By Nick Shook
NFL.com
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INDIANAPOLIS — Laquon Treadwell‘s first two seasons in Minnesota have left a lot to be desired. Vikings coach Mike Zimmer isn’t running from that fact.

When asked Thursday at the NFL Scouting Combine about the receiver, Zimmer was blunt.

“Laquon needs to get out of his own way,” Zimmer said. “He’s a guy that works extremely hard, probably doesn’t do things the right way all of the time. We’ll be in training camp and he’ll run the stadium steps at night, which is not helping him for practice the next day.

“He thinks he’s trying to get better, trying to get better, he’s just going about it the wrong way. So he needs to get out of his own way.”

Treadwell, the 23rd-overall selection in the 2016 draft, has been all but nonexistent in his time with the Vikings. A year after registering just one catch in nine games, the wideout caught just 20 passes for 200 yards in 16 games.

While Treadwell struggled to get going, he was lapped by teammates Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. Drafted as an ideal No. 1 receiver, Treadwell fell to the bench as his team rolled to a division crown and an appearance in the NFC title game. In two playoff games, he went without a reception.

But there remains hope for the wideout, which was clear in Zimmer’s tone Thursday. Minnesota isn’t giving up on him yet — with Treadwell still on his rookie deal, there’s little reason to — but he’ll have to be better than 21 catches in two years, no matter who else is on the roster. It starts, as Zimmer said, with his offseason preparation.