Takeaways from Wes Phillips' Press Conference: KOC as a Leader, Jefferson Comfortable, Kene Rising

[Music] what's going on jeromes Minnesota find Vikings had a press conference today uh as offens coordinator Wes Phillips fed the local media jackals now it it was slightly less eventful than Florence's presser yesterday oh man but Phillips uh gave some good Insight on some things and some stuff uh on the offensive side of the ball so let's let's dive on in uh first up so oh the leag question hey how about Johnny Mt so Mt and Josh Oliver could and should be valuable at the beginning of the season because well first Robert tanion injured uh but also T.J hackinson they're probably going to ease him back into things uh probably not going to rush him out on the field to start the season so they're going to be the the tight end pass catchers and with Johnny Mt uh he's very effusive his praise with Johnny Mt coming out of Oregon he was a receiving tight end became a great blocking tight end of course lots of crossover with him oconnell uh and Mt with the Rams and then coming over here and Monte has been really damn solid over the last two seasons uh and Philip said that he's answered the Bell whenever his number's been called and his number is going to be called early this season I actually think that Johnny mutt has just just a little smidgen of some fantasy football value at the beginning of the year because um he he he'll catch whatever's tossed his way and I feel like that he he does have a knack for uh making some yards after the catch so it's good to see also King Kenny and wangu uh developing as a runner uh talked about how he carved out a niche as Return Man also I think that he's going to have a ton of value with the new return rules please I I I need it I I know that everything's been been muted because of the preseason but oo oo ooh what got transactions they wave Naj Thompson what is going on what the hell is going on anyways but uh W with Ken like you you've seen him he's been getting the bulk of the running back three work they want him to be rb3 behind Aaron Jones and Ty Chandler and uh Phillips talked about how he has matured as a runner a big props to Kenna putting in the work as well as Curtis modkins running game coordinator running backs coach uh putting his foot in the ground and making a cut just getting after it also Josh Oliver you know T so we talked about Josh Oliver being more in 11 personnel as well so uh he talked about how he's fantastic as a blocker underrated as a receiver and how 11 personnel so one running back one tight end three receivers I mean I I I would love that especially down in the in the Red Zone where what you can play base in you going to play base uh in down the Red Zone then we'll just throw it on you uh but hey guess what if you're out there in in sub package and nickel like hey Josh Oliver he's too fast for a tight end for a linebacker and he's too big for a safety so best of luck H he's too big for a t for linebacker as well uh also you know play Styles stressing ball Security in 2024 you know last year obviously it it was terrible um and also he he mentioned that there was three to five early games last year which if the Vikings hung on to the ball and won the turnover battle or at least were neutral in the turnover battle they win right all of a sudden that s- 10 season becomes a 10- seven 11- six type year right and he stressed zero talents Pol fumbles that I Kevin mcconell said that last year and then Madison turfed it and just back out there so well we'll see but also that could be hey that that's why we want to put so much work into King Ken is like hey if a Aon Jones as well as Tai Chandler if they Turf it Ken you're in or something like that also talked about more physicality in the Run game now the Vikings over the last about decade plus ever since like you have the kubbi ey and what not came in they they want to be that outside Zone team so undersized super uh quick uh lateral area offensive lineman run into that wide Zone student body left student body right but he noticed that the Vikings did have some success last year man on man in gap as well as you know pulling running counters and stuff so could see more of that and and then hey if you're going to do more of that the more of that Personnel so we can finally get back to having the meets on the anterior offensive line also uh he was asked about Kevin mconnell last month or so uh dealing with adversity and he said he's the man he had a funny line I'm not up for an extension he's dressed as a great coach but he also said you know he's known Kevin mconnell since Washington and then going to the r Rams but he's been the okon's been the same guy day in day out and I think that's important where having a steady hand uh but also when there is adversity being that calming force in the storm staying the right things doing the right things and oconnell you know West said he just cares about people I think that's was very important in coaching as well as any industry uh and with Josh Macau so Josh mcau coming in as quarterback's coach uh tons of experience and Wes had kind of a funny line where he's been in every system available because since Josh mccon has bounced around the league uh and also as a quarterback's coach you know he's got Nuggets on every play Concepts like hey you know back back in Philadelphia we did this with Alshon or or Chicago wherever uh then I also talked about facing Flores as a defense every single day because a lot of defenses around the league they're going to line up and they're going to play You're Going to know where everyone's going to be but with Flores it's multiple looks uh there's a lot of faint there's a lot of bluffing there's a lot of blitzing and there's a lot of everything and you know McCarthy and and darnold have talked about it too and Phillips just backs it up where I think frankly that's really good for the offense you have that Crucible out on the practice field every single day against one of the most complex well from the offensive point of view defenses in the league and just movement pressing all that stuff uh plus uh Justin Jefferson talked about how he's even more comfortable now year three of this offense cuz remember uh Jefferson did start out uh in the in the you know Zimmer adjacent type offense but more comfortable uh more reading of coverage instead of just black and white routes so he has options so basically reading what's thrown out there breaking off his route H having to be in communication and in sync uh with darnold which uh they have built up that chemistry uh Philips talked about plus you know Jets really being that leader in the receiving room not not just by you know rahas sis boomba or just by being the oldest guy in the room uh which you know he's not but he talked uh Phillips talked about how you know Thelen pass the torch to Jefferson and also how Jefferson just sets the tone in terms of enthusiasm in terms of working every single day just in terms of running the routes and like if you watch uh the alpha and Jefferson put in that work and love the game like how are you not going to you know try and up your game which leading by example man also yeah gave some flowers to Trent sherfield you know fre agent coming in from Buffalo fifth team in five years but has size play strength good hands also is great as a run blocker uh so that's uh something that oconnell and Phillips has stretched o over and over and over again for the receivers not not so much like running rout scoring touchdowns all that stuff that's great but can you block and it all the all all the signs are pointing to the Vikings making a concerted effort to run the rock this year especially with a more power let's go man uh and then you lastly uh asked about Sam darnold and you know arm Talent which you generalized statement sure but accuracy strength uh arm strength making off platform throws accurate without a platform throwing on the run and hey everyone can can throw great when you have your feet under you you stepped up properly in the pocket everything's on time you have a clean pocket and able to deliver a strike it's great but also when when poop is going down or whether you're throwing on the run whether it's designed or whether it's by Design or Not By Design it's like can you make that throw and he talked about how Sam darnold does have all those tools and no no one said that darnold's not talented it's just can can you get together behind the between the ears and can he not just give the ball to the other team that's what you're looking for man uh but your thoughts are thoughts uh West Phillips presser today feeding the media Jackal had some thoughts on the offense let's know your thoughts our thoughts his thoughts you guys know what to do skull production value