MVP: Schedule Release Edition, C.J. Ham Discusses Offseason Training | Episode 217

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You know, me being a tryout guy from from way back in the day, you know, I get really excited about seeing those guys who get the called after the draft. Yeah, every single year, somebody turns, somebody, somebody's said.

You have a Justin Jefferson who's going to be you know, primetime spotlighted throughout the entire league for everything. Now you've got to Jordan Edison to add to that offense. You're going to know, hopefully halfway through the season kind of what you're.

Really doing with. We're one week closer to Vikings football being back as we welcome you to Egan, Minnesota for another edition of the Minnesota Vikings Podcast presented by Twin Cities Orthopedics. My name is Gabe Henderson Tatum Evert's here, Jay Nelson is here, Eric Davison is here, and it

It feels great.

I mean, I love the ability to start out at home. When I talked to Kevin O'Connell after the schedule release, he said that was like they're one big thing he really wanted to see. He wanted to see the Vikings open up at home at us Being Stadium and.

Went so well last year.

But he was very quick to point out that it's a very very short time before the next game.

Jay, Yeah, very short time.

Yeah, no more as far as far as we understand. At this point, it is no longer Tampa Bay. Mister Bray is no longer there. But it will be fun to be at home. I think everyone's always juiced, especially week one. I think the fans'll just be absolutely bananas there on September tenth, you know. And the one thing that I do find interesting something we haven't touched on yet.

Another point is that the preseason games are leading right into that season opener, so it's like almost three straight weeks of home games, two of them obviously being preseason before you kick off the season.

Yeah, that first preseason game is at Seattle. We don't know the date yet for the preseason games just yet, but after Seattle, we have two straight home preseason game games against the Tennessee Titans and the Arizona Cardinals, and I'm looking forward to just seeing, you know what that looks like. Things have been tossed up about possible joint practices. We know we had one with the forty nine ers last year, so that'll be a lot of fun for

Jay, Yeah, and I think it may make sense here that you know, you would want to do that again. I think there was a lot of valuable stuff you got out of it. I think you get to the point where guys get tired of, you know, hitting the other guys in the locker room. It's always nice to hit somebody else in a different team, and when you're

I think it's great. I think it's a sure I'm not going to say a sure rain because it's any given Sunday, but the fact that Tampa is still trying to figure out their identity outside of Baker Mayfield. I believe Devon White or kill Baird got hurt. No, Devon White got hurt last year towards the end of the year. So they're still trying to figure out what their defense

It was one of the top matchups to watch for the NFL when they do their NFL research was Jefferson versus Slay again. So they were the first ranked pass defense last season. We all watched it in action. I think that they are a very complete team. Then Nucleus

Not really. I think since you have all off season to prepare for those two games, you do have a game plan for week one, because like everyone's going to be excited for just to get back at home. But I think at the same time is you look at it and say, well, Philly is on the horizon, but like, we're not worried about it. We just want to win at home right now. So yeah, to your point, Tatum, I do think Kevin O'Connor is going to stress that.

For me, this is the most hand ringing game on the entire schedule, purely because of the timeframe playing against a team like Philly. I would love to have your full normal weekly complement of practices, getting your body healthy, all that kind of a thing. This one, to me is the one that stood out and I just kind of want, like, really like we have to do Thursday night against these guys, you know, week two. If there's any other time like later in the season, you're into

Yeah, and Tandam brought up a good point of playing the number one pass defense in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles. Well, JJ will play six games against top ten pass defenses in twenty twenty two, and week number three against the Chargers will be that second team that was the top ten pass defense in the NFL.

And the return of Eric Kendrick and Eric Smith and Eric Smith, Yeah, you thought that's where I was going, and then I just took a left team. Yeah, I think I mean Eric is one of the I just remember him.

One of the things he always talked about is the love of the crowd, the Minnesota Vikings cheering.

What a home field advantage that is like.

And I think it's quite fitting that he's coming back here and being on the other side of things.

I do not think he'll be met with booze.

I think Minnesota Vikings fans will go crazy when you know, he makes a play or they see him on the field, but you know they're going to root for him and every other game in the season except for Week three this year.

I just remember when they pointed out to him that you know, they were coming back to Minnesota. It's kind of like, oh boy, you know, like, yeah, it will be a fun one. I think you will be absolutely juice to the gills on that one.

It will be.

Nice to get a team like the Chargers at home versus having to play on their turf.

I am looking forward to.

One thing I love about the schedule this year and the slate of teams is the level of quarterbacks that we're going to see. And you know, going basically from Jalen Hurts to looking at Herbert, you know, coming in the door, it'll be kind of fun. To have him on our turf and see how he reacts to it.

Very interesting that we start this season off with three playoff teams from last year, Tampa Bay, Philly, the Chargers, and then Tatum just talked about revenging game for Eric Kendricks Well Week four, it's a revenge game for Adam Field. We go to North Carolina to play the Carolina Panthers. Guys, I feel like this game is going to be circled for for Adam for sure, but a lot of Vikings

I was just literally going to say, Gabe going about Jangles. One of the things that has always happened in the past that's been really kind of fun in Carolina when we've been there, is fans travel well. I'm looking forward to seeing if we get another kind of a little bit of a mini home field piece to it. You know, it is a destination where those fans in the stadium

Tampa and Carolina.

Yeah, trying to figure out, you know, who really are they, And I think a veteran like Adam on that team is going to help with the development there. But I'm just curious to see who the heck they actually have as an identity.

Yeah, I mean, it's just it's very interesting, I think because because of obviously winning the division, the schedule stacks up really tough against the Vikings as far as like playing division champions, playing the all the conference champion teams from last year, and so you look at the Panthers and you think, Okay, maybe this is a good breather game a little bit you're still on the road, You're still able to kind of figure out your identity.

Maybe they haven't yet by week four.

Maybe Bryce Young isn't as comfortable as he is going to be week twelve. So I think this is a good one, I know, to go in and to really establish self.

And I just always think back.

To the last time they played in Carolina with the kJ Osbourne over time I walk off.

I mean, it was just you know, Chef's cast. It was amazing.

And that's the thing.

Carolina, It's never been an easy place when they've been there. It's always been kind of these fun, crazy games, and I look forward to it. I think it's great. I think it's a fun atmosphere there. I've always liked going there whenever we would play, and that is a fun one I think for Week four.

Yeah, that game should have been a blowout. A couple of years ago. We were up by like two touchdowns going to the fourth quarter.

But the theme of that season though, how many times could you have said this game should have been a blowout.

That's the last last two seasons. But just look at you know, October first, Like this is my favorite time of the year because Kirktober will be in full effect and we're going to need that come Week number five against the Super Bowl defending champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. They're coming to the us Being Stadium this year.

For the first time, for the first time, and I love that you, says Kirk Chober. And we have five games in Kirktober this year. Wait, yeah, no, it's going to be And I think what the last time the Vikings played the Chiefs, it was Chase Daniel and it was a not great outcome.

So this time you get to play the raining NFL MVP.

And if you don't think that that atmosphere is going to be absolutely electric welcoming Chiefs in, I don't know. That might be the best home game of the season as far as like crowd noise.

And for proximity to Kansas City is relatively close. You know, we always end up trappling a lot of people in Kansas City. I expect the same thing to happen people coming up here, and like you said, with them, with this being the first time in the stadium, there's gonna be a lot of people that are going to want to try and see that for sure. I think as far as the Vikings are concerned, they'd like to see

Kansas City come in here.

They are literally one of the very top teams every single season now that they've got their Ragning MVP. And Kansas City's one that circled on my calendar.

Yeah, well, I guess another one that circled on a lot of people's calendar. It's the Chicago Bears and week number six one. I guess. The only reason why is because we're not going there in December or January like we did last year. So to go to Chicago Week number six, Tatum, how excited are you to get that first divisional game out the way?

Well, I feel like after the past couple of seasons, like Week six is kind of later for sure for the Vikings normally.

So to kind of be able to have some tape on who the Bears are going to be, what they're going to look like.

I mean, they what cleared house after this year, brought in a bunch of free agents, have all the draft picks, and so this gives you whether this is a good or bad thing, but it gives you enough time to see what they are on tape before they come before we go there. And I do like saying before we go there and not having to be in Chicago in the middle of December with no dome. The fact that we are ending the year with dome games is like, again, I how did you get this lucky?

Well, I feel like when when Roberzinski talks to the schedule makers and say, hey, you guys didn't give us any of our requests last year, that's a good starting point for negotiations this year. So the fact that we don't go to Green Bay or Chicago in the minute at the end of the year like last year, beautiful. We're all happy and we we thank Roberzinski for that. I know Tatum said the Week five game is probably going to be the livest game of the of the

Think about last year for those joint practices, how Chippy's things got yeah, and then just knowing there was even just a little bit of a war of words after the fact with coaches and everybody too. I think there's gonna be something extra on that one. You know, the idea of having a McCaffrey and I you can just

My gosh, yeah, oh no, yeah, I'm really ready for this one. I really am. Although when I said when I when I saw it and I was like.

Oh man, they're coming here, I was like, dang, that's see, that's a fun road trip, right, Like granted, granted the app you know, it is an enmy territory. We don't have the greatest luck out there. I was like, gosh, that would be really cool to just go out to the West Coast for a swing, having never been before, but welcoming in, like you said, the brock Perny, whatever is going on over there, maybe Trey Lances in the mix.

I mean for me, it's it's you're going to be battle tested given that you're playing a you know, number one slot from last year because of your record, and you're going to be playing all these tough teams. We're going to know what this team is really about. You know, there really are no there aren't a ton of cupcakes on the schedule, and you're going to get everybody's best shot.

Being able to play again. Kansas City, the Chargers.

San Francisco, and a couple more teams that we haven't talked about yet, Philly. All of those are going to give you the best run that they can and you're going to know, hopefully halfway through the season, kind of what you're really dealing with.

And for what it's worth, I think that people are looking at the Vikings on their schedule and saying the same thing, like this is a tough out. If this defense gets, you know, fifty percent better from last year, this team is going to be a super tough team to stop, especially when you think of all the offensive weapons like you just mentioned.

That we're at it.

So granted, I'm saying this ahead of time, like, oh, these really tough teas, but people are saying that about the Vikings now too.

Oh for sure. I mean, especially if you saw how the Vikings entered their season last year, you would assume that this Vikings team will get better with Brian Flores as a defensive coordinator. And I'm sure this Brian Flores defense will have an identity, especially going into week number eight when they face Jordan Love and the Packers at lambeau Field. Identity. We will know what his Vikings team is made of by week number eight.

Yeah, what Halloween weekend.

Basically, Hopefula is not a little scary in Green Bay. Jordan Love is my biggest question mark for this entire division, trying to figure out what they've got. Like we've talked about in the past, green Bay seems to feel like they've got their guy, or at least are willing to move on from Aaron Rodgers. By that point, he's going to have two months basically under his belt. Going to Green Bay is always weird. Going to green Bay late fall is going to be literally the identity of what

I love it.

So you basically saying all of our defensive guy is going to be in a track stance running.

But here's the thing, you know, for them, I'm really curious because Lafour is going to have a complete game plan going into what he thinks this personnel is going to be. But if you really think about do they turn around and go from what they've been known for in the past and having kind of gunslinger quarterbacks to more ball control running back oriented, they you know, trying to figure out like what are they going to be? It's been thirty years of a similar thing. What are

I feel like we've been saying that a lot about the Atlanta Falcons, and for the second straight week, the Vikings would be on the road playing the Falcons November fifth, and we don't know, I mean, there's no Matt Ryan, we don't know if Desmond Rider is going to be the quarterback. Marcus Mariota is not in Atlanta anymore. But however, they did sun Bejhon Robbinson this offseason, so clearly they're going to try to run the ball in the vikings.

Just the fact that I don't know what to what to think, what to expect. I mean, you really have no closure.

There's going to be twelve teams with new starting quarterbacks, and I think whenever you have a new starting quarterback, that's kind of what we've been saying for each of these teams that has like that question mark under center, and so twelve teams and we're facing a lot of them, which is kind of exciting for a defensive guy.

That's the thing.

If you look at their depth chart here Desmond Ritter, Taylor, Heineke, Logan Woodside, and Felipe Franks, so like that is a giant question and none.

Of them look the same. Yeah, Like they don't have a very similar self skill sets. That's really interesting.

And for me with with Bijon Robinson coming in there, like how do you not make him the focal point of that offense? You know they have a Kyle Pitts still that everyone kind of felt was a little underutilized.

He had so much fanfare coming in.

That's the thing, Like, he's just a crazy athletic, and I think they're hoping that maybe a guy like Bijeon can help free a guy like him up a little bit as so that people aren't having a double or even you know, triple team against him. But they're so they're so weird in that you just don't know what

But yeah, he's a good game like, he's a game manager. He wins games.

He's a proven winner, and I think that that's kind of just what Atlanta needs. They don't really strike you in the face with their receivers right now, Drake London, Matt Collins, and Scottie Miller listed as the starters on here. I couldn't tell you any of these people behind him, really honestly. And so when you think about Kyle Pitts needing to be a bigger part of the offense, that's what Arthur Smith is known for, Like he was a

So maybe if they have a distraction.

Like Bijon in the back that everyone's accounting for, you get Desmond Rider a little bit more comfortable or Taylor hiding, you more comfortable to just not throw the game away and find Kyle Pitts. But then again, how are you not doubling Kyle Pitts when you've got those receivers.

Here's the thing for them, that's the thing. They can go double tight with Kyle Pitts and John new Smith.

I want to see that.

Oh and you know, and they know Arthur Smith coached John new And in Tennessee.

So that's the thing is so they can have Kyle Pitts and John ou Smith, and they can make it look like they're going to be running and then all of a sudden like okay, this this Bijon Robinson is probably are more important pick than a lot of people realized. They everyone knows the talent that he has. Yeah, but he given what they want to do at their offense and what they what the question marks are at quarterback, like that might be even more critical than the real.

Well then, and then I think another point going to the other side of the balls, that they did really beef up their secondary, which you know, obviously we have a lot of offensive weapons that would be seeing guys like Jesse Bates, Jeff Wakuda, AJ Tarrell, like Bud Duprees on there. I'm not sure how much gas he has left in the tank. But some of these free agent guys that they've added is pretty you know, I.

Mean their names yeah, so uh so, I don't know.

Yeah, I mean, they had I feel like they had a really good draft this year. They drafted some key guys and key positions, and a lot of that is to protect the quarterback, to protect whoever it is, Desmond Ritter or what's his name, Taylor Honek but Taylor Honekee reminds me a lot of Derek Carr, and the following week we played Derek Carr in the New Orleans Saints

Gem they don't even know what they're going to look for.

I mean, it sounds like Michael Thomas is coming back.

Though, well so for how long?

I'm just saying it sounds like and it's confirmed, nor did I.

So you have a guy like Chris Olave, you possibly have a Michael Thomas. You don't know what's going to happen with Elvin Kamar because he's still got legal issues that are hanging over his head.

He might get suspended. So like New.

Orleans always brings it, we always have fits with them, especially their defense last year. Yeah, but that's the thing, like offensively, we don't know what they're going to look like. I mean, Car is a gamer. I like him getting him out of a place where it felt incredibly toxic, especially at the end where he just was basically like, yeah, I'm done with the Raiders, you know, like get me out here as fast as possible. Maybe a place like New Orleans, you know, going in as that big acquisition

And so to be that was the London game less night, so we have to see the Superdome in quite some time.

Was the postseason? Yeah, you know, I feel like it's always been like.

A rivalry game, so this is I feel like again that's going to be another just electric atmosphere. I do think that the Saints have always responded well when they have a quarterback who has had a lot of leadership in their past, who is vocal, who has experienced, and I think that that could go a long way. I'm actually really excited about the addition of Foster Moreau as far as what their offense can do. Bringing Derek Carr

He's a New Orleans kid.

He went to high school a jazz what went to LSU, and so now he's back as a Saint.

So I love a little story like that.

But I and I, you know, I hope that he can be good enough to play. I'm not sure when that timeline is, but to be able to have Derek Carr have a familiar target there also, I think is another key move by the Saints this offseason.

One player that I was really excited about for them that they grabbed in the draft was Kendre Miller and just he's coming off he's got some injury questions and everything, you know, and they drafted him, which is probably why he slid a little bit. But I mean he could get some run depending on what happens with Kamara. They've got, you know, Kamara, Jamal Williams and then him sitting third currently, that's a name you might see him jump up like crazy. Given their situation there.

But they're not afraid to play their rookies early, not at all.

Look at a Lave last year. You know, they will pop those guys in there. If they feel like they can trust him, they're going to do it. And so he you might get to kind of that dual running back situation they've had in New Orleans over the years.

You know, Alvin's just been quiet recently.

Well, but for him, he's he's been somebody who's been so dynamic.

They're just like, that's his spot.

Why would you take the ball out of his hands because he can catch and run.

I just think the further.

You get along, especially at this point in the year, you might see him integrated into that offense a little bit more.

Yeah, they got a lot of options down there in New Orleans. It's just finding ways to put it together and.

Not knowing what it's going to look like. Especially you're just not sure.

They haven't been good since Sean Payton.

Fact.

And now Sean Payton's in Denver, YEP. And we traveled to Denver the following week.

I wonder why that's a Sunday night football game, guys.

Yeah, that is. I know we talked about that on the schedule release show that will be on Vikings dot Com should be out there right now since his Thursday and we're releasing this and it'll be out Yeah. So long story short, we talked about that game possibly being flexed back to like a three twenty five kickoff. I just don't understand that maybe the Sean Payton or George Paton, I don't understand.

Oh no, it's definitely the Sean Payton versus the Vikings narrative most like.

It's yeah, I guess so, I guess that's.

A peak by time right, Like there are a lot of by games going on right there, so maybe maybe this there weren't as many pickins.

But for me, I think it's I think it's the Sean Payton narrative, if I'm honest, because I think about it.

If it's if it's Nathaniel Hackett, is that the game that's going to be flex to Sunday Night Football that night?

Now, I just think that it was Russell Wilson, I mean know, a big time quarterback. But that's as you.

Have a total like stuff stir and grin on your face. Corrected myself there.

I think the thing about it too, with peyton Is. You know, last year they went all in for a ton of games, primetime games for Denver because of the Russ factor. I think they're looking at Sean coming in and being able to get the best out of him within that offense. Denver's weapons as well, especially wide receiver wise, had just felt completely underutilized last year with Hackett. I just feel like, with it being Denverday night game November in Denver is going to be absolutely gorgeous. I think

Of young guys.

There's there's a new sheriff in town with Sean Payton there in Denver, and I think they're thinking that this might be more of a fireworks kind of game scoring wise, given what our offense and their offense are supposed to be.

Patrick certain against Jefferson, the return of Javonte Williams, can the Vikings stop the run.

It'd be a lot of man and man coverage, and Justin Jefferson was number one in the NFL with seven hundred and ten receiving yards versus man coverage last year, So it'd be interesting to see how that bodes for another year for JJ trying to go for two thousand receiving yards. He's got a lot of big, big time defensive backs he's going against this year. And you know that next week Monday Night Football Chicago bears back to back prime time, back to back prime time games five.

I love this, It's going to be honest, and I love the fact that seven possibly seven. I love the fact that most of them are at home. Yeah, yeah, just for selfish reasons for sure.

Yeah, I just like Bikings in Prome. Tim last year weren't good at home.

This is really and Ron talked a lot about this in the schedule release show. This is really going to test primetime Kirk and the and the tired narrative from the national media.

Ken Kirk win primetime games.

The new nightmare. I mean, that's the thing. But you want to see Kurk.

The many noon games.

Yeah, well, I'm just thinking about with it being primetime. You know, I was.

One going into the schedule of thinking before I even saw anything, saying I don't know how many prime time we're really going to get. You know, I know you've got it justin Jefferson and you've got some other high profile people, but how much are they Is the league or the national side going to buy into what we're selling? And when I saw five primetime games here, I was like, oh boy. And then when I saw back to back at Denver and then home against Chicago, They're all in.

I love that pressure.

I love the idea of being able to showcase what we've got. And I really do feel like if they're they take that jump defensively, Like this is a scary team, especially within the NFC.

Jay being from Minnesota, you just made a good point. You just made me think about just the state. This is the first time that the Vikings have ever had this many prime time games in one season. Yeah, understanding that, Like is that like for for Minnesota native, like a diehard Viking fan? Like if that get you excited? Does that get you nervous?

Like?

What's that emotion, uh.

To me, it makes me feel like you're people are they have high expectations for you. You know, in the past, you'd play your new games and stuff. I love new games because then you get the rest of your day to do whatever you gotta do. But I've always been somebody who loves primetime games because because that is the singular focus. Typically if it's not Week one and they got the doubleheader and all that kind of stuff going on.

So I'm hoping that, you.

Know, given that we're set up for success that way, that we actually you know, show up and show out and have fun with it. And I hope that, like you guys are just talking about the whole narrative and all that stuff, that stuff flies out the window, because if we can rip off a bunch of wins against high profile people on these primetime games, I think it's awesome for this team.

Yeah, that would be awesome. And this Chicago Bears game, I feel like it's a trap game for two reasons. Okay, on Thanksgiving is the Thursday before, so instead of us playing Thursday like we have last year, or playing Sunday, we played Monday. Sure, so I know it sounds cliche, but like, well that you know Thanksgiving hangover affect this team, right, we don't.

Maybe, but there's a looming buy Then.

My second, my second reason why I think it's a trap game because it's like, Okay, well we get our Thanksgiving, but we also get a bye week next week and we're at home.

If it was Sunday night, maybe, but the fact that it's Monday night, you've got that extra day after the Thanksgiving.

Run off, the extra turkey you ain't.

But for me, it's it's the idea of even if there is quote unquote the distraction of Thanksgiving and all the other stuff, you can still be back there on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and getting that extra day and Monday knowing that you have the buye. I think that is even more of a way for the coaching staff to look at the players and go you have a week coming off of this. I need your best effort here on Monday night to knock this out and then go into the buy the correct way.

I mean we went into the bye week the correct way last year, playning the Miami Dolphins and then having to buy and then planning the Arizona Cardinals. So clearly Kevin O'Connell knows how to I guess prep these guys.

If you would feel if you felt nervous about it, I would feel more nervous if it wasn't away game. The fact that it's a home game at Monday on Monday night against the Bears. That place is going to be bananas that use Oh my gosh.

But that week thirteen bye, I was doing some research and I believe the latest the Vikings have had to buy in franchise history was Week twelve in twenty nineteen. So Week thirteen bye, I'm a little uncertain if that's good or if that's like worry some for this Vikings team. I mean, you have five games left at the end of the year. But I don't know, like I don't know, Like I asked CJ. Ham this yesterday, who's going to be our guest on the show today and I just said, like,

Been, but don't they go into like fourteen?

I believe so, But I mean as a fantasy football player, I think fourteen is the latest. But like, but I am drafting. I am just side note total fantasy nerd over here. I am like stocking up on Vikings offensive players. If my week, my week is thirteen?

Are you kidding me? My guillotine team might all be Viking players.

I think that's sound like a Homer I'm going off.

Yeah, I think do you have inside information?

No?

I don't.

I just wouldn't that be great? Though? Like no, and like we want every week? I not tatum if that would be?

Like okay, so how much are your earnings? Are you going over what you can actually earn? Are you playing by the roles? You know we have a gambling policy. Yes I do, Calvin Ridley.

Detroit Lions for that, but yeah, go ahead.

I was going to say, is being a week thirteen by I think coaches tend to say, if we can get to like week ten, then we're happy, because it feels like kind of the split halfway through the season, you start leaning towards thirteen. You're just hoping that there aren't looming injury injuries or things that they would normally

So like recap in you get week ten, you get the Saints at home, and then you get an extra break, you go to Denver and get a Sunday night football game, and then you get an extra day of the following week and you get Monday night football against Chicago Bears, and week number twelve you get a bye week week number thirteen, and then week fourteen you go out to Vegas to face the Las Vegas Raiders.

There's a lot of people that are circling that one on their calendars. Just get one, that's the thing. Well, and everyone was hoping that game wasn't going to be September or sometime earlier in the year. With it being December and hopefully is still nice and warm there in Vegas December tenth, I think that's going to be a fun one again. Another team that we just don't know what the heck is going to be, especially after losing their car. But Vegas is always a crazy time. That

I mean, you might as well book book your flight after the Chicago game, book your flight December first, and just stay out there for I guess.

I'd say go to the site right now. Flight those flights are going to fill up fast, and they're going to be a little extra Price Ya the Logger.

You wait, I think the best away game this year is going to be Week number fifteen. A date and a time is not determined yet, but that Cincinnati Bengals game Week fifteen at Cincinnati is going to be huge. I mean, you got.

I can't just the.

LSU, I mean just the LSU storylines there with Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase, Justin Jefferson, so on and so forth at Ing. Yeah, I mean the two rookies this year and Elllle.

Collins is on the Bengals offensive.

Jay Ward also Jacquelin Roy. Like, there's so many ties in this game. But I'm excited about that week Week fifteen, No date, no time, but it is the Cincinnati Bengals, Guys.

I mean, I you know, I'm I love football and I think I follow players more than teams now more than ever. And obviously I have a deep love for the Vikings being in this building. I want them all to succeed and I want them to beat the Bengals. I just love Joe Burrow. I'm unabashedly and one of my favorite all time players ever for obvious reasons, and I just think that the way that he went into

I mean they to me, like, first of all, they should have been Super Bowl too.

I won't go there, but like I just that team is so interesting to me that that would be a signature victory late in the season that says the Vikings are here, We're going to make a playoff run, We're gonna make some noise in the postseason. You need to take us seriously, Like if no one's taking seriously up until that game, that is the game where you go out and you say we've arrived.

I always want to see us play at home against top tier talent, but going to a place like Cincinnati and if you can, you know, pull the w out of that one, like you said, I think that's gonna be a lot of people unnotice And again with all the primetime games, people are gonna be paying attention to us, but that one in particular, I feel like there's gonna be something different, There's gonna be something extra and what I am curious about is the fact that it is

Would it be a Sunday? What are they gonna do?

The other thing too, that's gonna be a little different this year and we haven't even touched it. Is the idea that teams could potentially play two Thursday night games because they can do the flex scheduling for Thursday. So again, like it really depends. I don't know if they would do that to us, given that it's at Las Vegas and then at Cincinnati.

Back like games. Yeah, probably not.

The only thing off of that then would be the following week is a home game. But still with it to be determined. I know one person that that's not going to be overly happy about outdoor December game Cincinnati who's been begging for this game, Siaminson. I would have preferred this one to be a little bit warmer. But it will be fun to see, you know, what he ends up doing out there in cinciat. I know he's really looking forward to seeing his hometown team come out to Cincinnati.

That'll be fun. Yeah, that'll be for sure. The Code is Game of the Year and Vikings fans are very excited about that. But I'm gonna just rattle through these next three to round the season off. The Vikings have the Detroit Lions at home on Christmas Eve, December thirty first at home Green Bay Packers. So I guess you can watch that game and then go to your New Year's parties afterwards.

If you can make it.

If you can make it, hopefully, I guess yeah.

I mean there's like an overtime or something. We're all ringing in the New Year together.

Maybe after a win, we have fireworks and we count down and everybody stays in at US Bank State. That's a that's a great way to sell tickets.

Go tell, Go tell. The third four with.

The Vikings marketing needs to listen to what gave.

Well, I heard that there's like a club inside the Vegas Arena, I mean stadium, Allegiant Stadium.

Yeah, where like they do that.

If they have like something like that, they're like, okay, so the game's over coming to the club and ring the forum.

Back in the day with the Lakers, Yeah, I guess the Vegas. That's Vegas for.

You, though, I know, so maybe like come parties. At the Come party with us in the Delta.

Club almost said something it's going to be.

Nuts, popping bottles and Medtronic.

Yeah, it's going to be nuts.

I'm I'm happy we get those two division teams back to back, Detroit and green Bay at home. I would have liked some of those to be spaced out a little bit more, but we all know how the back end of the season gets loaded. The fact that half of our divisional games are in the final three weeks of the season, that means you're going to help control.

Your own destiny.

To me, it tells me that the NFL is just like all in on this Detroit Minnesota top end of the conference two out.

Of three weeks and to end the season in Detroit divisions like that'll be for the divisional champion.

And we've done that before.

We've had this kind of scenario happen before where we needed to get a final week or final game of the year to get in and Detroit spoiled our party or whatever. Like, if Detroit is real and Detroit is going to take that next step up, those three games at the back end of the season are going to be incredibly fun and incredibly critical, and the fact that two of those are at home are going to be huge. The final one of the year at Detroit still to

It's like winner wins the division and haven't won.

Winning in kind of a thing. But having those be home, home, away against Detroit and getting them twice in essentially three games, that that's going to be a little more daunting than I think a lot of people.

Think well, coming down this final stretch of the season this year, especially those last three games, Veteran leadership is going to have to be key if this Minnesota Vikings team wants to make that late playoff push. And a guy who understands what veteran leadership is and winning late in the season is our special guest of today's show, Mister c J. Hamp Or, Minnesota Vikings fullback c J. Ham is here and CJ. We we talked a little off camera about the schedule release in which we'll get into,

I mean, we're really just putting it, putting in work.

I mean off season training, you got you got to train through some of the soreness, lifting, running, sprinting, running long routes. So uh, just putting into work. And you know after you know, going going on our fourth day, you get a little sore, you know, and that that happens, and uh we got the we got a three day weekend to recover.

You got second year with these guys now, the second off season, I guess with them, has.

It has How have the relationships built? I guess from this time last year.

Yeah, it's been great.

Obviously having majority of the guys coming back and just being able to uh hit the ground running, you know, have having a little bit of a tune up and just reminders, but just ultimately being able to come in and not necessarily learn a new system, but just kind of remind ourselves and then go out there and be able to you know, get get ahead and get ahead quickly.

Congrass on the extension. I don't think you haven't done an interview since your extension, right, I have not.

I appreciate it.

That's a big deal.

It was.

It was a big deal for to be able to start your career as a Viking and hopefully finish it as a Viking like that. That has to be rewarding, right, Like, what's that? What's that?

Yeah, it's it's a blessing, you know, just to be in the league as long as I have now going on to you know, year eight with the Vikings?

Was it seven on the active roster?

It's just a blessing in and of itself, you know, being able to look back and you know, see where I started from as a as a trial player, to you know, make an active to signing my first extension, to now signing another one.

It's crazy, you know.

I just look back at it and just just see how God has been just very faithful, and you know, He's got something doing for me here, and I'm just excited.

My family's excited. We get to stay home.

Not to get too into the weeds with like the negotiation process, but how was it knowing this coaching staff willing to work on it, willing to bring you back, wanting to bring you back, wanting to.

Work this out with you. What was that process like and what did that mean to you?

It meant a lot, you know.

You know, obviously we all know how last year, last year when we won a lot of games, but you know, playing time for myself when went down, went down to tick and you know, at the end of the day, I'm trying to do whatever I can, you know, help the team, but I also want to compete. I love I love to compete, I love to play. I want to help our team win. And yeah, it showed me that they were able to look back at everything, look at the tape and you know, see something that you

I feel like even though your usage went down, your level of impact went up. Like the there's a handful of guys that I've that I've talked to that said, like you've given them tibbits for the off season. Pilates is one You've been like telling people to do pilates or take care of their body. Like where does that? I guess, where does that come from? Like what what did you What have you learned along your career that has helped you give back a little bit and give little tibbits.

I mean, really, just you really got to take care of yourself.

In my career, I'd say I didn't do a lot of the extra things to make sure my body was able to perform and just be at its best. I kind of just practice and take a shower and go home, you know, But over the years, talking to so many people, just learning, you know, the pilates, the the you know, spending time in the training room, the massage therapist, the acupuncture. Those are all things that I think have helped prolong my career. And as I get older, I'm feeling better

You know. You hear about the Lebrons and.

The Russell Wilson's and how much money they invest in their body, and like, you know, you might think it's crazy, but it really does make a difference. So just trying to share that with you know, guys on the team, guys you know, my running back room. We actually do pilates every Friday morning so as a group, so we just love it and it's making us all better.

That's one of the hardiest workouts.

Oh man, Yeah, no joke.

What what does it helped you improve upon? Like platy specifically just.

Total body awareness.

I mean I can definitely tell, like when I'm doing a workout, if I'm feeling it in my low back, I know, I know what I need to turn on. I know I need to, you know, tilt my pelvic my my pelvic floor, you know, forward to you know, take it, take it out on my low back and just you know, my deep ab core muscles have been able to, uh have been able to activate those and use those and when I when I sprint, when I move.

So yeah, plates, it's been it's been amazing, all right.

Now, it's the fun stuff. Schedule release. Man, you're you're what seventh eighth schedule? Different schedule release. I know you and I know we had a conversation yesterday and I was like, like, how excited are you for the schedule? You're like, dude, I just take it one day at a time. And I was like, dude, that's not a

I mean, that's that's really it.

I mean, I mean, obviously just having another season is a blessing in of itself, but like you said, having five prime time games just shows that the NFL wants to see us play and they want to have people see us play.

So that gets me excited.

And you know, we love you know, these guys on this team who just love to shine, right, So to give us those opportunities to go out there and and and play in front of everybody, you gotta you gotta bring a little extra juice and ask competitors.

That's that's what we're trying to do.

What about the home opener, it's uh, the season opener being able to be at Usbank Stadium again for the second straight year.

Mm hmm. I love it, love it.

You know, just opening up at home is it's always it's always a blessing to be able to, you know, go from training camp to preseason and then just stay at home for that first week, not have to travel. Families, get to come get to come in, and uh, it's always it's always awesome and the US Bank is always rocking, and you know, we love our we love our fans.

Man, I can't wait. Like I'm just thinking about last year Green Bay had a different effect just because it was green Bay home opener, but home openers at us Bank Stadium, Like, there's a reason why us Bank Stadium was voted the best sporting experience in sports because as a fan you can feel it. But as a player, what are home home openers like for you? When you like run out the tunnel for the first time.

Man, it's there's there's not a lot of words that can explain it. But I know it's just different because every time I tell, I tell somebody, man us Bank is just different. And I talked to the other I talked to my teammates who come from different teams. I've talked to you know, other players, and just like man Us Bank is, US Bank's a really nice place. I mean, your guys' fans are amazing. The venue itself is just

Just so esthetically pleasing.

It is it is.

I really thought about it. Right, great, everything's the natural light in the building is beautiful, you all. I also wanted to.

Ask you, have you ever had a week thirteen by something that late in the season.

I don't think so.

I mean, I know it's like if I had a week eight by or a week ten by, what do you think?

Yeah?

What what do you think it'll be like?

I guess you know, having to play those twelve straight games before you get a break really.

Definitely a grind.

You know, on paper, you look at it and you're like, man, that's that's that's a lot of that's a lot of football before before we get to break. But at the end of the day, once you get rolling, you're rolling, especially if you're if you're hot and things are starting to go great, man, you just want to keep playing. So yeah, well we'll see I won't really know how it feels until until until we're in it. But uh, on paper, it seems like a long time. But I'm sure. I'm sure it'll be fine.

Yeah, I mean there's a couple of ways to build and the rest days there you got a couple Monday night football games and the Thursday night. You know, you get the two games like within four days, five days of each other.

In the beginning.

You get like five different like longer weeks this year, so that that helps. But I mean there's only one team in franchise history that has had to buy this late. Like technically, this is the latest buy in franchise history. Like in nineteen ninety one, there was a week fourteen by, but like that was earlier. That was like an earlier date. So this is this is I mean, you guys are experienced history for the first time.

Oh that's wild. I didn't even know that.

But do you do you feel like do you feel like that is advantageous having a late by, Like what about that by that late in the year makes it advantageous versus disadvantageous. Yeah, disadvantages of work. I just made it one who now, so good?

You know, I feel like there's there's there's pros and cons to to to to both. You know, sometimes you have an early buy and you know, then the rest of the season feels like really long and it's a drag, but you have that late by you you always have something to look forward to.

You always have something to look forward to.

Wait in one of these weeks, when is it. I don't know the schedule, But then.

You just take it one day at the time.

I do, I do.

But yeah, but then again though, like it's it's nice to get to get things rolling and just just just just to get into a rhythm.

You know.

I'm and you know, if we get hot during those first thirteen weeks like it, that buy is going to feel really really good too, you know. So yeah, man, we'll just see. But like you said, I I've always just taken it one day at a time. Yeah, you know, I go, I go, I go into every going to every work week.

And like we got this weekend, you know.

Yeah, I think fans get a little more excited about that because then they're like, Okay, now I know what my fall.

Is going to look like. I know what weekends I got to be at the stadium.

I know what games I want to travel towards things like that how much when you're watching and we just obviously went through the NFL draft, and the Vikings added some pieces working minicamp against today, it's going to be early report today against tomorrow. You see a lot of fresh faces and a lot of those guys are going to be under your wing in special teams. And I know that there are a couple of guys who've already said I am pumped to play. I want them to

You know, No, I don't really.

Yeah, he wait till they get here, get to know, I.

Pretty much pretty much wait did they get here?

And you know, me being a tryout guy from from way back in the day too, it's a you know.

I get I get really excited.

I love the draft and I love the process, but I get really excited about seeing those guys who get the calls after the draft too. Yeah, and those guys who get the rookie Minnie camp invites because I know there's a lot of guys who may have not gotten the opportunities in college or didn't they didn't go to a big enough school to get the notoriety, but they deserve to be in this league and they Every single

Who that is this year.

Yeah, I love that part too.

Yeah. One thing I also enjoy is you being available for the next generation because when when younger kids get an opportunity to touch Mighty that's in the NFL, or like see someone actually live out their dream and your story of being an undrafted free agent and working your way onto your onto the Minnesota Vikings roster. That that only provides hope and understanding. That you're having your fourth annual football camp this year in your hometown Duluth, how

Yeah, first off, maybe maybe sound very old.

You are you are, That's okay.

Just you go, okay, But if you're trying to see you're probably come on now.

But I just got to rub you know. I can't wait to like text CJ. When he's done with football like four or five years and now I'm like, yo, what you got played for the weekend? It can't be I know, it's just another day.

True, I haven't eve thought that far.

Yet anywhere about that right now.

I just tried to like revert the conversation from calling myself for.

But no, it's it's truly a blessing to be having our fourth camp in Duluth. We're actually doing our first camp in Sioux Falls here in a couple of weeks too, June fourth. But to be able to bring this back home to the Louth has always been really special to me. I feel like, you know, Duluth has a lot of great athletes, but a lot of the times, you know, not a lot of people are going to Northern Minnesota.

And it's always been It's always been a great success.

Kids come out and have a great time and I just love being back. I love that community. They mean the world to me.

If you want, if you want to feel leaving the older man, you're the you're the second longest team, You're Viking on this roster. So I'm excited for these kids to be able to to get your wisdom and your advice. Do you nember want is gotta be hairy? Yeah? Question, But yeah, man, we appreciate your time, and I'm just looking forward to seeing you work this offseason and just seeing you grow as a human being is first and foremost in my opinion, but just seeing how you've been

I appreciate it. Mami's a lot.

Yeah, you're a fan favorite, and there was a lot of excited Vikings fans after you signed that deal.

I love it. I love it. Thank you.

Well, guys, we just had CJ. Hamm on and we, I guess just recap the schedule to start the show off, just to end it. Just overall thoughts on the schedule this year. I know Tatum thinks it's very favorable. Ron Johnson says it's not favorable.

I mean, I think selfishly it's favorable.

Yeah.

I like that that you know, you don't have three straight home games. I like that you don't have back to back till the end. I feel like the.

Balance between traveling and staying home.

It's kind of there for a player, I feel like the late bye week might be helpful. I know that that might be a cold take. No one really kind of may agree with me on that one, but I think that that might be good heading into the postseason kind of feel for me personally, I do think that it is a little bit you know, like there's a couple of Monday games, there's a Thursday game. There's just like a wide range range of things for fans. So I like the fact that there's that many primetime games.

I think, well, there are five opportunities for this Minnesota Vikings team to get at least one extra day of recovery this year. So the fact that you get that that does bode well for this team. But also it keeps your guys healthy. So it'll be a tall test for this for this team. When you finish first in your division, you get the best team in the other divisions every year, so we'll get to see what this Minnesota Vikings team is made of this year.

I think the three toughest road games are at Philly, the Denver one is always daunting for whatever reason, and then at Cincinnati. You know, those those three to me are going to be interesting as far as how we handle that. On the flip side, I like the idea of having the Charge, the Chiefs, the Niners, New Orleans, and then Detroit. You know, in some capacity there at home, having those kind of games that are going to be more difficult but at least favorable in your building, that's

And you're getting the NFC South.

Like if you're going to have to play the best teams in every division, YadA, YadA, YadA, because you won, at least you're getting the NFC South.

They were garbage last year.

We had the NFC East last year.

And that was Could you imagine if you had that this year. I mean they well they got them last year and they were pretty good too.

But I mean that's what I'm saying.

Besides the Eagles, Yeah, like, thank goodness, you don't have that schedule.

You don't have those teams. So I mean, it's the eighteenth.

It's the eighteenth strongest schedule or tied with the Bears. So to me, I'm thinking that's pretty average. It's an NFL schedule.

It's not too hard, it's not too easy, it's just right.

It's always the piece of you know, typically half of the playoff teams from the year before go by the wayside and somebody jumps out. I am curious to see who that's going to be. If I had to go through any of these teams and feel like somebody that maybe somebody that would jump out. One of the teams to me is New Orleans with car at quarterback at

I think it's a healthy balance, Like the NFC South isn't the strongest division, but at the same time you face the AFC West, which you know, going into twenty twenty two, everyone's saying this is the this is the best division in football. So the vikings will be battle tested for sure, but I'll would like to see what we're really made of thirteen to four. A lot of teams, or a lot of pundits or a lot of experts

And the end, your record is what you say.

You know what you've earned, right you are what your record shows, and you know you did earn thirteen wins last year, albeit lots of them by the skin of your teeth at the end of a game, but the fact that you showed that you were able to prove that you could win in tight situations.

Hopefully that carries off to this year.

And you just instead of making all those games tight, you can get some more blowout, definitive wins and save all of our sanity.

A little bit.

You're looking at the defense getting just a bit better. You avoid those ones who are wins, you don't necessarily need them close. If the defense can just finish straight.

Eight home games, nine row games is the task for the Minnesota Vikings this year, and we want you all to experience at least one of those Vikings home games with us. So head on over to ticketmaster dot com or go to Vikings dot com to get your tickets for the twenty twenty three Minnesota Vikings. Schedule for air Davidson, Tatum, Everett, C J. Ham, and J Notson. My name is Gabe Henderson. Thank you again for tuning into the schedule release edition of the Minnesota Vikings Podcast.