The Vikings’ 2022 Draft Class Continues Losing its Grip on Playing Time
The Vikings’ 2022 draft class has been the subject of much online criticism.
Pulling off the draft-day trade with the Lions was a mistake from Day 1 onward. Injuries have been an issue, yes, but Lewis Cine has a bleak future in Minnesota (trading the safety shouldn’t be overlooked as a possibility the team will consider). Meanwhile, Andrew Booth continues to get shutout on defense even though he’s fully healthy, a relatively rare occurrence in his football career.
Making matters even worse is that Ty Chandler has lost his grip on the RB2 job. We could all see it coming — the depth chart confirms as much — and yet the reality can still be a bit jarring. Chandler has been replaced by Cam Akers, the new addition who turned 5 carries into 40 yards again Carolina.
The running back’s demotion is just the latest indication that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah did very, very poorly in his first attempt at restocking the cupboards. Instead of bringing in next-level ingredients for his chefs, Adofo-Mensah is working through the reality of a coaching staff kitchen staff that’s making due largely without the 2022 draftees.
The Vikings’ 2022 Draft Class is Trending in the Wrong Direction
Once again, injuries are playing a part in the modest snap totals. Lewis Cine had to miss Week 4 and Jalen Nailor is on the IR. Prior to getting hurt, though, neither player was getting much run on offense and defense, so the overall outlook wouldn’t be too different sans injury.
Take a look at how much the sophomores have played since 2023 got underway:
| Player | Off/Def Snaps | Sp/T Snaps |
| Cine, Lewis (32nd) | 0 | 38 |
| Booth, Andrew (42nd) | 0 | 39 |
| Ingram, Ed (59th) | 252 | 14 |
| Asamoah, Brian (66th) | 18 | 59 |
| Evans, Akayleb (118th) | 266 | 0 |
| Otomewo, Esezi (165th) | N/A | N/A |
| Chandler, Ty (169th) | 30 | 24 |
| Lowe, Vederian (184th) | N/A | N/A |
| Nailor, Jalen (191st) | 1 | 35 |
| Muse, Nick (227th) | 0 | 0 |
The great irony when it comes to playing time among the Vikings’ 2022 draft class is that the single player who draws the most ire from fans — RG Ed Ingram — is the same one who is lapping the field in total snaps played. He is sitting at 1420 snaps in his career, meaning he has yet to miss a single play since being selected 59th overall.
Snagging the silver medal is Evans, who has 428 snaps since arriving via the 4th round.
Take a look at last season’s complete snap count breakdown to gain a clearer view for who has been playing the most:
| Player | Snaps on Offense/Defense |
| Cine, Lewis | 2 |
| Booth Jr., Andrew | 105 |
| Ingram, Ed | 1168 |
| Asamoah, Brian | 119 |
| Evans, Akayleb | 162 |
| Otomewo, Esezi | 89 |
| Chandler, Ty | 12 |
| Lowe, Vederian | 33 |
| Nailor, Jalen | 57 |
| Muse, Nick | 0 |
In his postgame press conference, Kevin O’Connell basically confirmed that Akers will be residing in the RB2 slot. The coach referred to the former Ram as being a key part of Minnesota’s “nice little one-two punch.” “I was proud of our run game,” O’Connell explains before saying that “it was good to see Cam come in.”
Akers’ ascension means Chandler must descend on the depth chart.
At this point, the main reason for optimism rests in the hands of Akayleb Evans. At 24, Evans is staring down several more years in the NFL. He offers tremendous length as a 6’2″ corner who is roughly 200 pounds. That kind of size makes him a valuable player in an NFC that boasts receivers like Mike Evans, A.J. Brown, and D.K. Metcalf.
The hope for Evans is that he’ll progress from being someone who has promise to someone who is fulfilling his potential, thus exceeding the expectations that normally accompany a 4th-round pick.
A final word: keep an eye on the OL rotation. Left up to the fans, Dalton Risner would break into the starting lineup. So far, that hasn’t occurred, but game-changing turnovers have been the story of Minnesota’s season. Inserting a guard into the lineup who can help to minimize those moments would be a welcome sight for many Vikings fans.
Just know that that option means the Vikings’ 2022 draft class has lost even more ground on the team’s playing time.
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.