On most mornings, we walk you through what's going on with the Vikings.

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED

— After undergoing shoulder surgery and getting shot in the calf, nose tackle Linval Joseph never felt comfortable last season. He has put 2014 behind him, though, and the Vikings expect big things from him in 2015.

— Cordarrelle Patterson has impressed Mike Zimmer, who says, "I don't know that he's turned the corner yet. But he's definitely kind of rounding it." Now how can he get on the same page with Teddy Bridgewater?

— Speaking of Teddy, Zimmer thinks he looks a little sturdier this summer.

— Adrian Peterson is ready for a larger role as a receiver, pointing out that he did "pretty decent" the last time the Vikings had a consistent QB.

— Wind gusts of up to 26 miles per hour disrupted yesterday's practice.

AROUND THE NFC NORTH

— Packers outside linebacker Julius Peppers made plenty of big plays last season. (Just ask Christian Ponder.) The Packers need him to do it again.

— Jay Cutler has been giving fans gray hair for years. Now the Bears QB is getting some of his own, so he knows he's not getting any younger.

— Remember Gosder Cherilus? He could be returning to the Lions.

TODAY'S VIKINGS SCHEDULE

Vikings players have the day off. They'll be back on the field tomorrow.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

Last season, the Vikings ranked the lowest they have been in run defense since the 2001 season. They ranked 25th, a far cry from what they were in the heyday of the Williams Wall. Part of their struggles can be chalked up to the Vikings worrying too much about the pass in certain games. But they certainly have the talent to be better, starting with the 1-2 punch of Joseph and defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd on the inside. Over the final seven weeks of 2014, both players ranked among the top 10 defensive tackles in Pro Football Focus' run-defense grades. Can they pick up where they left off?