EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Working with the players two weeks ago, the excitement from Minnesota Vikings strength and conditioning coach Tom Kanavy was easily seen.
Kanavy was walking around the Winter Park fieldhouse where several defensive players were going through the start of the team's offseason program. Kanavy was in his element, dealing with more players than he can remember for offseason work. Kanavy and coach Leslie Frazier have said this season marks the best participation in an offseason program that they can remember.
Frazier has spent 13 seasons in the NFL, the last five with Minnesota. Kanavy has 17 years of NFL experience and came to the Vikings in 2006. A head coach praising the participation of his team in offseason workouts is nothing new. But Kanavy offered another perspective of how the Vikings are approaching this offseason.
"They didn't want to come and do their own thing," Kanavy said. "They wanted to work together. They wanted to get the team jelling as soon as possible. They don't exactly RSVP for the offseason program. It is voluntary. Not like minicamp, where there are stipulations and penalties if you don't attend. But we're way over 90 percent (participation)."
Some notable players were missing from the opening weeks. Receiver Percy Harvin underwent shoulder surgery but is expected to be in town and ready for activities when Minnesota starts them May 29. Defensive end Jared Allen is working out with his personal trainers in Arizona as he does each year. Kicker Ryan Longwell wasn't in town but has since been released.
When the Vikings broke for the offseason, there was talk about needing to get away and clear their minds after a frustrating 3-13 season. But just more than four months later, the Vikings were back and ready to start with a clean slate.
"Emotionally, to see the guys come in on Monday and the numbers that they did, I'm going like, 'Wow. They understand. They get it,' " Frazier said at last month's NFL draft. "We're off to a very good start."
There is a new look to the team. Longtime veterans like Longwell, Steve Hutchinson, Anthony Herrera, Visanthe Shiancoe, E.J. Henderson and Cedric Griffin are gone, purged in an attempt to turn over an aging roster. Quarterback Christian Ponder has shown up for the start of his second season — and first offseason after last year's lockout — talking about the need to step up as a leader. Linebacker Chad Greenway also is grabbing more of a leadership role after he was awarded contract extension in 2011.
With a roster nearing 90 players, including 10 unsigned draft picks, there's a lot of activity around Winter Park these days.
"It's not as good when I want my three trainers and I can get my own thing," Greenway joked. "No, it's been really good, and I think it's obviously a testament to the young guys. We have gone really young, I'd say, in the last couple years just with the change. Obviously, it's a testament to those guys wanting to be in here, be hungry and do the right thing."
And for Kanavy, the change has been more than about participation. It's also been about teamwork. The new collective bargaining agreement provides a longer break than usual for the players. Each phase of the offseason program also comes with certain restrictions. Phase 1 is limited strictly to strength and conditioning work. Players aren't allowed to be on the field with position coaches.
This was Kanavy's time.
The program called for a three-workout session; one each for the defense and offense and then a third later extra session if players missed the earlier workouts. According to Kanavy, there wasn't much need for make-up time.
"Every guy on defense is coming together and training with the defense without fail," Kanavy said. "Not one guy is coming later on his own or with the offense. Not one offensive guy that's showing up early with the defense or coming later. They're coming together as a team and this is all because they want to do what they're allowed to do within the rules. Which is, when they are done training with me, stay together on the field, do some footwork, some skill work, throw the ball a little bit, together as a group, no coaches for the first two weeks. They're doing it all on their own.
"I applaud them. It's only the beginning. There's a long way to go and a lot of work to do. But personally, in almost 20 years of doing this, I haven't seen a better start."
A better start is just what the Vikings need these days.
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