The Minnesota Vikings completed their first day of Organized Team Activity workouts at Winter Park on Tuesday.
It was their first of 10 practices the team will have over parts of the next three weeks.
Veteran receiver Greg Jennings stood out on the first day. Jennings was all over the field and caught everything in sight, his highlight probably came on a deep ball from first round draft pick Teddy Bridgewater.
If you didn’t choose to watch that, Vikings.com writer Mike Wobschall describes it as the day’s most impressive throw.
An on-the-run 50-yard heave from Bridgewater as he escaped the pocket. The pass landed softly in the veteran receiver’s hands for what looked to be a near touchdown; the plan happened across and on the opposite end of the field from where I stood. It was the type of throw you don’t see every day from every quarterback, and it was the type of catch that happens when a veteran receiver sticks with a play all the way through the whistle to give his quarterback every opportunity to make a play.
As they planned, the Vikings had all three quarterbacks take some snaps with the first unit.
Wobschall reports that Bridgewater displayed quite a bit of discipline. After connecting with Jennings on the bomb, he displayed some veteran decision making when he recognized a safety lurking over the top after a receiver had beaten his coverage on an out-and-up route.
Instead of throwing it deep and allowing the safety a chance to make a play on the ball, Bridgewater checked it down to Adrian Peterson, who gained enough yards to turn it into a first down.
Wobschall also notes that both Matt Cassel and Christian Ponder had moments. Cassel bounced back from an interception to get on a roll. He connected with Jennings again and Jerome Simpson moments later on a crossing route.
Ponder also made a few big plays. Wobschall says his best moment came when he found Simpson on a 30-yard completion down the right sideline after looking off the safeties and adjusting protection to connect with him.
Practices continue through Friday, they will practice again June 3-5 and from June 9-12.
