Justin Jefferson sees growth in fellow Vikings receivers Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor

Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson was feeling so loose during Thursday’s finale to a three-day mandatory minicamp that he threw his head coach, Kevin O’Connell, a “next question” like he was a reporter.

Following his scheduled news conference, O’Connell stepped aside from the lectern to let Jefferson speak. From the small group of reporters, O’Connell asked Jefferson what he learned this spring; Jefferson, who has often skipped the mostly voluntary sessions, said he learned a lot since he just had the best offseason attendance of his NFL career.

“I’m going to take that as a guarantee that your presence will continue,” O’Connell said before Jefferson spoke up.

“Yeah, we’ll talk about that later on,” Jefferson quipped. “Next question!”

Jefferson’s offseason attendance might not be so important in the future if he quickly picks up a rapport with new quarterback J.J. McCarthy like he did with Sam Darnold and Kirk Cousins.

Jefferson said the Vikings receiving corps is trying to elevate their game around McCarthy for a team with high aspirations. He has recruited Jordan Addison for summer workouts during their upcoming time off before training camp. He said he’s also seen the stoic 23-year-old Addison come out of his shell a little more.

“The team needs us to be on our ‘A’ game,” Jefferson said. “Why not have him come work out with me so we both can see and we both can compete with each other.”

“We probably had the most reps of what that group is going to look like,” O’Connell said. “Jets [is] maybe in the best shape right now that I’ve seen him, not only this time of year.”

Jefferson said he’s seen Nailor, entering his fourth year, get “bulked up” and start talking more after a career-high 414 yards last season.

“He’s also a shy guy that doesn’t really talk as much,” Jefferson said. “I’m just glad everybody is getting a lot more comfortable being around here and really comfortable with themselves.”

They’ve felt good in offseasons and regular seasons before, but Jefferson is still seeking his first NFL playoff win entering his sixth season.

“That’s a tough thing to think about,” Jefferson said. “We haven’t really had success in the past with playoff runs since K.O.’s been here or since I’ve been here this entire time. It’s definitely something that’s thought of, but we got to take it a week at a time.”

Linebacker Blake Cashman said it wasn’t until about March when he finally got past the turf toe injury suffered during the Vikings’ Oct. 6 win against the Jets in London. Cashman, the Gophers and Eden Prairie product, missed only three games in a career-best season that he said required him to gut through aggravating the injury “every week.” He said he did not need surgery.

“Sometimes it’s going to linger,” said Cashman, who started 10 games after the injury. “I got it right, but I’d probably say after about almost two months into the offseason it hasn’t bothered me since. I feel more than 100 percent now.”

Cashman set career-high marks in tackles, sacks and pass deflections last year while relaying defensive play calls from coordinator Brian Flores. Cashman, a seventh-year vet, said he also feels good about having the same coordinator in back-to-back years for the first time since 2019 and 2020, his first two NFL seasons with the Jets.

“A lot more comfortable, a lot more confident,” Cashman said. “I’m really excited because most of my career, even in college, I’ve had to develop a new relationship with a new defensive coordinator but also learn a new scheme.”

During his opening remarks on Thursday, O’Connell took the opportunity to honor Vikings legendary pass rusher Jim Marshall, who died this month at the age of 87.