It didn’t take co-defensive coordinator Adam Zimmer long to see one difference Everson Griffen has made in his return to the Vikings.
“Well, it’s going to be a lot louder at practice now,’’ he said Tuesday.
The boisterous defensive end re-signed Monday with the Vikings after first playing for them from 2010-19. He then practiced on a limited basis.
Griffen had his second practice Tuesday, and was more active, including getting some snaps at right defensive end during passing situations in a scrimmage. But the Vikings are making sure he doesn’t do too much too soon.
“I’m not just going to throw him to the wolves and let him get hurt,’’ said co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Andre Patterson. “He hasn’t been out there. So, each day I add a little bit more to his plate for him to get used to it, but also for us to get a clear and fair evaluation.”
Patterson arrived for his second stint as Minnesota’s line coach in 2014, the year Griffen moved into the starting lineup. He’s very close to the defensive end, and is thrilled to have him back after he spent 2020 with Dallas and Detroit.
“But I’m trying to keep it tempered right now,’’ Griffen said. “I’ve got to be realistic and evaluate him just like I would a rookie or free agent coming in here. I can’t let my personal feelings for him take over.”
Patterson worked with Griffen on the field when he came to the TCO Performance Center last Wednesday for a tryout and then talked to him for about an hour. He was pleased with how he looked in Monday’s practice.
“It’s just amazing the recall he had with the drills that we do, and how he can do them full speed and execute them correctly after being a year away,’’ Patterson said.
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said Monday that Griffen, 33, won’t start but will be a “situational” pass rusher, and Patterson said that will be a good role for him. Patterson, whose first stint as Minnesota’s defensive line coach was 1998-99, compared Griffen’s return to future hall of fame defensive end Chris Doleman coming back to the Vikings in 1999 after initially being with them from 1985-93. At age 38, Doleman had eight sacks in his final NFL season.
Mike Zimmer expects the Vikings will use Griffen in a more effective pass-rushing manner than he when he had six sacks in 2020 for the Cowboys and Lions. Patterson agreed.
“I watched him play through the season last year, because of my relationship with him,’’ Patterson said. “And I told him it hurt my heart, right? You paint a Picasso, right, and somebody else copies it and messes it up? It hurts you to the core of your body. So that’s how I saw it. And he was one of my Picassos.”
BARR’S STATUS
Adam Zimmer is unsure whether linebacker Anthony Barr, who hasn’t practiced in more than two weeks due to an undisclosed injury, will play in the Sept. 12 regular-season opener at Cincinnati.
“I can’t tell you if he’s going to be ready week one or not,’’ said Adam Zimmer, also the linebackers coach. “He’s doing everything he can rehab wise to get back in there. Hopefully, we have him Week 1. If not we’ll have somebody step in and play for us.’’
If Barr is out, Adam Zimmer said Troy Dye, rookie Chazz Surratt and Blake Lynch are candidates to be the third starting linebacker after Eric Kendricks and Nick Vigil.
Also not practicing Tuesday were Adam Thielen, Alexander Mattison, Kene Nwangwu, Christian Darrisaw and Dru Samia. Josh Metellus left the workout due to a leg injury. Returning to practice after missing time were Sheldon Richardson, Xavier Woods, James Lynch and Jake Bargas, who had to be helped off the field on Monday.
BATTLE AT DE
Mike Zimmer said last Saturday he had a good idea who will start at right defensive end, but wouldn’t say if the leader is D.J. Wonnum or Stephen Weatherly.
“Zim is a safe,’’ Weatherly said. “He doesn’t give anything up early, so every day I just come out here and just do what I can to show the coaches that I can play and at the end of the day, it’s their decision.”
Wonnum, who worked with the first team Tuesday, might have the edge. Regardless, the head coach said both will play in Friday’s preseason finale at Kansas City.
BRIEFLY
Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak said it will be up to Mike Zimmer whether starter Kirk Cousins plays Friday. Regardless, he said backup quarterbacks Jake Browning and Kellen Mond have “certainly got to start faster” and “be better with timing.’’ … Last Saturday against Indianapolis, Greg Joseph missed a 51-yard field-goal attempt wide right. “We expect him to make it, and he will make those (but he) bounced back and made a 49-yarder,’’ said special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken. .. Patterson wouldn’t disclose the injury that led to rookie defensive end Janarius Robinson being placed on injured reserve but said he talked to him and “it’s up to him to take a negative and turn it into a positive.’’
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Vikings will bring DE Everson Griffen along slowly following his return - TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press
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