Apparently, The Vikings Boast a Blocker with Some “Screws Loose”

Kevin O’Connell is impressed. So is everyone else around the Vikings, at least if we’re going off the online consensus.

Rookie fullback Max Bredeson is coming off a solid Week 1 effort. Coach O’Connell has never been known as somebody to give voice to negativity, but seeing him send over praise is notable nonetheless. His take is that Mr. Bredeson has a couple of “screws loose,” a sign of respect for somebody who plays fullback. Like a goaltender in hockey, a fullback needs to be a quirky person who borders on crazy. Bredeson appears to fit.

The Vikings Boast a FB with Some “Screws Loose”

Going into Week 1, it was clear that Bredeson was going to get onto the field. What was encouraging, though, was how involved he was. The 5th-Round selection started the game and was featured throughout.

The Vikings are a team that’s mostly known for skill. Putting Bredeson out there means being capable of leaning on skill and snarl. Alongside Jauan Jennings and Josh Oliver, Bredeson forms a triangle of toughness that allows the Vikings to pass or run on any particular play. That’s a good counterbalance to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, players who earn their pay due to breaking ankles rather than blocking defenders into oblivion.

As mentioned, Max Bredeson got the start on Sunday, climbing up to 24 snaps by the end of the day. So, too, did he get worked into the mix on specials, earning 10 snaps for Matt Daniels.

The folks at PFF assigned a reasonably tepid grade coming in at 59.7. Not dominant but far from a disaster. Overall, the ground game left a little to be desired but it’s a work in progress. The Vikings got rewarded for sticking with the approach in the win column, some nice positive reinforcement for a skipper who has been impatient in the past when it comes to calling runs.

The Vikings scored a pair of ground touchdowns against the Packers. Bredeson could be found blocking for both.

Send it back to O’Connell for the great quote on Bredeson: “He was really good. You have to remind yourself sometimes that he’s a rookie. I think he’s one of those guys that weirdly has a smile on his face at all times […] It’s one of those rare players that has a couple screws loose but is wildly intelligent.” In the past, OC Wes Phillips has praised Bredeson for being somebody who desires a robust understanding of the offense, so O’Connell is corroborating the overall perspective here.

The Vikings appear very likely to start Carson Wentz in Week 2. Doing so means rallying around a solid option rather than somebody who is likely to become sizzling. Ground support would be very helpful. So would some nice pass blocking, especially at critical moments.

On the other side is Caleb Williams. Alongside head coach Ben Johnson, Mr. Williams will put a fright into the Vikings. The absolute best way to defend him is to keep him on the sidelines. The Vikings can do so be ensuring the ground game is terrific, thereby allowing for extended drives that kill the clock. Might the fullback with some screws loose be helpful?

Max Bredeson, 23, is listed as being 6’2″ and 252 pounds.

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