5 Vikings with the Most to Lose in the Draft
The Minnesota Vikings have the 24th overall pick in the upcoming draft, and they could go in various directions with their first selection after addressing the pressing needs in free agency. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah spent a ton of money to build a competitive team.
5 Vikings with the Most to Lose in the Draft
His actions in the draft, however, could impact those already on the roster. The following five players hope the executive doesn’t replace them.
1. Ty Chandler
A 2022 fifth-rounder, Ty Chandler, showed promise in the 2023 season but completely disappeared last year. He was replaced by trade acquisition Cam Akers in each of the past seasons, indicating that the coaching staff doesn’t trust him for some reason.
Aaron Jones returned and Jordan Mason was brought in to be the new RB2. If the Vikings land another runner in an impressive RB draft class (even a late-rounder), Chandler is in danger of losing his roster spot.
2. Blake Brandel
Barring a trade, Blake Brandel will be on the team in September, but he might no longer be the starting left guard. His only competition is currently last year’s seventh-rounder, Michael Jurgens, but that could change on April 24th. The Vikings have been linked to Grey Zabel and Tyler Booker in numerous mock drafts, and completing the interior line overhaul is a fun thought experiment.
Brandel started his career as a tackle but was moved to guard two years ago. In 2024, he secured the starting left guard spot. He played some solid football early in the year but was too inconsistent down the line.
3. Mekhi Blackmon
Mekhi Blackmon was a 2023 third-rounder and provided much-needed help to a shaky cornerback room in his first year. Unfortunately, a torn ACL suffered in last season’s training camp cost him the entire campaign, and he couldn’t build on a promising rookie season.
Byron Murphy Jr. is the obvious CB1; Isaiah Rodgers‘ contract suggests a strong chance for him to be CB2. If a high-profile cornerback arrives in the draft, and there are a handful of candidates, Blackmon might suddenly just be an afterthought.
4. Theo Jackson
Theo Jackson could replace the departed Cam Bynum in three-safety sets next to Harrison Smith and Joshua Metellus, but what if either Malaki Starks or Nick Emmanwori is Minnesota’s first pick? They could compete for an immediate starting role.
Fourth-year defender Jackson has shown some talent whenever given the opportunity, but does that guarantee a starting gig if the Vikings find a long-term answer at safety? Unlikely.
5. Ryan Wright
Punter Ryan Wright was an undrafted rookie in 2022, and he delivered a pretty strong first year. However, he hasn’t been that prolific in the last two seasons, and the one-year contract extension doesn’t give him too much job security.
It might be strange to draft a punter if the team has only four draft picks, but crazier things have happened.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.
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