The Vikings expect right tackle Brian O'Neill, safety Lewis Cine and cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. — all recovering from surgeries — to be ready for training camp this summer.
On Thursday at TCO Performance Center, head coach Kevin O'Connell and executive director of player health and performance Tyler Williams provided updates on the three players who have rehabbed at team facilities this offseason. Cine, the 2022 first-round pick from Georgia who suffered compound fractures to his tibia and fibula on Oct. 2 in London, could be ready for spring practices with new defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
"We're looking at ... some time in the third week or so of May," O'Connell said of Cine's return. "We'll take a pretty similar [OTA schedule] to what we did last year. We're talking about some things with a new defensive scheme [that] we'll try to do to help accelerate that. The hope is we'll have Lew for the start of that process."
Booth, a 2022 second-round pick out of Clemson, underwent a lateral meniscus repair in his left knee in November; he has a six-to-eight-month recovery period, according to O'Connell. Booth is expected to be limited this spring and ready for training camp.
The Vikings' rebuilding defense needs all hands on deck after Minnesota ranked 27th in snaps per game by rookies last season on offense and defense.
"We love having those two guys working together," O'Connell said. "A big part of our nucleus being first- and second-round draft picks from a year ago. ... We're looking for those guys to make huge impacts here moving forward."
O'Neill, who suffered a partially torn Achilles and calf injury on Jan. 1 in Green Bay, no longer needs a walking boot and also expects to be ready for training camp, O'Connell said. He added that coaches will "be smart" with O'Neill, a team captain who is entering his sixth NFL season.
Williams, who leads the Vikings' player performance and training staff, said O'Neill suffered an avulsion fracture to his right ankle affecting about 40% of the Achilles tendon.
