25 July 2024
You started to fear the worst as soon as Mekhi Blackmon went down.
He crumbled to the ground midway through a 7-on-7 drill late in practice on Wednesday afternoon at TCO Performance Center. A host of trainers immediately rushed over to tend to Blackmon, and after being evaluated for nearly 10 minutes on the field, he limped off under his own power.
Now it appears his season is over before it really even got started. A source confirmed to the Pioneer Press that Blackmon, 25, has suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
This is a devastating blow for the Vikings as Blackmon was expected to step into an elevated role as a big contributor. He performed solidly as a rookie after being selected in the third round of the 2023 draft out of Southern California, and he seemed to be in position to take his game to the next level.
This puts the Vikings in an incredibly tough spot with training camp suddenly in full swing. They were already thin at the position before Blackmon got injured. The healthy cornerbacks on the roster include Byron Murphy Jr., Shaq Griffin, Akayleb Evans, Duke Shelley, Andrew Booth Jr., A.J. Green III, Jaylin Williams, and Dwight McGlothern.
The good news for the Vikings is they are very strong at safety with Harrison Smith, Cam Bynum and Josh Metellus capable of doing so many things on defense.
It’s a pretty safe bet that the Vikings will start canvassing the open market in short order to add more depth to the secondary. Some notable free agent cornerbacks include Xavien Howard, Stephon Gilmore, Adoree’ Jackson, and Patrick Peterson, among a handful of others.
The race for No. 3 receiver
There’s no question that Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison will be the straws that stir the drink for the Vikings when it comes to pass catchers.
There is an open competition at training camp for their No. 3 receiver.
The top contenders include Brandon Powell, who has earned the trust of head coach Kevin O’Connell, Jalen Nailor, who might be the most talented of the bunch, and Trishton Jackson, who regularly stands out at practice. The dark horses include Trent Sherfield Sr., Thayer Thomas and Lucky Jackson, among a handful of others.
It remains to be seen who rises to the top.
Blake Brandel vs. Dalton Risner
There is still a lot of time before the Vikings have to make a final decision
That said, if the reps with the first team at training camp are any indication, Blake Brandel appears to be the starter at left guard at the moment.
Asked about the offensive line on Wednesday afternoon, O’Connell went out of his way to mention how the Vikings wanted to give Brandel a chance to settle in into a role between Christian Darrisaw at left tackle and Garrett Bradbury at center.
Notably, Ed Ingram started at right guard with Dalton Risner rotating in.
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