Looks Like One Vikings Defender Has Secured a Roster Spot
The Minnesota Vikings cornerback room has been a focal point for fans during the first ten days of training camp. Mekhi Blackmon’s devastating season-ending ACL injury exposed the pre-existing issues. The Vikings haven’t been able to fix the position since the mass departure in 2020 when Trae Waynes, Xavier Rhodes, and Mackensie Alexander all left the building.
Looks Like One Vikings Defender Has Secured a Roster Spot
Because Shaquill Griffin’s minor injury has kept him sidelined, the Vikings desperately needed some healthy bodies and signed three defensive backs within a few days. Jacobi Francis, a two-year practice squad player with the Houston Texans, joined, just like safety Bobby McCain, who has experience with defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Veteran cornerback Fabian Moreau completed the trio. He has been a starter for various teams.
In addition to the recent acquisitions, 2022 fan-favorite Duke Shelley returned after one season away from the team. From last year, 2022 rookies Andrew Booth Jr. and Akayleb Evans, as well as entrenched starter Byron Murphy Jr., who can be titled Minnesota’s CB1, are still under contract.
Evans and Booth Jr. have been controversial players despite having vastly different journeys. The latter was a highly-touted draft choice but has barely been a difference-maker in two seasons. Injuries and inconsistent play had him tumble down the depth chart. Evans, meanwhile, entered the league in the fourth round with much lower expectations. Still, he showed promise as a rookie and earned a starting gig in 2023. Up and down performances led him to be benched twice late in the season.
Seemingly losing the trust of defensive boss Flores is why there was some chatter about him losing his spot on the 53-man roster. However, the former Miami Dolphins head coach shut down that idea on Monday.
We’re going to need him. You can’t teach that height, that length and his speed. Like all of us, he’s working to be as consistent as he can possibly be.
I thought Akayleb did a lot of good things last year. I think there was a lot of growth and improvement from him, from when I got here throughout the season. There’s ups and downs for every player … but that’s life in the NFL. He’s bounced back, he’s strung some good days together and we’re going to need him.
Brian Flores
Evans’ skillset is indeed unique among Minnesota’s top cornerbacks. Murphy Jr., Griffin, Booth Jr., Shelley, and Moreau top out at 6-0, while Evans is listed at 6-2. Undrafted rookie Dwight McGlothern and depth player A.J. Green are also listed at 6-2 but don’t match Evans’ resume. He remains the top option to match up with taller wideouts.
In two years with the Vikings, Evans appeared in 25 games, starting 17. One interception and 88 tackles can be found on his stat sheet. Last season, Pro Football Focus ranked him 99th among 127 eligible cornerbacks with a grade of 54.9. It should be noted, however, that his grade plunged in the season’s final three games. Through 14 contests, he had been an average cornerback.
Still, those three games can’t just be ignored. The Lions (twice) and the Packers exposed the sophomore, and he must make some adjustments. To earn another starting spot, he must beat either Moreau or Griffin while staying ahead of Booth Jr., McGlothern, and Shelley.
In an attempt to find the best combination, the Vikings scrambled their cornerback lineups in the eventful first one-and-a-half weeks of training camp practices. Moreau immediately received snaps with the first-team defense.
Evans is still only 25 years old, and there might be some untapped potential after only one season of starting experience. Regardless, he must find some consistency to earn the coaching staff’s trust and, subsequently, snaps in the regular season.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Focus and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt