For all the heads Mike Hughes has turned in practice with Minnes

EAGAN Dan Bailey Jersey , Minn. — ota since the Vikings picked him in the first round of the draft , they certainly harbored no plan to play him on 79 percent of the snaps on defense in his first real NFL game.More Vikings coveragePhotos of the Week: 7/21/19 – 7/27/19Rookie Bradbury is central figure to Vikings’ overhauled offensive lineVikings depth at cornerback being tested, Hughes still not clearedPlayers to watch at Minnesota Vikings 2019 training campTop Tweets: Vikings WR Diggs makes push for All-NFL Style TeamThat’s what happened in his debut, though, thanks to injuries to two fellow cornerbacks. Hughes had an interception return for a touchdown and a team-leading three pass breakups in Minnesota’s 24-16 victory over San Francisco .“You can kind of tell the way he carries himself that he’s not going to freeze up on the big stage,” free safety Harrison Smith said.Production like that provided affirmation of general manager Rick Spielman’s decision to ignore needs on the offensive line when Hughes became available with the 30th overall selection.“We expect him to go out there and do that,” coach Mike Zimmer said. “I mean, that’s why we drafted him. Everybody was complaining about taking that corner. I’m glad we had him.”Mackensie Alexander‘s ankle injury kept him out of the season opener, so Hughes took over as the slot cornerback in the nickel package, a position used more often than the weak side linebacker these days and essentially a starting role. Then cornerback Trae Waynes hurt his knee in the second quarter. With Terence Newman now an assistant coach, Hughes was promoted again to the outside opposite Xavier Rhodes.“If a player tells you he doesn’t get butterflies before a game, he’s lying. I think it’s natural,” Hughes said. “After the first play, I was good. I settled in and went through my calls and played within the scheme.”Though all five 49ers kickoffs went for touchbacks, depriving Hughes of any return opportunities, he played the gunner spot on the coverage team and caught a punt to down the ball at the 4-yard line in the first quarter. His time covering kicks was reduced after his defensive responsibility increased, but special teams coordinator Mike Priefer has lauded his ability since he arrived.“There’s a drive in there that you can see. I’ve been around a lot of young people, and I think he’s one of the guys that really understands what he needs to do to get better,” Priefer said. “He knows he hasn’t arrived yet, even though he was a first-round draft pick. I love his attitude, I love his effort Tom Compton Jersey , and he’s improving every day.”Hughes made some mistakes, of course, on a handful of long gains by the 49ers. He has a lot to learn yet about the game. His attention to detail, however, has stood out to Vikings coaches and players since organized practices began in the spring. So has his athleticism, confidence and instincts. That’s atypical for a rookie.“Honestly, he plays like he’s been in the league before,” Rhodes said, “and I think years down the road he’s going to be one of the best.”Hughes wasn’t the only inexperienced player thrust into unexpected action for the Vikings, who despite their status as Super Bowl contender have the NFC’s youngest squad with an average age of 25.47 years on the opening roster.Backup safety Jayron Kearse replaced Hughes at the nickel back spot. Though he’s been a valuable special teams players over his first two years, Kearse’s only career start as a rookie in 2016 at Chicago was best remembered for a 69-yard run by Bears running back Jordan Howard aided by an awkward overplay by Kearse as he approached in tackling position.“It was something you couldn’t look past,” Kearse said, “but now I had another opportunity and I just wanted to show I’m not the same player I was.”The Vikings play at Green Bay on Sunday, when the secondary will have to be as sharp as ever if Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers plays on his sprained knee . Hughes and Kearse, at least, will be one game better for it.“Showing that I can get in and cover a slot, showing that I can get in and cover a tight end,” Kearse said, “that was big for me to show the coaches that I can be more than just a special teams player.” EAGAN, Minn. — Thanks to Adam Thielen, Minnesota’s record book has already needed several revisions this year.Just past the midpoint of the schedule for the Vikings Alexander Mattison Minnesota Vikings Jerseys , Thielen leads the NFL in receptions (78) at a pace that would fall four short of the all-time single-season mark (143). He leads the league with 947 yards. Kirk Cousins, the new prize quarterback with the annual $28 million salary cap hit, without prompting recently called Thielen the best player on this standout-laden team.More Vikings coveragePhotos of the Week: 7/21/19 – 7/27/19Rookie Bradbury is central figure to Vikings’ overhauled offensive lineVikings depth at cornerback being tested, Hughes still not clearedPlayers to watch at Minnesota Vikings 2019 training campTop Tweets: Vikings WR Diggs makes push for All-NFL Style TeamThe accolades of this magnitude might not exist for Thielen, though, without Stefon Diggs.Thielen and Diggs are the only teammates currently in the top 10 in the league in catches, on pace for a combined 242. That would break the record for receptions by a pair of teammates, set in 1995 by Herman Moore and Brett Perriman for Detroit with 231.Opposing defenses are naturally less likely to apply double coverage on Thielen when Diggs is in a pattern at the same time, as evidenced by contrast in a victory over the Lions last week. With Diggs sidelined by a rib injury, Thielen didn’t have much space. He used one of his textbook double moves to beat cornerback Nevin Lawson for a short touchdown, his seventh of the year, but he finished with only 22 yards for his lowest total since the 2016 season.The mutual benefit of this dominant wide receiver duo, though, began on the practice field years ago.“We’re always competing, we’re always having fun, and we’re always giving each a hard time if we’re not performing at the level we know we can,” Thielen said.If Thielen makes a catch in practice, Diggs will often make it a point to create even more separation from the defender the next time he’s assigned to run the same route. That, in turn, frequently triggers playful yet spirited banter between the two.7<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:Upon Further Review: Vikings vs. LionsBrad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports | Brad Rempel“He’s my brother. He’s a guy I love messing with, love having fun with Minnesota Vikings Jerseys 2019 ,” Thielen said. “He’s even one of my best friends.”At a position that has long produced some of the NFL’s biggest personalities, in some cases breeding a disruptive brand of selfish and boorish behavior, Thielen and Diggs are the anti-divas. Part of that is a product of their route, no pun intended, to the league.Thielen was the NCAA Division II player who went undrafted and needed a rookie tryout camp to make the team five years ago. He didn’t become a full-time starter until 2016. Diggs was the fifth-round draft pick who was a healthy scratch for his first three NFL games in 2015.“All the cute stuff, like records being broken and stuff like that, you like it and it’s good to hear, but we always want to win,” Diggs said. “We worry about the win column more than anything. So to see good things happen? Yes, it’s exciting. Yes, you congratulate your guys, because guys work extremely hard, you know? So it’s always good stuff, and it’s good stuff moving in the right direction, but we want to win.”The Vikings (5-3-1) have been doing that more lately after a rough first quarter of the season, entering their bye week a step behind Chicago (5-3) in the NFC North, with a prime-time matchup with the Bears up next on Nov. 18.Cousins has been as advertised, ranking in the top 10 in the league in most of the passing categories, including third in completion percentage despite being prone to a costly turnover here and there. The offensive line has again shown vulnerabilities, though, and the Vikings have averaged the fourth-fewest rushing yards in the league.Thielen and Diggs have been all the more valuable to the Vikings this fall Alexander Mattison Jersey nfl draft , with an assist by new offensive coordinator John DeFilippo for aggressive and creative play calling that has helped spring them open so much.“He uses his playmakers, and he just lets them play. So I admire that, and I appreciate that,” Diggs said. “As a player you just want to do the best that you can, and it’s good that he plays to your strengths.”The defense, which led the NFL in fewest yards and points allowed last year, was surprisingly one of the biggest problems in September. After that humbling loss in Los Angeles to the Rams dropped the Vikings to 1-2-1, though, coach Mike Zimmer has helped steer the group back into dominant form.With daunting road trips to Chicago, New England and Seattle looming over three of the next four games, the pressure will be on the offense to do its part.“When you look at it glass half-full, I’m thrilled about our locker room, the chemistry we have on this team, the quality of teammates, the quality of leadership we have in this organization. I think all that has probably even exceeded expectations from me,” Cousins said. “Certainly would have loved to be better than 5-3-1, but I’m grateful we’re not 3-5-1. You can look at it both ways. The point is, we keep saying, everything is in front of us.”