The depth at cornerback continues to get tested for the Vikings with training camp in full swing.

After going down with a leg injury on Thursday afternoon, veteran cornerback Shaq Griffin still has not returned to practice. He watched from the sidelines on Saturday afternoon as fans descended upon TCO Performance Center for the first time in training camp.

Asked about Griffin, head coach Kevin O’Connell emphasized that the Vikings will be cautious with him. Though it doesn’t appear to be anything too serious, Griffin will likely be asked to do a lot this seaosn, so the Vikings don’t want to rush him back by any means.

“We’re kind of monitoring him,” O’Connell said. “Hopefully we can get him back sooner than later.”

Ironically, Griffin got hurt while intercepting a pass during 11 on 11 drills. He broke on a ball over the middle with reckless abandon and hauled it in before coming up lame. The recovery process for Griffin will be determined by vice president of player health and development Tyler Williams.

The absence opens the door most notably for young cornerback Akayleb Evans as well as Andrew Booth Jr. Both players have taken some reps with the starers with veteran cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. playing on the opposite side of the field and safety Josh Metellus spending a lot of time in the slot.

What is O’Connell looking for out of players like Evans and Booth?

“Just turn it loose,” O’Connell said. “I talk to our guys a lot offensively about shooting their shot. It’s the same thing on defense. Just go try to make a play.”

There will be even more chances for the rest of the cornerbacks to stand out next week when the pads go on.

There’s also a pretty good chance the Vikings decide to add another player to mix to create more competition.

There are certainly some interesting names available on the open market.

“I do think we’re probably going to need to add at that position just purely to make sure we have enough of a headcount in that room to handle the rep load,” O’Connell said. “There could be some impact players out there that might be interested in joining our team, and that’s what (general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah) and his staff are working through right now.”

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At the Ordway Concert Hall on Friday evening, composer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Nyttu Chongo brought together traditional sounds from Mozambique with Western classical music instruments in a concert titled “Phulani” (Open), that felt like a joyful experiment. With a rotating cast of classical musicians, Chongo’s music demonstrated deep knowledge of African music even as it forged new connections and boundaries.

Chongo made his way to Minnesota in 2016 and put out his most recent album, “Libandzuwa: The Power of the Sun,” back in 2021, after receiving a Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant. At the Ordway, Chongo mostly played songs from that album, and one or two new ones that he’s hoping to put out for his next release. From personal meditations on family and home to songs that touched on social and political issues, Chongo shared music that dreamt of better futures. His work grappled with pollution, global education and a raw response to the murder of George Floyd, titled “The Willow (9 Minutes, 29 Seconds).”

Chongo played several instruments himself, including a majestic-looking lute instrument called a kora. Chongo had the instrument set on a stand and almost straddled it as he skillfully plucked and strummed its 21 strings. He also played numerous different types of an instrument called an mbira, or a thumb piano. The most unusual of these seemed to be built inside the body of a guitar, sans the neck. Chonga would reach into it and furiously pluck the instrument at breakneck speed.

Often while playing, Chonga sang with a bright, energetic voice. He’d tell stories as well and joke with the audience. At times he’d whistle and make a trumpet-like sound with his lips. In more internal moments, he’d hum with an intense shamanistic energy.

When not playing solo, Chongo invited a handful of instrumentalists on stage with him. Among them was cellist Steven Schumann, who arranged the music for the chamber set-up. Schumann’s playing often carried a light spirit, dancing along with Chongo in tripping experimentation.

Violinist Sophia Butler, who also joined Chongo for his Cedar Commissions performance in 2022, played with a tender melancholy in a duet with the composer.

The fusing of the different musical traditions sparked threads of discord and a touch of pandemonium. A chaotic rhythmic relationship between the strings and Chongo’s instruments made for a restlessness in a number of the songs, particularly in “The Willow” piece.

Chongo’s wife, Erin Olson, joined the group for “Gwalanini,” a piece whose sparse, poignant lyrics she co-wrote. The work takes its name from Chongo’s native language, Changana, and it means “sow the seeds,” or “plant.” The lyrics draw on words by Mozambican novelist Mia Couto, who writes that there are only “two nations: that of the living and that of the dead.” The song is about humans’ and plants’ shared connection as living beings. Olson sang the piece beautifully.

Chongo calls his genre of music “jazz bantu,” and there seems to be rich possibilities in what he’s trying to achieve. His small ensemble of musicians were playing at new conversations between vastly different musical styles, and time will tell where this direction will go. Perhaps more instruments — like additional percussion and maybe even wind and brass — will enrich this type of music further.

A Metropolitan Mosquito Control District helicopter spraying for mosquitoes in Anoka County was allegedly struck by a golf ball at The Refuge Golf Club in Oak Grove on Friday, officials said.

The Anoka County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident.

The golf ball allegedly struck and slightly damaged a helicopter under contract by MMCD, MMCD Board Chairman Fran Miron said. The pilot was able to safely return and land the helicopter, Miron said, and there have been no reports of injury.

The MMCD uses low-flying helicopters to apply a product containing a natural soil bacterium, or a mosquito-growth regulator, to wetlands and large areas of standing water, according to the MMCD. The treatment kills larval mosquitoes, preventing them from becoming adult mosquitoes.

“Safety is a top priority for us, and we are just really pleased that the helicopter was able to land safely,” said Miron, who also serves on the Washington County Board. “That treatment application is a very dangerous business because they fly so low, and they’re flying amongst trees.”

In 2016, a Bell 47 helicopter under contract by the MMCD exploded after it crashed into a detached garage in south Maplewood. The pilot, Michael Kramer of St. Charles, Minn., died at the scene.

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Even before Jordan Addison was arrested in Los Angeles the other day for suspicion of driving under the influence, the Minnesota Vikings were thin at wide receiver. Now, it’s a decent bet the Vikings would love to find a way to bring hometown favorite Adam Thielen back from Carolina.

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) warms up before an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

It’s not impossible, but it would be difficult. That’s because Thielen’s current team, the Panthers, last year made quarterback Bryce Young from Alabama the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. Young, however, had a disappointing rookie season, and Carolina desperately needs him to improve. For that to happen, the Panthers need Thielen in a supporting role.

Thielen is in the second season of a $25 million, three-year contract, but only $5.5 million is guaranteed for 2024.

Thelen, who turns 34 next month, is still a worthy possession receiver but doesn’t possess the speed he once had. If the Vikings were able to get him back, it would be as a third receiver in the slot, because he no longer is fast enough to play outside.

— Addison’s arrest in Los Angeles was in a Rolls-Royce. Prices for a new Rolls-Royce generally start at about $350,000. A year ago, when Addison was cited in St. Paul for driving 140 mph in the middle of the night, it was in a Lamborghini Urus. Those autos generally price at about $240,000.

Addison, 22, the Vikings’ first-round pick in the 2023 draft, is in the second year of a guaranteed $13.7 million, four-year contract.

— It’s likely that Addison’s latest transgression will result in a three-game suspension without pay. That would cost him, based on the way his contract is structured, about $177,000, half the price of a Rolls-Royce.

Addison has proven unreliable, and it wouldn’t be surprising if this is his last season in Minnesota.

— The way it looks now, barring injuries, it’s a 7-10 record in 2024 for the Vikings, but with hope to improve in 2025.

All you need to know: At the most important position in football, the Green Bay Packers have a QB (Jordan Love) making $55 million a year. The Vikings have a QB (Sam Darnold) making $10 million.

— Christian Darrisaw’s guaranteed $67 million, four-year signing with the Vikings last week was unusual in that the team could have waited a year to make the deal, the way it waited before signing Justin Jefferson to a guaranteed $110 million, four-year contract last spring.

It’s clear, though, that Darrisaw, 25, compromised for less money and security. Darrisaw hasn’t gotten through a full season without missing some games due to injuries. The signing was a good deal for the left tackle and a good deal for the Vikings. The NFL’s salary cap continues to rapidly increase as the league’s revenue continues to explode.

— No doubt the coming season will be safety Harrison Smith’s last of 13 prolific seasons in Minnesota. There also is reason to believe this season will be the last for Thielen after 11 distinguished years.

— The San Francisco Giants’ trade with Seattle last week for pitcher Mike Baumann means Mahtomedi High School now has two graduates pitching for the same major league team. The other is Sean Hjelle.

— The Pohlad family that owns the Twins spared no expense in hosting a high-class private party for Joe Mauer, family and friends in Cooperstown, N.Y., the day before his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. At the party, the Twins included partial ex-Twins David Ortiz and Jim Thome in a Hall of Fame team picture even though the pair were inducted as Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians players, respectively.

— One crowd estimate at Mauer’s induction was that 40 percent of the 25,000 fans were there for Mauer, 35 percent for Todd Helton, 20 percent for Adrian Beltre and 5 percent for Jim Leyland.

Meanwhile, hotels in Utica, N.Y., a 45-minute drive from Cooperstown, already are booked a year out for the anticipated induction of former Mariner Ichiro Suzuki.

— Texas Christian-bound Sam Udovich, 17, of Cretin-Derham Hall shot 4-under-par 66 at notable Brook Hollow Country Club in Dallas, last week to become the third-youngest golfer to qualify for the US. Amateur tournament Aug. 12-18 at Hazeltine National. The youngest is 14-year-old Jaedoon Song from Los Angeles. The 5-foot-3 Song began private lessons at age 2½ .

— Among interesting sights on the practice putting green at the TPC in Blaine at the 3M Open was Kevin Dougherty putting with his cell phone balanced horizontally on the top of his head. If his head moves, the phone falls. “Usually, though, I can catch it,” he said.

— Chris Olean, the former Milwaukee Brewers minor league pitcher who last spring coached St. Thomas to the Summit League baseball championship, saw the Twins’ recent eighth-round draft pick, Jakob Hall, up close the past two seasons.

Hall is a right-handed pitcher for Oral Roberts. He’ll receive a bonus in the $200,000 range if he signs with the Twins, which is expected.

“He’s really good, more of a pitcher than velocity guy,” Olean said. “He locates three to four pitches really well. He got deep in games almost every time against us. If he picks up just a little bit of velocity, I can see him being useful in a professional organization. He definitely was one of the better guys we saw.”

— That was Bethel grad Jeff Nelson, 59, a 26-year major league umpire and crew chief who worked four World Series, working last Wednesday’s Twins-Philadelphia Phillies game as an major league umpire observer. He’ll also work St. Paul Saints games, and a seminar for prospective umpires Aug. 24 at CHS Field.

— Former DeLaSalle-Gopher-Buckeye Jamison Battle the other day signed a free agent contract with Toronto, then averaged 7.4 points in 14 minutes and five games for the Raptors in the Las Vegas summer league.

— Ex-Gopher Cam Christie, 18, the 6-foot-6 shooting guard, averaged 11.4 points and shot 40.5 percent from three-point range for the Los Angeles Clippers’ summer league team in Las Vegas.  Both Christie and brother Max, 21, of the Los Angeles Lakers will wear jersey No. 12 this season.

— In two games for the Timberwolves’ summer team, former Gopher-Iowa State guard Gabe Kalscheur averaged five points.

— Tyus Jones, the former Apple Valley guard, remains an unsigned free agent with the Washington Wizards, and rumors are the Clippers are interested.

Jones, 28, who played four seasons with the Timberwolves, has made $59.5 million during his nine seasons in the NBA. His next deal could have him approaching nearly $90 million in career earnings.

— North Oaks native Frankie Capin, via the Korn Ferry Tour, is on his way to earning PGA Tour full privileges for next season. Among perks for earning a PGA Tour playing card, by way of their Tour’s policy board, is a guarantee of $500,000 for player expenses, provided the player plays in a minimum 15 events, plus $5,000 for a missed cut to assist with travel and caddies expenses.

— Luke Clanton, who was runner-up amateur to Neal Shipley in the Masters in April and would have won $804,000 in two PGA Tour events had he relinquished his amateur status and turned pro, is still scheduled to return to Florida State as a junior this fall.

Hazeltine National the other day received a call that Clanton, 20, has submitted paperwork to play at the U.S. Amateur at the Chaska course. Should Clanton actually return to Florida State, he would be expected to receive a colossal name, image and likeness (NIL) deal.

Clanton missed the cut in the 3M Open.

— Superb play-by-play voice Mike Grimm returns to Gophers football broadcasts with Darrell Thompson this season, then with Al Nolan for Gophers basketball on KFAN-AM.

— Greg Gagne honored his father, late wrestling icon Verne, and his family in a moving acceptance speech last week at his induction into the Tragos/Thesz National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Waterloo, Iowa. Gagne joins his wrestling partner, Jim Brunzell of the High-Flyers, who was inducted in 2013.

— Condolences to the family of Harvey Davis, the extremely popular Johnson High School hockey assistant during the Governors’ 1960s glory days. Harvey died last week at age 91.

Don’t print that

— It’s interesting that an arbitration hearing to determine Timberwolves-Lynx ownership is being dragged out. It could mean an attempt to work out a deal between Glen Taylor and minority investors Alex Rodriguez, Mark Lore and Michael Bloomberg is underway.

For both sides to avoid arbitration could mean that either Taylor, who agreed to sell for $1.5 billion three years ago, would buy out the trio to go away by giving them more than they originally invested. Or Rodriguez-Lore-Bloomberg would have to pay Taylor more than they initially agreed for him to go away.

— Three years ago, the Timberwolves-Lynx price tag was $1.5 billion. Now, NBA champion Boston could fetch $5 billion in its upcoming sale.

— It still looks like a redshirt year for Vikings rookie QB J.J. McCarthy. Ideally for the Vikings, Sam Darnold will play well enough so McCarthy, 21, watches for the entire season. Minimally, barring injuries, Darnold should start at least the first half of the season, with Nick Mullens the backup.

— Don’t think the Miami Marlins wouldn’t give up starter Max Meyer, 25, the former Gophers star from Woodbury, for Twins minor league outfielder star Walker Jenkins, 19, as part of a multi-player deal. Meyer, back in the majors from Triple A Jacksonville, was to start Saturday against the Brewers in Milwaukee.

It’ll be surprising if the Twins don’t include at least one of outfielders Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach or Max Kepler in a deal for a starter before Tuesday’s trade deadline.

— At least by Twins standards, people who know say the team suddenly is tight on cash. The Twins rank No. 23 in attendance, averaging 23,303 per Target Field game. Last year, the Twins averaged 24,372, 19th in baseball.

— Pssst: Local hockey icon Natalie Darwitz, dismissed in June as general manager of Professional Women’s Hockey League Minnesota after winning the league’s inaugural championship, is a prime candidate to become the WCHA’s women’s commissioner.

— The Twins are 4-20 against current playoff-bound teams.

— Sean Foley has been golf swing coach for PGA Tour winners Tiger Woods, Justin Rose, Danny Willett, Lee Westwood, Hunter Mahon and Cameron Champ, among others. He’s in his 19th year coaching PGA Tour players.

The past week, he was at the TPC working with Erik van Rooyen, the former Gopher from South Africa, at the 3M Open in Blaine.

The golf swing, as any player knows, can be fascinating, and for Foley, technical.

Asked by the Pioneer Press this week for advice for an amateur trying to break 90, Foley was quick to contradict a popular tenet.

“Golf is a game that’s played with the hands and arms,” he said “So much instruction is about the body, and that’s just not the case. You’re holding onto the club with your hands, right?”

He smiled.

“And it doesn’t weigh much,” he said.

Then Foley got technical. He nodded toward the practice range where many of the world’s best golfers were effortlessly launching shots high into the distance.

There’s a simple secret there, Foley said. But you might have to be a math major to understand.

“If you look out here at the average Tour player, the right wrist is in 51 degrees of extension at the top of the backswing and the right arm is straighter, like you’re throwing a football,” he said.

OK.

“Basically, the two main differences between the amateur and the pro is the pros average an angle of around 51 degrees with the wrist, and the right elbow is bent less than 90 degrees. Now, amateurs on average are between 10 and 30 degrees. Flexion and extension.

“And that’s after 20 years of biomechanics.”

Whew.

— The TPC ranks No. 32 among courses that host PGA Tour tournaments, per Golf Digest. No. 1 is Augusta National, home of the Masters.

— The Gophers are the 69th-best college football team in the nation, per cbssports.com rankings. Minnesota’s season-opening opponent, North Carolina, is No. 35.

— The Gophers are the 70th-ranked men’s basketball team in the nation, per insidethehall.com.

— The Chicago Cubs are working on a new contract for Simley grad Michael Busch, 26, who is making $741,500 this season while hitting .265 with 12 home runs He becomes salary arbitration eligible next year.

— Ex-Twins starter Luis Gil of the New York Yankees is among favorites for American League rookie of the year.

— After an all-star season last year, Yennier Cano, 30, who the Twins traded to Baltimore in the Jorge Lopez deal two years ago, is 4-2 with three saves and a 2.72 earned-run average in 46 games. To get Cano, the Twins also gave up Cade Povich, 24, recently promoted to the Orioles. He’s 1-4 with a 6.27 ERA after seven starts. Lopez, 31, was recently released by the New York Mets.

— Mikko Koivu, 41, the only Wild player to have his jersey (No. 9) retired, has moved from Eden Prairie back to homeland Finland.

— Wisconsin athletics director Chris McIntosh has surpassed Gophers A.D. Mark Coyle with his contract extension last week worth $1.45 million a year. Coyle’s deal is $1.4 million a year.

— The 3M Open, in its sixth year, has two years remaining on its contract to play at the TPC in Blaine, and extension negotiations are underway.

— St. Thomas Academy plays noted rival Cretin-Derham Hall in football at 7 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Vikings’ TCO Stadium.

Overheard

— Former Gophers golfer Erik van Rooyen, 34, in his fifth year on the PGA Tour, asked if it’s a grind: “Everybody thinks it’s a grind. But anything in life, it’s going to be a grind if you want to be the best and succeed. I love what I do, I love the traveling, the fact that I get to play golf for a living. It’s ridiculous, right?

Minnesota Timberwolves co-owner Glen Taylor answers questions during a news conference to introduce Tim Connelly the team’s new President of Basketball Operations at The Courts at Mayo Clinic Square in downtown Minneapolis on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Natalie Darwitz speaks to the media at the U.S. Hockey Hall Of Fame Induction on Dec. 12, 2018, in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
Erik van Rooyen of South Africa reacts on the 16th green during the third round of the World Wide Technology Championship at El Cardonal at Diamante on November 04, 2023 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Mexico. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)