Dalvin Cook, Linval Joseph and Xavier Rhodes all practiced for a second straight day. There was still no Stefon Diggs (ribs), Anthony Barr, Tom Compton, or Roc Thomas at practice.

Earlier in the day, Diggs declared he would be playing Sunday. Before he does, he'll need to practice. Check back with us on Friday for more news as it becomes available.

Through four games, the connection between Kirk Cousins and his receiving duo has been everything the Vikings could have dreamed.

That was especially on display on Thursday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams, when the combo brought in 19 passes.

Related players: Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen

The story summed it up nicely saying Thielen has been targeted 55 times, more than any other receiver in the NFL through four weeks. Cousins has 40 completions on those targets (72.2 percent completion percentage) for 473 yards and a QB rating of 110.6 when throwing Thielen’s way. While Diggs doesn’t have quite as many targets, his efficiency is every bit as impressive. When throwing at Diggs, Cousins has gone 27-for-39 with 311 yards and has a QB rating of 118.6. Everything is coming together for the Cousins/Thielen/Diggs trio. The receivers are doing exactly what they’ve done for Sam Bradford and Case Keenum in the past: Line up all over the field and get open constantly.

Minnesota is five days away from opening preseason action against Denver, its first chance to test where the team stands and the areas that need honing in. While still early in the process with a new quarterback and offensive coordinator, elements of the install that once felt foreign are now starting to click.

“As far as learning the concepts we’ve been learning since minicamp and OTAs and going into training camp, it was a lot smoother because ... we have learned the concepts,” Stefon Diggs said. “So now we’re kind of like – you have a subject in class that you’ve been studying for a little while, you’re starting to get it and you’re starting to find the small nuances of it that you want (to make) little tweaks here and there and that kind of thing.”

Related players: Kirk Cousins, Dalvin Cook

There have been more good days lately, despite a hiccup now and then, which is to be expected with all the injuries on the offensive line, and including a new QB in Cousins. Diggs added the unit continues to work on timing.

According to league sources, the Vikings will sign wide receiver Stefon Diggs to a five-year contract extension on Tuesday, retaining another one of its core players that was scheduled to hit free agency in March. Diggs’ deal is expected to be worth around $14 million a season, according to an NFL source, which would put his deal in line with recent contracts the Green Bay Packers gave Davante Adams and the Chicago Bears gave Allen Robinson.

Diggs caught eight TDs last season, trying him for the team lead. He had 64 catches and 849 receiving yards while playing 14 games.

Kirk Cousins‘ connection with his new receivers is a work in progress.

The Vikings quarterback invited Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs to Atlanta in April for a throwing session before organized team activities. They continued to get to know each other during the team’s offseason program.

“It’s a process of saying, ‘Hey, this is the way I’ve done if for six years. You’ve done it a different way for five years. Let’s try to talk about why you’ve had success, why I’ve had success. Let’s find some middle ground; let’s decide whether I’m going to learn your way, you’re going to learn my way,'” Cousins said, via Courtney Cronin of ESPN.

Cousins has no firm plans to work with his receivers off site before training camp, but feeling “a little behind the eight ball,” he will stay in his playbook, the story said.

Vikings announce Kyle Rudolph has been upgraded from doubtful to questionable for Sunday's game vs. Cincinnati. He is attempting to recover from an ankle injury in time to play Sunday. He has not missed a game since 2014.

Related Players: Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen

Ankle injuries are tough to play effectively with, but Rudolph has been a warrior over the past few years. Our rankings have been updated to account for the possibility of Rudolph playing, but playing through the injury is a factor. If he doesn't play, expect Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs to see an uptick in targets.