Viktor
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
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Zylstra was in attendance at practices and walk-throughs over the past few days, usually with a play sheet in hand as he stayed mentally involved.
“It’s just mental reps, and seeing how guys react to different defenses these guys are throwing at us,” Zylstra said. “Just trying to take as much in as I can.”
Zylstra is expected to compete for a handful of roster spots behind Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs. Other members of that group include Chad Beebe, Jordan Taylor, Laquon Treadwell and a host of rookies.
The Minnesota native said he believes the ability to play all over the field could help his cause.
“Definitely just versatility,” Zylstra said of his strengths. “I feel like I’m a guy that can play any [wide receiver] position out there. I just try to know every position out there.”
Zylstra had one catch for 23 yards in his rookie season in 2018 and also played on nearly 60 percent of Minnesota’s special teams snaps.
He said a year in the NFL was incredibly beneficial to his game, especially after coming over from the Canadian Football League.
“I’ve seen how the practices are run, seen how meetings are run. I know how to study better and know how to take care of my body better. All that helps,” Zylstra said.
“[The transition from the CFL was] bigger than I thought it was going to be. I didn’t think it was going to take that much of an adjustment since this was a game I’d played for however many years now. It honestly did take me a second to adjust, but I’m feeling more and more comfortable every day,” Zylstra added. “I felt great in OTAs when I was out here. I felt like I was playing a lot more loosely, a lot more confidently. Everything started to slow down for me.”
Continued Zylstra: “Up in Canada, I kind of got thrown in a starting position right away, so they kind of took me off special teams pretty quick. Last year was really my first time since high school since I’d played a lot of special teams. It was a huge learning curve for me.”