Vikings Make a Pair of Moves to Infuse the Roster with Youthful Speed
Coaching goes a long way in allowing a player to play fast. Just ask Vikings defenders Camryn Bynum and Jordan Hicks.
The common cut candidates look reborn playing for Brian Flores, a testament to the new DC’s willingness to lean into what the linebacker and safety do well. Indeed, a discussion of speed most often comes down to how fast a player runs but, critically, the tasks they’re being burdened with are vitally important. Keep things simple and let the guys do what they’re good at doing. Fittingly, those players end up being just a step quicker.
Nevertheless, there’s certainly something to be said for possessing elite speed, the kind of physical talent that strikes fear in the opposition.
To that end, the news about Kene Nwangwu and Jalen Nailor should be encouraging to Vikings fans. The team’s official Twitter account explained that the RB is back onto the 53-man roster after his stint on the IR. Meanwhile, Nailor is practising again and can be activated when he’s ready.
By no means season-saving players, the RB and WR have the capacity to add an extra element to what the Vikings are looking to accomplish on specials teams and on offense.
Vikings Make Moves: Nailor, Nwangwu, and The Pursuit of 2023 Relevance
Matt Daniels is going to gladly welcome Nwangwu back into the fold. Ty Chandler didn’t do a bad job as the team’s primary kickoff returner, but Nwangwu has an established track record in this area.
The proud owner of 3 career return touchdowns and a second-team All Pro nomination in 2022, Nwangwu commands respect when he’s bringing the ball back. Take a look at what Daniels, the Vikings’ special teams coordinator, had to say: “When you got that type of caliber of returner in Kene, you want to be able to give him that access and freeway, we trust him back there.”
And, to be sure, the San Francisco 49ers will be well aware of what the backup running back is capable of doing. Take a look at the clip that’s re-circulating on social media:
The team’s blockers do a nice job of opening a lane for Nwangwu to explode through and the 25-year-old backup RB doesn’t disappoint. A quick six points for the Vikings. The NFL keeps adjusting the kickoff rules, making the return aspect less appealing. When a team has someone as explosive as Nwangwu, though, there’s merit in continuing to take a shot at putting an unexpected touchdown on the board.
When it comes to Nailor, the hope is for more help on offense (even though the 24-year-old receiver has picked up 251 special teams snaps in his career).
Obviously, there can be no replacing Justin Jefferson. Nailor’s return to health is by no means a reality that’s going to make everyone forget about the impact that #18 brings.
The hope, though, is simply that the sophomore can function as just one more option for Kevin O’Connell and Kirk Cousins. Right now, the team’s offense doesn’t have much of an identity. Even with Jefferson in the lineup, there was an all-too-persistent clunkiness and overreliance on slinging the football. Without him? Well, the first game didn’t go particularly well even if Minnesota picked up another win.
Nicknamed Speedy, Nailor has the capacity to challenge defenses deep. Doing so opens the possibility of not only picking up explosive plays down the field but also of finding more room underneath. If a team is devoting resources toward the deeper portion of the field, then they have less to work with closer to the line of scrimmage. In theory, that should mean more room for someone like Alexander Mattison or Cam Akers.
Jalen Nailor hasn’t yet rejoined the 53-man roster, but he has begun practising. Expect to see him in the lineup before long, especially since the team demoted WR5 Trishton Jackson.
Few, if any, expect the Vikings to overcome the 49ers on Monday Night Football. Doing so would require a pile of things to go right for Minnesota. And as any fan in the Twin Cities will say, there hasn’t been too much luck to go around lately (with some referee foibles being part of the misfortune).
Some dominance from the specials teams, though, would be precisely the kind of boost that could keep the game close. To that end, Kene Nwangwu is someone to monitor. Maybe the youthful speed will function as the catalyst for an upset and an unexpected journey up to 3-4.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.