noticed players
such as Adam Thielen, Patrick Peterson, Dakota Dozier and Hercules Mata’afa
were held out pf practice Thursday and Anthony Barr returned back to practice.
The crowd
size every day is pretty consistent as I would say the stands are about 30-40
percent full and Thursday’s weather had to be a player’s best friend. The skies
were cloudy and it was breezy at times and really never got that warm in my opinion.
I mentioned
Dozier out for the offensive line so what I saw first unit a majority of the
time from right to left was Brian O’Neil, Oli Udoh, Garrett Bradbury, Ezra
Cleveland and Rashod Hill. I did see draft choice, Wyatt Davis with the 2nd
unit. Christian Darrisaw was wearing his helmet but once again only working
more in the individual drills.
Cousins was
back and I did see some nice balls particularly one to back corner of end zone
to Justin Jefferson from 335-40 yards out.
The flip
side 2nd year corner, Cam Dantzler had a huge day with two
interceptions and a great play down the sideline breaking up a deep ball that
was intended for Jefferson. If Dantzler had not timed his jump it would have
been in my opinion a catch by Jefferson.
The absence of
Thielen Thursday gave opportunities for KJ Obsborn to line up opposite
Jefferson and also a chance for rookie, Ihmir Smith-Marsette to get some
action. It is every day the next man up and a chance to build great depth on
the roster.
I have gone
to Training Camp 26 years and don’t know if I remember seeing a cart drive to
the sideline with two or three huge speakers piled on each other.
I watched as
they stopped the cart and turned on the speakers and they were loud and got
louder.
The team
practiced from 99 yards away from me with the noise machine I will call it. It
was just not a few plays I would say it went on 10-15 minutes with deep balls,
crossing patterns and back coming out of the backfield is what I could see. I
love this activity as in the stands it was fairly loud but I am guessing down
on the goal line it was very loud.
The practice
schedule is 2:15-4:15 every day but I have noticed about 4:00 the whistle blows
part of the team heads back to the building and a different position group
comes to the south end zone and signs autographed footballs and throw them in
the crowd. Thursday was the defensive line as we got to see just how big some
of these guys are and yes they are large.
Thanks for
reading
Purplestick
SKOL!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment