The Vikings’ secondary suffered another blow today when second-year cornerback Mekhi Blackmon suffered a torn ACL, according to Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Blackmon is likely lost for the year after only the first day of training camp for his sophomore campaign.
Kevin O’Connell later confirmed the tear and indicated the Vikings are discussing possible cornerback additions, though the third-year Minnesota HC noted the team still wants to see some of its in-house options attempt to fill the void, ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert tweets. Blackmon is now on IR.
Blackmon surpassed draft expectations last year going in the third round out of USC after being projected as a Day 3 pick. After starting cornerbacks Byron Murphy and Akayleb Evans, Blackmon was the third-most utilized cornerback on the Vikings defense last year, even earning three starts as a rookie as an injury replacement for Murphy and Evans. The USC-product was third on the team with eight passes defensed while tallying 41 total tackles and an interception, as well.
The Vikings’ cornerbacks group was set to enter 2024 with an impressive depth after the signing of free agent Shaquill Griffin. Griffin is set to lineup across from Murphy as the starting pair next year with Josh Metellus starting in the slot. Evans is available off the bench after starting all last year and was likely to be pushed by Blackmon for those first snaps coming off the bench.
The tragic loss of rookie fourth-round pick Khyree Jackson adds further to the loss in the room. Despite spending little time at slot in his rookie season, Blackmon and Jackson were both considered candidates to compete with Metellus for the starting nickelback job. With both players now unavailable, the Vikings signed veteran free agent Duke Shelley yesterday to add to the depleting depth at the position. Shelley reunites with the Vikings after spending last year in Los Angeles with the Rams. Back in 2022, Shelley started five games for Minnesota.
The team will also look to former second-round pick Andrew Booth, who has been a major disappointment so far over his first two seasons. The Clemson-product was facing questions of whether or not he would make the roster in 2024, but with the diminishing numbers in the room, Booth’s experience around the team may be too valuable to part with.
Blackmon’s year may be over before it began, as is Jackson’s NFL career, sadly, but the season doesn’t come to a stop just for Minnesota. The Vikings have addressed the position and may need to continue addressing the position. For now, they’ll try to squeeze every contribution out of their rostered players as possible to cover their losses.
Brutal
Maybe call Patrick Peterson? He’ll be familiar with their system. Ahkello Witherspoon is another serviceable vet that’s been around enough to adapt quickly.
I’d already been thinking Stephon Gilmore would make sense for his press man skills and familiarity with Flores’ scheme. At this rate they might need more than one of these guys.
Yeah, this obviously isn’t as tragic as what happened with Jackson, and football is a minuscule concern in comparison to these two players’ actual lives beyond it. In the football focused specifics, though, Minnesota has been having an awful offseason at corner. I can’t see how they wouldn’t have to go looking for help to stabilize their situation.
Peterson played in a similar press man role and excelled at it for much of his career, but was some time ago. Gilmore isn’t young, but he’s done similarly well in a similar style. Peterson has familiarity with Minnesota, but Gilmore has familiarity with Flores and any vestiges of the old Pats system that he may incorporate. I would be shocked if either has not been discussed as an option, even if they’re ruled out.
I like how Khyree is “unavailable”.