Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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Maalouf told Twin Cities media members that Wile is improving his craft.
“The familiarity he’s had with holding for Dan is good,” Maalouf said. “When he came to us last year, I wasn’t here, but he didn’t have the preseason. He didn’t have OTA’s. He didn’t have all those reps, so those reps are going to help out. That’ll be a big positive for him.”
McDermott is the most-established specialist in the Vikings locker room but looks to face some competition this summer.
Minnesota used its 12th and final draft pick on Air Force long snapper Austin Cutting, who participated in the Vikings rookie minicamp, OTAs and minicamp.
Maalouf was asked during a media session what he’s looking for in the long snapper battle.
“They’re here to snap the ball. That’s first and foremost, and both those guys can, which is great,” Maalouf said. “We’ve got to take it a step further and now pretty much put them in situations where they have to set, they have to block.”
Maalouf said McDermott and Cutting both had “a ton of different looks” thrown at them throughout the offseason programming.
“When the so-called ‘bullets are flying,’ that’s really when the guys can react and you can figure out which one is going to separate [himself],” Maalouf said. “It’s a really good competition right now, and I’m happy to have both of those guys.
“They’re both good pros. I think we might have two NFL snappers,” he added. “That’s a good problem to have. I’ve had that at other times where we’ve had two NFL kickers or two punters, so I think that will end up solving itself in the long run.”
Beyond the specialist positions, returner roles could be there for the taking.
This season will mark the first since 2011 that the Vikings punt returner will not be named Marcus Sherels. The native of Rochester, Minnesota, signed with the Saints in free agency and left the special teams spot vacant.
Chad Beebe, who signed with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent last year, took a number of reps at punt returner during the team’s spring practices and could be the frontrunner for the job. Newcomer Jordan Taylor, previously with the Broncos, also has experience there.
Beebe is listed at 5-foot-10, and Taylor stands at 6-5.
“The beauty about special teams is that we take all shapes and sizes,” Maalouf said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re 6-4 or 5-11 or 5-6. Each guy can do something well in his own right. They both could have a role back there; it just depends on what the situation might be.”