Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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2. What will we learn from the podiums?
Media members heavily attend the combine because of podium sessions with general managers and head coaches.
Spielman's session is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. (CT) Tuesday, and Zimmer's is slated for 12:45 p.m. (CT) Wednesday.
The Vikings have multiple significant decisions to make this offseason because of pending free agents and their position against the salary cap.
Media members will do their best to glean details of how the Vikings are leaning with regard to free agency, which is scheduled to officially open March 18.
In addition to the podium sessions for national outlets, Spielman and Zimmer also are scheduled to meet with members of the media who make the trek from Minnesota.
The talkfest will be expanded by VEN tracking down numerous experts for their takes on the state of the Vikings.
3. What is the purpose and scope of prospect interviews?
The schedule change has reduced the maximum number of 15-minute formal interviews with prospects from 60 to 45.
Spielman said that the Vikings tailor each interview to what the team is trying to learn about the respective prospect.
"Some players, we want to make sure that they have passion for the game, that they're coachable," Spielman said. "Some players, it may be, 'Can they learn our system?' Some players, it may be, 'We want to make sure,' because of some character concerns. 'Do we still have those concerns coming out of that interview?' There's a lot of different interviews. It's not a cookie-cutter question-and-answer [session]."
Zimmer said the 15-minute time limit doesn't allow for much of a deep dive.
"You go through a lot of background stuff for the first five minutes, so now you've got 10 minutes," he said.
"You talk to them a little bit, kind of get a feel for them, get to know them a little bit, their personality, how they answer questions," Zimmer added. "Sometimes we will give them tests before they get there and make them tell us what the answers are, and then you can, our coaches will FaceTime them, give them playbook questions and tests, or we bring them up here on a visit."
4. How have Vikings bloodlines impacted prospects?
This year's draft class features multiple bloodlines with the Vikings.
Thaddeus Moss, an LSU product and son of Randy, will participate in sessions with tight ends.
J.R. Reed, who played at Georgia and is the son of Jake Reed, and Antoine Winfield, Jr., who played for the Golden Gophers, will join other safeties in participating with defensive backs. Former Alabama cornerback Trevon Diggs, a younger brother of current Vikings receiver Stefon, is also scheduled to participate with DBs.
5. What happens behind the scenes?
For all of the effort to make the combine as front-facing as possible, it is possible that the most important work is done behind closed doors.
Executives from teams will meet with agents representing players that are scheduled to become free agents so that the parties can talk possible financial terms.
Then, there's an original intent of the combine — centralized gathering of medical information on prospects — that will remain paramount for teams, no matter what other changes happen.