Questions Answered: Rookie WR Role, Involvement from Draft Class, Kicker-Punter Competition
Dustin Baker
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The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by PurplePTSD. Today is the May 24th edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].
Also, please note: These are opinion-based responses. Some answers will be incorrect from time to time. But we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.
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Q: Do you expect Jalen Nailor to make the 53-man roster, and what role would he play if so?
A: Yes, we believe he’ll make the 53-man roster and compete for the punt returner job, too.
Nailor will probably edge Bisi Johnson from the WR room, gaining the title WR5 in the Vikings offense. Wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell loves Nailor, and that’s really all you need to know.
There aren’t enough aerial targets in the passing game for Nailor to bust out as a rookie star, but that’s ok. He can play special teams and step into Minnesota’s offense when needed.
Q: Will most rookies take “extra” time to acclimate, as we saw during the Zimmer days?
A: No, this is one of the perks of moving on to a new regime. The days of slow-rolling rookies in the regular season should be kaput.
Of course, they still have to earn jobs this summer, but you shouldn’t expect a mandated embargo on rookie playing time as it seemed from 2014 to 2021.
Lewis Cine, Andrew Booth, Ed Ingram, Brian Asamoah, and maybe even Akayleb Evans should experience playing time somewhat early in 2022. Especially Cine and Ingram.
Q: Are the kicking and punting jobs truly open for competition?
A: Kicker is an open competition, for sure. Special teams coach Matt Daniels said so on Tuesday.
Jordan Berry may be a bit safer as the punter, but Greg Joseph and Gabe Brkic will assuredly vie for the kicker gig this summer.
Vikings fans are familiar with kicking competitions, so this should feel like a return to normalcy.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).