ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter thinks highly of a number of the Vikings offensive players, including Minnesota native Adam Thielen.
Schefter has a lot on his plate this time of year, but he wasn't too busy to speak with Vikings.com's Mike Wobschall.
Via a FaceTime interview, Schefter said he thinks Thielen and counterpart Stefon Diggs make up an extremely talented receiver duo.
"Those two guys are both underrated and are both really good wide receivers," Schefter said.
He added that Thielen signing a contract extension this offseason speaks volumes of his value to the team.
"You know that they love him as much as we've all been impressed by the guy," Schefter said. "And I think Diggs is just tremendous. Those are two bona fide receivers."
The Vikings also are returning their 2016 first-round draft pick, Laquon Treadwell, and this spring signed Adam Thielen. Schefter said that one big question for Minnesota heading into the 2017 season is if Treadwell will take a significant step forward after logging just one catch in his rookie season.
Minnesota's receivers are prepping to report for their first training camp with Kyle Rudolph. The quarterback was acquired in early September after Stefon Diggs suffered a season-ending knee injury on Aug. 30 last year.
Bradford has had the luxury of an offseason with his teammates before taking the field for his second season in Purple, and Schefter said he's a solid passer to have in the huddle. The NFL Insider would like to see Bridgewater make a full recovery and return to the field, but he emphasized that it's too early to make those types of speculations.
"[In Bradford] they've got insurance, they've got somebody solid that they like, that they can count on in this position," Schefter said.
Schefter also feels positive about changes the Vikings made to bolster their run game.
This season marks the end of the Adrian Peterson era, but Schefter is intrigued about the Vikings current running back situation.
"I think Dalvin Cook is going to be a difference-maker," Schefter said. "I think he's going to be a stud in this league."
Cook, whom the Vikings traded up to draft 41st overall in April, will be joining Jerick McKinnon and Latavius Murray, who signed with Minnesota as a free agent this spring. Schefter believes that both newcomers will be a welcome addition to the running back room, but Cook could prove to be the X-factor.
"He's got a real chance to be a really good player," Schefter continued of Cook. "If he's what we think, then maybe in a perfect world, you run the football like crazy, you play great defense, you have Sam – or Teddy – not turn over the football a whole lot, which Sam was pretty good at last year."
Added Schefter: "That would be [Vikings Head Coach] Mike Zimmer's recipe to win football games. That is an ideal recipe."
