Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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As noted above, the experiment was short-lived.
It did, however, demonstrate to the Vikings coaching staff that Chisena is ready and willing to contribute in whatever way possible.
Chisena is one of seven receivers currently on Minnesota's roster, and it's clear that his main role will be on special teams, which he is leaning into whole-heartedly.
"Special teams is something that even back in college was really important to me and something I took a lot of pride in," he said. "I just tried to bring that here and take the same approach. I love it. It's a big phase of the game, and you can make an impact there. So I just tried to embrace that and put as much into that as I was into offense."
Chisena isn't a returner, but he'll be able to use his speed as a gunner on punt team, a role he also played at Penn State.
"I've felt comfortable with it in the past, and I'm just trying to use the techniques [Special Teams Coordinator Marwan Maalouf] has been teaching me," Chisena said. "It's a position where you just kind of get to play with your hair on fire, scream down there and try to contain the returner.
"I've really enjoyed that role, and if I end up playing it this weekend and moving forward, I'll embrace it and try to do that for the team," he added.
Reflecting back over his first NFL training camp, Chisena said it was a "fun" experience he didn't take for granted. With the Vikings set to open their season against the Packers Sunday, he hopes to make the most of the chance he's been given.
"I was super appreciative just to have the opportunity. My mentality was just to take it one day at a time and do everything to the best of my ability, work hard," Chisena said. "Whatever was out of my control, 'Don't worry about that.' Just focus on what my job was.
"Saturday came around, and I was blessed enough that the coaches believed in me to make the 53," he added.