Sam Darnold’s Progression Through Kevin O’Connell’s Offense Helped by Vikings-Browns Practices

The veteran signal-caller, still only several months into his stint on the Vikings (his fourth NFL team in seven seasons), said communication with Bradbury has been great. That’s what matters because, as O’Connell mentioned, Bradbury has been integral to the identification of fronts and protection calls.

It’s a slightly different setup, for now, than when Kirk Cousins was under center – Bradbury said after the first joint workout that he has more on his plate – because of Darnold’s newness in O’Connell’s offense.

Darnold said the continuity and experience together of the players shielding him has benefited his progression. Even amidst the action, Bradbury’s involvement is more significant. He’s assisting Darnold.

“Kirk might have been, ‘Hey, I’m feeling [the defense]. I’m gonna switch up the cadence.’ Whereas now we’re working together on it, like, ‘Hey, let’s switch up the cadence here. Hey, safety’s down. Let’s can this.’ So it’s just we’re working together a little bit more, versus just listening to the guy, which is great,” Bradbury detailed after Wednesday’s practice. “It’s good for all of us, because we’re kind of on our toes more. We’re not just sitting there waiting and listening. We’re all kind of engaged a little bit differently.”