Checking Up on the Vikings’ Rookies Heading into Week 8
K. Joudry
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So far, the Vikings’ rookies haven’t played too much. There are two starters – second-rounder Ed Ingram and UDFA Ryan Wright – and then several backups. Most of the draft picks made the team, though Nick Muse has mostly been a practice squad player.
With all that said, how do we assess Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s first draft class after roughly a third of the 2022 season? Well, we begin with the acknowledgement that any conclusion we come to is necessarily incomplete. We still need to let much more time pass before we can truly judge whether the GM did well with his picks.
Making matters more challenging has been the presence of injuries. Safety Lewis Cine – the team’s first-round selection – has been out since he broke his leg. Before the injury, the rookie didn’t see the field too much. Harrison Smith was always a guarantee to snag one starting spot, and Camryn Bynum earned the other spot. When there was opportunity to get onto the field, Cine had to watch Josh Metellus get all the snaps.
Moreover, the team’s next selection – corner Andrew Booth Jr. – has also struggled with his health. Fortunately, Booth’s injury wasn’t of the same magnitude as Cine’s. The former Clemson corner was able to play in Week 6, getting in on 6 special teams snaps in Minnesota’s win over Miami.
We also think of the other injuries to the Vikings’ rookies, such as the ones to receiver Jalen Nailor and Ty Chandler. Only Ingram, Brian Asamoah, and Akayleb Evans have played in all 6 games.
Neither Esezi Otomewo nor Vederian Lowe have seen the field. Coming into the year, the belief was that both would be depth options along the lines. Of the two, it’s perhaps most surprising to see Otomewo without a role. The defensive line rotates far more than the offensive line, so it would have made some sense if the d-lineman found his way onto the field for at least a few snaps.
Otherwise, we should note that UDFA Luiji Vilain got onto the field in Week 6. He picked up 17 snaps on defense and 25 on special teams. The Canadian edge rusher had more opportunity due to D.J. Wonnum missing the game. He finished the day with a single tackle.
The Vikings rookies have been far from dominant, and yet they’ve had to overcome a pile of injuries. As the season progresses, we may get the chance to see more from Booth, Chandler, Nailor, and several other rookies.
In the meantime, keep an eye on how Ingram bounces back at RG. His Week 6 game didn’t go great, so we’ll need to see how he performs against Arizona’s defense on Sunday. We should also be watching linebacker Brian Asamoah, who is sometimes being used as a spy. Kyler Murray is capable of doing plenty of damage with his legs; might Ed Donatell turn to his rookie LB to help slow down Arizona’s speedy QB?
The 5-1 record has mostly been the result of the veterans playing well. Be that as it may, there is a path forward for several of the rookies to contribute more and more. Getting a boost from some of the young players is one way for this roster to keep improving as the year unfolds.
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