Voluntary Workouts Not So Voluntary for the Minnesota Vikings After All?

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Kirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsCredit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Vikings offseason workout program has taken place sporadically throughout the spring and into summer. Mandatory minicamp started on June 4 concluded on June 6, while voluntary organized team activities conclude this week (June 10th-13th).

Despite nearly every player being in attendance, outside wide receiver Justin Jefferson, for voluntary organized team activities up to this point, expect to see quite a few players not in attendance this week.

Minnesota Vikings’ veterans given week off, youngsters not so much

According to Andrew Krammer (Star Tribune – Access Vikings), head coach Kevin O’Connell has given veterans with at least five years into the league or older the entire week off the last installment of organized team activities.

This will be the first time in O’Connell’s tenure where he’s allowed veterans to miss any sort of time in organized team activities, leaving questions over how “voluntary” these OTAs really are.

Sounds like veterans who are at least five years into the league or older will get the entire next week off for the Vikings. So Kevin O’Connell is extending a little bit of an olive branch to his veterans. But you young guys got to stick around for the voluntary stuff.

Andrew Krammer (Star Tribune – Access Vikings)

Related: Do the Minnesota Vikings Care if They’re Competitive in 2024?

Jokes aside, I think this is the expectation at most NFL camps. When you are trying out for a job, it’s probably best you be in attendance, even when said attendance might be “voluntary”. As O’Connell put it last week, he emphasizes mental progress over physical endurance at this stage of offseason practices.

What’s in store for the remainder of the Minnesota Vikings’ offseason?

Outside of the last session of voluntary organized team activities this week, there’s nothing else between now and the start of Vikings Training Camp. Vikings Training Camp dates haven’t been officially announced yet by the team, but usually Training Camp starts at the end of July and goes through most of August.

Outside of Training Camp, the Minnesota Vikings’ preseason schedule was officially finalized. They’re preseason schedule:

  • Las Vegas Raiders on August 10th at 3PM CST
  • At Cleveland Browns on August 17th at 3:25PM CST
  • At Philadelphia Eagles on August 24th at 12:00PM CST

Related: Has Kwesi Adofo-Mensah Opened a Super Bowl Window for the Vikings?

In addition to the preseason games, the Browns will be hosting the Minnesota Vikings’ for joint practices beginning the week of August 12th. We’re still a few months out from the Minnesota Vikings heading to New York to take on the Giants on September 8th, but we are one day closer to Vikings’ football. That, in itself, is a good thing.

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