Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer

Good afternoon, it's good to get back out here and get back to work. Started to prepare a little bit for New Orleans. It'll be good to get back into our stadium with our fans where it's nice and loud. They got an excellent offensive football team, good defensive team, so I think we'll be excited to play Monday night.

Q: With some of the moves you made on the offensive line it's almost a completely new group. How do you feel about the chemistry and them being ready to go?

A: I feel good. I've sat in that room a lot and these guys have good conversation. They work good together and we've been mixing around the rotations quite a bit.

Q: What are some of the challenges when you have that many new guys lined up next to each other?

A: Well it's basically being on the same page. You get different looks, different calls, I don't think the calls will be anything different but it's just making sure everybody is on the same page. No different than any other position really.

Q: What were the decision factors in releasing Alex Boone?

A: Well, I was trying to find out the best football team.

Q: You saw Nick Easton at left guard and Pat Elfelin at center in Seattle, what did you like about that combination?

A: I thought they did a really good job. They came off the ball low, they got to the second level, they did a good job in pass protection. 

Q: What do you see out of New Orleans now that they have Adrian [Peterson] involved?

A: They haven't changed too much. They've been running the same offense for a long time. They get in the I (formation), they get in base personnel, run the ball then play-action, and then they'll spread you out. They're not going to change too much. They're pretty darn good.

Q: What do you like about Tramaine Brock and how long do you think it will take him to pick up the defensive schemes?

A: I don't know that yet. He's nursing a little groin, but I thought that his cover skills were good in the things that he had done in the last year and his ability to do the things that we do defensively.

Q: Does he have to ability to go nickel and outside?

A: Yes. Well I don't know which one to say. He's played nickel a lot, played nickel in Seattle the whole time he was there and he played corner when he was in San Francisco.

Q: Is he still being investigated by the league? What about the possibility that could come out of that?

A: I don't think so. I think that we've done our due diligence. 

Q: How do you think Adrian is going to come in here with a chip on his shoulder?

A: I hope we have a chip on our shoulder. This game isn't about Adrian Peterson. It's about the Vikings and the Saints. They've got a lot of great offensive weapons and he's a great player, but this game isn't about Adrian Peterson.

Q: As you look back what did you like about coaching Adrian?

A: I'm just going to talk about my players.

Q: How do you think the defense played overall during preseason?

A: I thought we played the run well. Obviously, we gave up some big plays which is uncharacteristic of this defense. I thought they worked out and got to ball good and I thought our pass rush was good.  

Q: What do you like about the success stories of undrafted free agents making the team?

A: Well, unfortunately, you just reminded me it cost me three thousand dollars too. That's the good part, not for me, but the good part. I think our coaches and scouts worked really hard in the offseason as far as trying to find guys that may not end up getting drafted and having a good pool to pick from. Then being able to go out and recruit them. Any time you can get a free agent, an undrafted free agent, a young guy, to come in and make your club, it adds basically extra draft picks, extra everything. I think that's always a good thing.

Q: What are your thoughts on Cameron Jordan?A: He's a great player, they've added eight new guys defensively. So, it'll be a completely different defense for them. The two guys on the outside are very good players. They've added some youth inside. It's going to be a good test. * *

Q: What did you think of Kyle Sloter before signing him?

A: We needed a third quarterback. But, I thought he had a good preseason. He's an athletic guy, strong arm, big. I thought he had a good preseason.* *

Q: Did you know you wanted three quarterbacks?A: You have to have a practice squad guy, at least. 

Q: What stood out to you when watching Blake Bell on film?A: Well, Tony [Sparano] coached him in San Francisco and obviously, we played against him in San Francisco. He's a good combination guy, he blocks pretty good, he runs good routes. Catches the ball well. 

Q: Would you classify him as a pass-catching or blocking tight end?A: He's more of an all-around guy. But, I think he'll help us in all phases. He played some special teams.

Q: What's the biggest shift for you going into a Monday night game?A: We're not competing against each other now, we're getting ready to compete against another team. When [Stefon] Diggs is going against Xavier [Rhodes], that's all over with. So, now it's about understanding the other player that we're getting ready to play. Studying his skill set, studying the things he has to do. The same thing with the team, it's more about schemes than it ever was in the preseason.

Q: There's nothing personally different that you do?A: Oh yeah, I do. 

Q: Do you see a big opportunity here for Laquon Treadwell with Michael Floyd out?A: He has an opportunity either way, I don't know what that really has anything to do with it. This is an opportunity for not only Treadwell, it's an opportunity for Mackensie Alexander, Trae Waynes, Kyle Rudolph, everybody. This is everybody's opportunity. When we win games around here we're going to win them as a team and lose them as a team. We're going to continue to try to get everybody better and try to work together.

Q: How have you noticed Dalvin Cook's getting ready to start Week 1?A: I don't think there's been much difference at all. I think he came I with the mindset that Dalvin is a pretty confident player and his skill set has shown the same thing. I don't think there's been any real difference in his attitude or anything else.