Vikings Training Camp Winners: Defense
Josh Frey
|
The Minnesota Vikings wrapped up their training camp with a pair of joint practices and a preseason game with the San Francisco 49ers. Over these past few weeks, we’ve learned a lot about this team and how they will look during the 2022 regular season. We’ve already discussed a few of the biggest winners from the offensive side of the ball, and now, here is the list of players that stood out on defense.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”1079206″ player=”26281″ title=”Why%20You%20Should%20Watch%20the%20Vikings%2049ers%20Game” duration=”1092″ description=”Josh Frey chats with Dustin Baker about his things to watch in Vikings 49ers.” uploaddate=”2022-08-19″ thumbnailurl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/19439/snapshot/1079206_th_1660935557.jpg” contentUrl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/19439/sd/1079206.mp4″ width=”16″ height=”9″]
DL T.Y. McGill
The T.Y. McGill parade continues. McGill has recorded 3.5 sacks through two preseason games, and in a crowded defensive line group, he has emerged from the pack as the lead backup behind Harrison Phillips, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Armon Watts. The Vikings are his eighth team in as many years, and it looks like the veteran journeyman may have finally landed in his home.
CB Andrew Booth Jr.
Despite the ankle injury in Saturday night’s preseason game, training camp has to be seen as a win for the rookie cornerback out of Clemson. The Vikings don’t necessarily need him to be ready to start NFL games right now, but they did need him to show flashes that could lead to him being a future starter. Booth did that in matchups against the Vikings receivers as well as some decent play in preseason. Hopefully he’ll be ready to go by the time the Green Bay Packers come to Minnesota.
S Camryn Bynum
The Minnesota Vikings selected Lewis Cine in the first round, so obviously Camryn Bynum needed to play well in practice in order to keep his job as a starting safety. It seems that Bynum has done just that as the Vikings haven’t seen the need to see him play in any preseason action thus far while Cine has started each of the first two games.
EDGE Patrick Jones II
Patrick Jones was a very raw pass-rushing prospect when the Vikings selected him in the third round of the 2021 draft, but down the stretch of the season, it looked like he was beginning to figure some things out. Post-training camp, he is very clearly the best player in this group other than Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith. The Vikings may have found yet another star at EDGE.
LB Brian Asamoah
There may not have been a route for Brian Asamoah to be a starting linebacker in 2022, but there are certainly snaps to be had on this defense, especially considering Eric Kendricks injury history in recent years. Those snaps could have gone to any of Brian Asamoah, Troy Dye, Blake Lynch, or even Chazz Surratt, but Asamoah made it clear with his combination of speed and physicality that he is an NFL-ready prospect. It was a terrific summer for the rookie linebacker, and if there are any more problems with injuries on defense, Asamoah looks prepared to step in.
