Cousins takes offensive line injuries as “a great challenge”

Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins met the media after practice Wednesday with most of the focus on Saturday’s preseason debut. Cousins addressed his feelings about it, the camp performance of Laquon Treadwell and the struggles of an injured line.

On anticipation for first game in Vikings uniform

“Obviously, we’re excited. Training camp can drag on, too. We’re on our 10th practice. By now, you’re ready to change scenery and go play against a different defense. I think schematically, we get too familiar with this defense where we’re getting the same looks. We understand it, they know all of our stuff and it’s time to change the script up and get ready for something different.

“Dealing with noise, a road environment, substitutions from the sideline, game situations that are constantly changing, not working off a script anymore, all of that is very different from a practice setting, and we need that work.”

On Treadwell

“You just had seen the numbers or the lack of production in the couple of seasons. But I get out here and I see a guy who comes to work every day, who knows the plays, knows the system, has a good sense for the game, has made aggressive, tough catches, and has run a variety of routes and really shown up on all of them. Schematically, he’s getting the football a lot…I just go where my reads take me and he keeps getting the football. I think he’s had a great camp. The goal is not just to have a great camp. The goal is to have an outstanding season. So we got to make sure he keeps doing it all the way through this fall.”

On offensive line injuries

“It is a challenge. I played with a depleted offensive line a little bit last year and it’s certainly not preferred. Much of the offensive line play is like quarterback where you have players you know down the road are gonna be good players but they may not be there yet. It takes time, it takes reps, it takes these preseason games. We gotta throw them in the fire and get them work so that they can take those next steps.

I see it as a great challenge for me as a quarterback…I look around the league at some of the all-time greats who are playing right now and they’ve had a revolving door at offensive line and it really never caused a drop in their play. So if I ever want to be mentioned among those guys, I’ve gotta be able to play, regardless of who’s in front of me. I’ll take pride in that, hopefully still able to produce at a high level regardless of who’s out there.”

–Sam Smith is the Managing Editor for Full Press Coverage Vikings and Deputy Editor for Full Press Coverage NFL. Like and Follow @samc_smith Follow @fpc_vikings