Friday, August 1, 2014

Rookie Barr making good strides

Rookie linebacker Anthony Barr, the team's No. 1 draft pick, seems to be getting more opportunities with the starters at every practice, filling in at strongside with Jasper Brinkley in the middle and Chad Greenway on the outside.

Defensive coordinator George Edwards said that Barr is showing all the skills that he saw at UCLA, prompting the Vikings to use the ninth pick in the draft on him. He has shown the ability to run with the backs and rush quarterbacks off the edge.

"I'm excited where he is," Edwards said. "He's shown a lot of flashes."

Another guy who got some first-team reps Friday was cornerback Marcus Sherels. Primarily known for his punt and kick return skills, Sherels was the outside cornerback across from Xavier Rhodes, with Captain Munnerlyn in the slot.

"I'm just trying to take advantage of the opportunity," said Sherels, who is from Rochester. "I just want to show (the coaches) that I can compete and make plays."

Edwards noticed: "If you want to cut up (video) of how you want things done, he's the guy out there doing it right."

Safety Robert Blanton continues to miss time with a hamstring injury that could cost him a month of practice. Edwards said that he's hopeful that Blanton returns soon.

"You never want to see anybody get hurt," he said. "That's a tough break for Robert."

Special teams coach Mike Priefer said he's started preparing for the NFL's experiment with the longer PAT, which becomes a 33-yard kick, and he said it will affect games, though he's not sure how.

"If (the NFL) wants to do it, we have to accept it," Priefer said. "I hope it affects our opponents more."

He also said that kicker Blair Walsh and punter Jeff Locke have already spent a lot of time practicing at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium, where the Vikings will have home games for the next two seasons, to prepare for any tricky wind patterns that might develop there.

"Our opponents will only have 30 minutes to figure it out," he said. "We'll have had months to prepare for it."

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