Trading Stefon Diggs to the Bills in March fixed some short-term headaches, while creating a big-play void in the Vikings offense. Adam Thielen can win anywhere on the field, but he rose to prominence alongside Diggs, so his seventh season will be a new experience as a standalone No. 1. The Vikings' front office was shocked to see Jefferson fall to No. 22 in the draft, allowing one of their top draft scenarios to play out, but how will a shortened camp and no preseason impact rookie performances? Jefferson started camp on the reserve/COVID-19 list last week. Tight end Irv Smith Jr.'s receiving share is expected to grow in year two. Tight end Kyle Rudolph, the team's longest-tenured player entering his 10th season, will maintain a significant role in Gary Kubiak's offense. At receiver, Sharpe, the former Titans draft pick, provides reliable depth but not the game-breaking skill expected from Jefferson. K.J. Osborn, the fifth-round receiver from Miami, will compete at punt returner. Quartney Davis, undrafted from Texas A&M, starts camp on the active/non-football injury list. Bisi Johnson leads returning contenders, including Chad Beebe, Dillon Mitchell and Alexander Hollins.
The No. 2 receiver job is expected to be Jefferson's, even as the rookie gets a truncated training camp and no preseason. His suddenness on underneath routes, which helped him lead the national-champion Tigers in catches as a slot receiver, and long speed (4.45-second 40-yard dash) give him the tools to get onto the field right away. Jefferson's ability to win as an outside receiver has been questioned, but Kubiak's two-receiver offense will give him chances to prove doubters wrong. Sharpe and the second-year Bisi Johnson are in the mix for No. 3.
Smith. The second-year tight end showed growth last season as Vikings coaches steadily gave him more playing time as a rookie. He's expected to take another step forward in year two, when a lot of passes are freed up after the Diggs trade. Smith has a chance to really thrive in a two-tight end system that will continue to deploy him as the more evasive "move" tight end.
![Three weeks ago, Octavio Rodriguez switched from making transmission parts to casting parts for hospital bed brake assemblies at Twin City Die Castings. ] GLEN STUBBE • glen.stubbe@startribune.com Thursday, April 9, 2020 How employee-owned Twin City Die Casting, which just laid off 40 production workers of its 250 employees in what was supposed to be a good year, is trying to accelerate its pivot to growing medical parts business for ventilators, hospital beds, etc as it copes with instan](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/WNZYKGTZ5IYMUCO3KI5TR3N7WI.jpg?&w=80&ar=1:1&fit=crop)
djoles@startribune.com As boaters flock to Minnesota lakes and rivers this holiday weekend for the unofficial kick-off to the boating season, they'll face more inspections in and out of the water as local cities and counties ramp up their work to stop the spread of invasive species. Across the metro, more boat accesses will be staffed by watercraft inspectors thanks to $10 million funneled to county government programs this year, up from $4.5 million the state allocated last year. ORG XMIT: MIN1505222156290209 ORG XMIT: MIN1506021218440580](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/34QSKO44B2XKVNUZCO5SLJQSLY.jpg?&w=80&ar=1:1&fit=crop)
