Tag: Minneapolis News

How did it feel to get back in the swing of things?

It was fun. I think at the end of our camp just going against our guys and transitioning over to playing a different team, we felt the energy pick up and transition into the day. So it’s good to see guys go out there and be on their stuff. A lot of guys played some really good ball. I’m excited to watch the tape.

Was it good to get the first hit? And a pretty big hit you got at the goal line. Did anyone say anything to you after that one?

Yeah. I got some people tell me, ‘It’s the preseason, get down’. I should have just either kept extending the play and throw it up. We had third down, I was trying to make something happen. But I think I can be smarter.

Did you think about jumping?

I thought about it for a second.

How much will throwing to Calvin Ridley help you do the things you have to do, especially on third down?

I think I just got to keep seeing things the way I see them, getting him the ball and letting him do his thing. I’m not really thinking about what he’s going to do after the catch. That’s his deal. So, that’s great for a quarterback to have a receiver like that, to be able to turn the sevens into 20-pluses and hopefully we will have even more.

How did you feel about the offensive line for those two series?

It was great. I think coach said we only had one sack on the day. So, guys held up and were on their stuff. I felt comfortable and protected back there.

What do you think about the timing of the passing offense overall and where are you guys with that?

It was good. I think there’s a couple of things, route-wise and progression-wise with us when we could have moved on faster or guys just making sure they understand the progression of the play and why they need to either get to a certain depth or make sure that they have that internal timing with their routes. So, that’s something we’re going to continue to work on. We got a few more weeks until we play for the real thing, and we know that we’re just going to get better until then.

What was your feeling like after the first drive? And then to go out and get another score on the second drive.

Yeah, shoutout to our return team for putting us in great spots for both of those. It’s pretty cool starting in plus on your first drive. It gave us some comfort and allowed us to go out there for another series too and score again. It was a lot of fun being able to get those red zone reps are critical. So, it was good for us.

Young players talk all the time about the game slowing down as they get more experience, did you feel that today? Are things slowing down for you?

Yeah, there’s a couple of reads I had where I really just felt like, I was really in my timing, and I was able to move on confidently and quickly and, find the right answer. I think just with the reps I’ve gotten within the offense and other offenses with similar kind of progressions, I’ve been able to make those more second nature in that. So it’s been a lot of fun.

Brian Callahan talked about wanting the operation to be clean, no false starts, no delay of games, those sorts of things. Was that a point of emphasis for you going into this?

For sure, yeah. No penalties until the second half, so that was cool to see. There’s a couple things we got to clean up but that was our number one goal. And, with our group out there, I thought we did a good job of everyone on their stuff. We just got to keep getting better at it, being able to use cadence in the ways that we want to.

Brian Callahan talked about how winning means something even in the preseason with winning habits and the culture. Can you speak about that from your perspective as a leader in this locker room, what even a preseason win can do for a team?

We got to get used to winning. Winning’s fun. There’s a certain responsibility that comes with it. So hopefully, we can do our best in all these games and get a feel for that winning atmosphere and just keep rolling. We’re excited for next week to get Seattle here and to get a couple of joint practices with them. That’s going to be great for us. And then to play them here. So we got our eyes on them already, and we’re excited to have them.

So how do you like how you guys did in the running game? And how good do you think that Tyjae Spears Tony Pollard combination can be for you?

They’re both great at so many different things. We’re going to be able to keep defenses guessing with the different schemes that we’re throwing at them. I think we gave good variety tonight of different ways we were able to give them the ball. And they’re going to be huge pieces of both the run game obviously, but also the passing game.

Coach Callahan mentioned your connection with Calvin Ridley. He also said he spoke to you earlier this week about how he is a special type of receiver. How much were you able to kind of feel that connection and that timing play a role tonight?

We definitely wanted to get him a couple catches and we found some spots to make that happen. It’s just something that will get better with every day, understanding the type of players he is and how I need to deliver him the ball to make sure he can do the special things he does with it when he gets it.

How much are you looking forward to upcoming week with two joint practices and then a game with Seattle next week?

I’m pumped. From my rookie season last year, I remember our joint practices out in Minnesota and just how intense and fun and competitive it was. I think our team came out of that trip a much better team, just with that experience. So we’re looking to get the same out of this trip, even though it’s at home. So it will be a little more comfortable for us for them to come to our spot. We know they’re going to throw a bunch of different looks at us, kind of similar to what we’ve seen throughout camp so it’s going to be a good rehearsal for us with our rules and what our guys know.

You seemed a lot more comfortable this year. Was there any holdover from last year’s offense to this offense? Or is this just your preparation?

No. I didn’t feel any holdover at all. I just feel really comfortable in the kind of system I’m in and just working every day to get more comfortable in it.

Craig Peters

EAGAN, Minn. – Back from an off day and back in full pads, the Vikings defense flew around the field multiple times throughout Friday’s practice.

Pass rushers and interior linemen made headway, linebackers were quick to identify screens and respond to checkdowns and the secondary recorded a few pass breakups, including a couple nearly picked off by safety Theo Jackson in the red zone.

Head Coach Kevin O’Connell announced before the session that Dalton Risner and Jonathan Bullard were veterans who were a bit nicked up and not going to participate. Safety Harrison Smith also did not fully participate.

Here are three observations presented by Minnesota Eye Consultants, the Proud LASIK Partner of the Minnesota Vikings:

1. Situationally speaking

The Vikings capped practice with a situational drill with a minute remaining and the offense trailing 27-21.

Veteran Sam Darnold led with the first-team offense on a touchdown drive. The biggest chunk was gained on a deep pass to Justin Jefferson that Darnold threaded behind Akayleb Evans on second-and-10.

After the ball was initially placed at the 17, it was kicked and O’Connell marked off a 5-yard penalty. From the 12, Darnold hit Aaron Jones for a gain of 5 before finding Jordan Addison on a touchdown with time to spare.

Rookie J.J. McCarthy and the second-team offense worked together for some gains, connecting with Trent Sherfield, Sr., for a gain of 7 and picking up a third-and-3 with a pass to Kene Nwangwu for 5 more to the 33-yard line.

McCarthy followed with a 7-yard pass to Trishton Jackson along the sideline, but undrafted rookie Gabriel Murphy surged by Walter Rouse (at right tackle) on second-and-3, recording what would have been a sack.

The play forced McCarthy to have to clock the ball on third-and-11. His pass attempt on fourth down was tipped by Murphy and fell incomplete.

2. Combos shift

The practice also included some reps with the first-team offense for McCarthy in the red zone period. His first snap with the group wound up being a reverse run play to Addison. It looked like Ivan Pace, Jr., had an angle to limit the damage on the play.

Earlier in the practice period and while working with the second grouping, McCarthy extended a pass play and found N’Keal Harry, who is transitioning from receiver to tight end, for a touchdown.

The first-team offensive line maintained its grouping of LT Christian Darrisaw, LG Blake Brandel, C Garrett Bradbury, RG Ed Ingram and RT Brian O’Neill.

Without Risner, the second group consisted of LT David Quessenberry, LG Michael Jurgens, C Dan Feeney, RG Tyrese Robinson and Rouse.

3. On the interior

Pat Jones II has been stacking some days at outside linebacker and kicking inside on passing downs to add another rushing element to the interior of the defensive line.

The fourth-year player showed up during three plays in 1-on-1 drills. He used speed around left tackle first, which helped set up a spin move to the interior on his next rep. Jones then lined up over the ball and was able to execute a two-hand swipe to gain an advantage.

Newcomer Jonah Williams, who joined the Vikings after playing for the Rams, provided a nice run stuff during a team drill.

Seventh-round pick Levi Drake Rodriguez participated in some snaps with the first-team defense.

Tim Twentyman

Veteran left tackle Taylor Decker got a little emotional speaking to reporters Monday thinking about how the three-year contract extension he signed a few minutes earlier would likely make him a Detroit Lion for life.

“It’s not lost on me the fact that a lot of guys don’t get to spend their whole careers with one team,” Decker said of the extension that will keep him a Lion through the 2027 season. “Hopefully, that’s in the cards for me and from the contract extension it seems like it’s in the cards. I’m very fortunate.”

He enters his ninth season in Detroit after being a first-round draft pick (No. 16 overall) in 2016. It’s his second extension and third contract total with the Lions. He’s started at left tackle from Day 1 arriving in Detroit.

Decker, 30, started his 100th game for the franchise last season (112 starts in his career) and has made it clear he wanted to spend his entire career in Detroit. He was entering the final year of his contract in Detroit, and during OTAs sat down with head coach Dan Campbell to talk about the situation and his future.

“I was like, ‘Where we at?’” Decker said of that conversation. “And you know, ‘I hear things from my agent, from our salary cap people, and they’re talking, and I’m getting that kind of second-hand information, I want to hear it. Tell me where we’re at, just so I know. I just want the information, so it’s communicated well.’”

Campbell confirmed to Decker the organization planned to extend him before the start of the season. Decker said that put his mind at ease and allowed him to focus solely on football and being the best version of himself in 2024.

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“Pretty much what he told me was to a tee what happened,” Decker said. “I just basically had to stay patient. And for me, it was never gonna be, hold out of training camp, ‘Oh, if it comes to the season, we’re not going to play games.’ Like, that’s just not me. I’m going to show up and I’m going to play because that’s what I do and that’s what I’m here to do. So, I think it was pretty seamless.”

Decker leads one of the best offensive lines in football that helped plow the way for the league’s No. 2 rushing attack last season. They surrendered just 31 sacks on 646 dropbacks last year, a 4.8 percent rate that was the fourth best in the NFL.

Decker battled through some lean years the first part of his career and was one of the veterans recognized by head coach Dan Campbell in Minnesota last year when the Lions won the NFC North title for the first time. Decker was very emotional after that win and it was clear what being part of a winner meant to him.

Now a favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl heading into this season, Decker loves the fact that he can continue to be a team leader for a talented young roster that should be very good for the foreseeable future having extended core players like quarterback Jared Goff, right tackle Penei Sewell and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown earlier this offseason.

“I think it speaks to they want to win,” Decker said. “We want to win. This is what we’re here to do. We’re here to win and we’re going to keep our guys if they can help us win.”

Clifton Brown

Ravens cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis took time after Friday’s practice to reflect on the passing of his former Alabama teammate, Khyree Jackson.

A fourth-round pick with the Minnesota Vikings in this year’s draft, Jackson was killed in a car accident and his funeral was held Friday in his hometown of Upper Marlboro, Md. Armour-Davis and Jackson were teammates at Alabama in 2021 and spent many hours together at practices and in the cornerback meeting room.

Jackson was 24 years old, the same age as Armour-Davis. It’s hard for Armour-Davis to comprehend that Jackson won’t get to realize his dream of playing in the NFL.

“It’s super tough, man,” Armour-Davis said. “It’s just something that you don’t want to believe. Spending time with Khyree at Alabama man, he was just a great dude. He was a great teammate, a lot of energy and had an extremely bright future.

“I always tell people he’s a unicorn of a player, 6-foot-4 and can run with anybody, move like he’s a slot corner. I truly believe he was going to be a starter and contributor for the Vikings this year. I’m very heartbroken by it. My condolences to his family.”

Armour-Davis arrived at Alabama three years before Jackson and enjoyed being a mentor to him.

“When I was at ‘Bama I was considered an old head, just because I had a daughter and I was married,” Armour-Davis said. “Guys just kind of looked at me in that way, a calm, cool, collected guy.

“He was more outgoing than me, so he would come to me at times to just get a different perspective on life. And I would always try to pour that into him. That’s the type of relationship we had, like we would have those type of talks.”

Armour-Davis said that his priorities have been reaffirmed by Jackson’s passing.

“You’ve got to be grateful for every moment in your life, because things can happen even when it’s not in your control,” Armour-Davis said. “In his situation, he didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just so unfortunate to just be at that time and place. He couldn’t control that.

“Every day you wake up, be thankful that you’re able to do what you want to do. Live out your blessings. Keep trusting God. I know he’s in a good place right now.”

Lindsey Young

EAGAN, Minn. – Christian Darrisaw will be anchoring the left side of the Vikings offensive line for the foreseeable future.

The Vikings signed Darrisaw to an extension Wednesday that will place the 25-year-old under contract with Minnesota through the 2029 season.

Darrisaw spoke with Twin Cities media members shortly after making things official and described it as a “surreal feeling” to have his second NFL contract buttoned up.

“I want to first give a special shout-out to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Without him, none of this would be possible,” he said. “I also want to thank the Wilf [family ownership group], [Vikings Executive Vice President of Football Operations Rob Brzezinski], [General Manager] Kwesi [Adofo-Mensah], the coaches in this organization, my teammates, family. Without them, none of this would be possible.

“Working through it all offseason, knowing I had the chance to possibly get this deal done, and it finally came through. We made it happen,” added Darrisaw, who noted he plans to now help his parents retire. “This is where I wanted to be, and I’m locked up here for the rest of my career, hopefully.”

Darrisaw received the news via text while in a position group meeting Tuesday afternoon, and he was able to share with his linemates.

“They were pumped for me, man,” he said with a smile. “It was love. It was all love.”

The compliments of Darrisaw haven’t stopped at the offensive line, though. Multiple teammates took to Instagram after news of the extension to congratulate him.

The camaraderie throughout Minnesota’s locker room – which he said sets it apart – is a large part of why Darrisaw felt strongly about staying in Purple.

“Since day one, walking through those doors, it’s just a different type of group,” he said. “The bonds and the friendships that we’ve got in there, it all leads out to the field. All those dudes are my brothers, man.”

Darrisaw is relatively soft-spoken, maintaining an even-keeled nature reflected even in the way his 6-foot-5 frame calmly strolls the hallways of Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center.

But in the wake of signing his extension, he recognizes a renewed responsibility.

“I feel like the next level for me is my leadership role for this team. Just being a better leader, being more vocal for my guys – on the offensive and defensive side of the ball,” Darrisaw said. “I’ve gotta push myself at it a little bit more. Usually, I just let my game do the talking and stay out of the way. So just being more vocal to the guys, man. I know they’re all looking up to me, and they’re looking for that input.”

Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell observed some of that growth even before dotted lines were signed.

“What I’ve seen from him, whether it’s his interactions with Dallas Turner in the spring, talking through pass rush through him – or you’ll see him take some of the young tackles … and talk through technique and fundamentals,” O’Connell explained. “You’re seeing a little bit more of that mentorship role. He’s a little more vocal in the offensive line room, and he’s a little more vocal [for the whole team].”

And though Darrisaw naturally subdued away from the field, it’s a whole different story when he gets on it.

He commands the respect of opponents the moment he steps to the line of scrimmage.

Last season, Darrisaw started 15 games and logged a career-high 982 snaps, helping the Vikings rank fourth in passing attempts and touchdowns and fifth in passing yards. He received a pass-blocking grade of 85.3 from analytics site Pro Football Focus, with an overall grade of 82.4. In 10 of the games he started, Darrisaw did not allow a single sack.

PFF ranked Darrisaw as the fourth-best tackle in the league entering the 2024 season.

O’Connell said he’s “very, very excited” about securing Darrisaw long term.

“One of the best young tackles in our league. All he has done is continually get better and better. The expectation is he is going to continue to do that,” O’Connell said. “Pairing him with B.O. (Brian O’Neill) on the other side, we feel really good about that tackle combination. Those [two] have been the heart and soul to go along with some of those guys on the interior for a long time now.

“We’re continuing to build and build, but having those two positions solidified for the future here feels really good for our team,” O’Connell added.

Darrisaw couldn’t agree more.

“This is my childhood dream,” he said. “Playing football at the highest level, being one of the best at the position. Reaping the fruits of my labor, really, is what it is. It’s a dream come true.”

Drafted by Minnesota 23rd overall in 2021, Darrisaw made his first start that season against Carolina Week 6. He helped the Vikings rack up 571 yards of offense against the Panthers and walk away with a 34-28 overtime win. Minnesota did not allow a sack in the contest.

The former Virginia Tech Hokie aptly faced two-time Pro Bowler Brian Burns, whom he’d played against as a college freshman when Burns shined at Florida State, during his first NFL start.

Now he’s slated to face Burns again, this time in his first game after signing a second contract. Minnesota will face the Giants, who added Burns as a free agent this spring, Week 1.

“It’s full circle, for sure. It seems like every time another accomplishment comes up, I’m going against him,” Darrisaw laughed. “He’s a great player, as well. Every step that I make, he’s right there in front of me.”

If again lining up across from Burns feels full circle, it’s even more fitting to be anchoring Minnesota’s offensive line along with O’Neill, who’s shepherded Darrisaw from the beginning.

“Coming in here my rookie year, our lockers were right next to each other. So anytime I’m coming off that field, I’m talking to him, I’m pulling up the [tablet] before he can even shower,” Darrisaw quipped. “Week to week, breaking down pass rushers. B.O.’s been a tremendous help.”

Though he did have two years left on his rookie deal, Darrisaw is relieved to have the paperwork, per se, out of the way this early on.

O’Connell feels similarly.

“I think C.D. knew we wanted him here,” O’Connell said. “Because of the time left on the deal, there’s not maybe the great urgency you may feel in other situations, but the desire for C.D. to maintain himself as a huge part of the Minnesota Vikings, and of course our want-to to get that done. I want to credit Drew Rosenhaus, his agent, and Rob Brzezsinki and Kwesi for really coming together and putting together something C.D. can be really proud of, and rightly so. He deserves it.

“Like I said, one of the young premier players at his position in the NFL, and I’m so excited to see him continue a leadership role within the organization,” O’Connell continued. “The progression, the upside of a player like Christian Darrisaw has been on full display with his impact on the game, but there’s so much room for him to grow in multiple facets of the game, and he’s more excited about that than anybody.

“It was the best news we could have heard as a team,” O’Connell added. “I know the guys really enjoyed getting that announcement last night at the team meeting, and the love for C.D. is very, very high.”

Craig Peters

EAGAN, Minn. – Minnesota’s seven-player draft class and its group of 17 signed undrafted free agents set foot across the starting line for each player’s run in the NFL on Friday.

They wore helmets with horn decals for the first time, practice jerseys without pads and shorts for the session that lasted about 90 minutes on a partly sunny and completely pleasant May afternoon.

The practice included individual position drills, as well as a couple of 7-on-7 passing periods.

Here are three observations from Friday’s rookie minicamp camp practice presented by Minnesota Eye Consultants, the Proud LASIK Partner of the Minnesota Vikings:

1. A prescribed slow ramp-up

A total of 45 players took the field for the session, which Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell designed to be a throttled-down version of what players will come to expect in a couple more months at training camp.

“There’s a reason why I have pretty strong feelings about [not] doing team [drills] full-speed at rookie minicamp,” O’Connell said. “In many ways, it’s to protect the guys from themselves, you know?

“We had kind of a golden rule of staying off the ground today, and I think we’re pretty darn close to a perfect day from that standpoint,” he added before quipping, “So now I’m gonna tell them tomorrow maybe we weren’t practicing hard enough.

“Like I said, I’m just having a blast out here with these guys. And coaching is really fun when you’re watching tape and you’re in the meeting room, but there’s nothing that compares to being out on the grass with the guys,” O’Connell continued.

The group included all seven draft picks, including three who signed their rookie contracts Friday, plus 16 players invited to Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center on a tryout basis. Five players who were already rostered with previous non-game NFL experience also participated in the minicamp.

First-round pick Dallas Turner delivered the line of the day during a press conference after the practice, summarizing what it felt like to not be going all-out.

Nonetheless, one could hear the excitement Turner has for joining a Vikings group led by Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores, who emphasized similar points that Turner was familiar with in his time playing for Nick Saban at Alabama.

2. Competitive banter

Rather than “nervous,” a word J.J. McCarthy had used to describe himself on draft day, he said “anxious” was a better self-descriptor on Friday.

“You’re just waiting so long to get back to real football again and then, being in this league, it’s a dream come true as a kid,” McCarthy said. “Being able to just be out there with the guys and really just live your dream has been truly special.”

The quarterback appreciated the opportunity to build off the private pre-draft workout he had participated in with Minnesota’s coaches and continue the on-field learning he wasn’t shy about expressing a desire to become a Viking.

His session included multiple completions and some incompletions, as well as an interception by undrafted rookie linebacker K.J. Cloyd, who pointed in good fun toward McCarthy on his way to the end zone.

“It’s actually funny because K.J. and I were talking a little smack earlier, and I’ve got to stop talking smack because it always turns out they win,” McCarthy laughed. “But, I’d say, the splits were a little messed up. I obviously take full credit for the outcome of the play. But just reading it outside in, felt like I could fit it in there and force it. But at this level, they’re a lot faster, a lot longer. And it’s great to learn now before the vets get here. And yeah, hopefully won’t be in that situation anytime soon.

“We had a little competition going on with the 16 reps of [7-on-7] and it was just, if I have three or fewer balls on the ground, they’re going to run gassers, four or more, I run gassers. So, you guys saw, I was out there running,” he said.

3. Value of experience shows

A year’s time can make an incredible difference for young players.

Receivers Thayer Thomas and Malik Knowles were two of the five players able to participate this year despite having signed as undrafted rookies in 2023.

Thomas contributed on the practice squad as a rookie, but Knowles did not because he was recovering from an injury suffered at the end of Kansas State’s season that landed Knowles on Injured Reserve.

Thomas and Knowles were helpful for the rest of the offense, and Thomas was often targeted in the 7-on-7 periods, catching five passes from McCarthy.

“I was joking with [Thomas] out there because we really, we’re one year to the day of the first time we got on the grass with him – just the growth and the development and the mindset that he has now and really being a calming presence out there,” O’Connell said. “Malik Knowles is a guy we were really excited about and really knew kind of what we were looking at from the standpoint of a medical redshirt-type year coming off of that Bowl game injury he had – and he gets, whatever it’s gonna be, 15, 20, 25 extra reps before we get out there with the main group in a few days, and I think that’s exciting.”

Patrik Walker

ARLINGTON, Texas – It was nearly a done deal for Eric Kendricks and the 49ers, but the situation turned into the first victory of 2024 for the Dallas Cowboys over their bitter rivals from San Francisco. It’s been a mostly quiet free agency for the Dallas Cowboys through the first three days, but they did end the third with a bit of a bang.

Even more intriguing is how the agreement came about, in a move that reunites Kendricks with defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, the two having spent several seasons together with the Minnesota Vikings.

On Thursday morning, executive vice president and director of player personnel Stephen Jones spoke on the decision to go after Kendricks, and how it felt to sneak the former First-Team All-Pro linebacker away from the 49ers.

“Obviously, with our cap situation, we’re moving some things around and trying to make sure where we want to allocate things,” said Jones, speaking from an event to announce the PBR World Finals at AT&T Stadium. And the more we visited about it, being one of those guys who was released late, and playing under [defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer] and [senior defensive assistant Paul Guenther] certainly influenced us in a big way.

“… We have nothing but respect for the 49ers, and we’ve lost players like that before, where they’re comfortable with coaches where they’re gonna go.”

A former Pro Bowler is being added to a Cowboys’ roster that is desperate for another true linebacker to tandem with Damone Clark in 2024, and he’s the most plug-and-play option available right now.

“I’ve gotten to talk to Eric since, and I think he’s gonna be a great fit,” Jones added. “He’ll walk right in and be one of the leaders on this defense right away. He knows exactly what Mike [Zimmer] is trying to accomplish with this defense; and he’ll know it as well as anybody.”

The influence of Zimmer is being felt early in Dallas with the signing of Kendricks and, for a team that nearly gave Dan Quinn carte blanche when it came to facilitating his wants in free agency and in the draft, it’s time to see if that same level of commitment will apply to Zimmer in his return to Dallas.

So far, so good.

Nick Eatman

FRISCO, Texas – Tough. Intense. Demanding. Those are the words uttered for the last week by some of his former players and colleagues to describe the coaching style of Mike Zimmer.

But on Wednesday, the Cowboys’ new defensive coordinator playfully took it a step further, mentioning words such as “mean” and “jerk” that he’s obviously heard over the years, and even some recently since it’s been announced that he is now running the Cowboys defense.

“There’s a reputation out there that I’m a jerk… it is what it is, I guess,” Zimmer said with a smile, admitting there could be some truth in all of the statements, but he’s more than appreciative of the support he’s received from former players.

“Since it was announced that I’m going to be here, I’ve heard so many players that played for me,” he said. “Players here, not just defensive backs, linebackers and defensive lineman – they’ve texted me and said how happy they are for me. I think if I was such a jerk, I wouldn’t be hearing from those players.”

One of those players is former Cowboys safety Darren Woodson, who has said Zimmer isn’t interested in being friends with the players, but he’s going to add some toughness to the defense.

When asked about coaching the newer generation of players, Zimmer said his experience has taught him the great players are willing to take strict coaching in order to reach the next level.

“The ones that want to be great … they want to be coached,” Zimmer said. “There’s a lot more social media, a lot more outside stuff going on. But the ones that I’ve been around, the young guys, they want to be coached, they want to study and want to understand how they can get better. They want to know how you can make them better.”

Zimmer didn’t use a lot of names, although he did reference three players he coached in Cincinnati and Minnesota that went on to play for the Cowboys – Anthony Barr, Xavier Rhodes and Pacman Jones – who didn’t always like the way he coached them, but now appreciate him and still reach to Zimmer to this day.

“I’m demanding. I try to get the best out of the players,” said Zimmer, who said he’s adapted to different personalities over the years. “I had one player who was a terrific player and you could not yell at him. You had to put your arm around him. You had to talked to him in a whisper. He didn’t like to be reprimanded in front of people. So that’s what I did with him and he became a terrific player. Other players you know I’d get after them. Everybody is different. You try to hit the button to make them better. You’re not out there to be a mean guy. You’re only there to help them.”

And “help” is what the Cowboys need on defense, especially after losing defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to Washington.

Zimmer said he’s not trying to “reinvent the wheel” and admitted the Cowboys have done some great things on defense.

But he’s here to add to that, using the only style he knows.