Early into it...
TJH:
Suspicions were raised on Thursday when T.J. Hockenson was dressed for practice but only ran routes on the side with an assistant. That was very curious, especially with his contract status up in the air. There was no word of injury then and we still haven’t heard anything about an injury.
We got more information today when Hockenson was in shorts and not pads, then walked off the field with a trainer shortly into practice. What is the deal with him? We don’t know for sure, and it’s very peculiar.
CINE:
There is a lot of talent with Lewis Cine, whom the Vikings selected at the end of the first round in 2022. The issue isn’t with his talent, but rather how his development is going. He is inconsistent with reading plays and bites a lot on double moves. He also gets grabby when he’s beaten in a route. That will need to be cleaned up, but it’s not all bad. His athleticism and instincts are overall in a good place, the consistency needs to be better.
Asamoah:
Brian Asamoah II is essentially Cine in linebacker form: an explosive weapon that is improving, but doesn’t make the best decisions. This two play sequence from Asamoah is all you need to know about where his game is at
The Brian Asamoah II experience
— Tyler Forness (@TheRealForno) August 5, 2023
Play 1: Shoots the gap, TFL
Play 2: Picks the wrong gap, 10 yard gain
PACE:
Inside linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. is having a tremendous training camp. He is explosive, hitting the right gaps and making plays. There isn’t quite enough there for him to be a starter, as he doesn’t stack and shed well enough to be an every-down player, but as we’ve said before, there is absolutely a role on this team for Pace. Don’t be surprised if he gets a high snap share from the onset of the regular season.
Blackmon:
More takeaways:
https://vikingswire.usatoday.com/lists/minnesota-vikings-saturday-training-camp-practice-takeaways/
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
Vikings rookie cornerback Mekhi Blackmon on trajectory 'for some playing time'Mekhi Blackmon has proved his worth in Vikings training camp, overtaking veteran cornerback Joejuan Williams.Would Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, whose scheme installed this summer promises to be versatile, aggressive and a difficult test for opposing offenses, be comfortable starting a rookie right out of the gate?
"Depends on the rookie," the former NFL head coach said Saturday. "Coming into this league, there's a lot that's thrown at you."
Through the early portion of training camp, third-round cornerback Mekhi Blackmon has shown he can handle a lot. Starting Monday, Blackmon overtook veteran Joejuan Williams as the third corner with the first-team defense. He hasn't ceded many reps in the five practices since.
Flores said it's early in the evaluation process, but Blackmon is trending upward.
"We're moving a lot of guys," Flores said. "I wouldn't dig too much into who's where. I'd say Mekhi has done good with his opportunities. He asks a lot of questions. He tries to execute the technique and fundamentals Daronte gives him. I think if he continues on this trajectory, he'll set himself up for some playing time."
Blackmon, the oldest of seven children, hasn't been the typical quiet rookie. Second-year cornerback Akayleb Evans — three months younger than Blackmon, who played six collegiate seasons — called him "very mature."
"Making sure to step out of my comfort zone," Blackmon said, "and let the other guys know I'm intrigued by what's going on and I want to know. So, they trust me and that's put me on the field."
Evans has held down one starting job opposite Byron Murphy Jr., who moves into the slot on passing downs. Blackmon is competing with Williams and Andrew Booth Jr. for reps as the outside corner when Murphy slides inside.
"I'm not surprised," Evans said. "He's very good."
On Saturday, Booth said he expects to return to practice Sunday. Booth has missed three practices with an injury he called "nothing serious."
https://www.startribune.com/mekhi-blackmon-minnesota-vikings-rookie-cornerback-trajectory-playing-time-training-camp-eagan/600295139/
I've probably said it a half dozen times by now, but I really think this is going to be the story of our defense in '23. Big plays. Both good and bad.
@"MaroonBells" said: I've probably said it a half dozen times by now, but I really think this is going to be the story of our defense in '23. Big plays. Both good and bad.100%
The D has "some degree" of talent and a bunch of younger players; thats a recipe for fan madness.
The defense didn't stop anyone last year, so now they probably will at least a few times with the blitz. Yep, that kind of aggressive football can be exploited sometimes, but I'll take that approach considering the opposing team scoring last year was inevitable.
A blurb of some concern. I'm convinced these two (especially Chandler) can be explosive out of the backfield, but if they can't be trusted in pass pro we'll never get to see it.
From @alec_lewis Vikings beat for @TheAthletic:
— Sigmund Bloom (@SigmundBloom) August 7, 2023
"Neither Nwangwu nor Chandler has run away with the (#2) job...questions about pass protection...it would not surprise me to see the Vikings take a shot on a veteran"https://t.co/a40xYvIPQu
@"MaroonBells" said: A blurb of some concern. I'm convinced these two (especially Chandler) can be explosive out of the backfield, but if they can't be trusted in pass pro we'll never get to see it.Next 2 weeks of jt practices and pre-season games will tell us a lot. But yah, that is concerning regarding depth. These guys gotta pass pro well in this offense.
Not to get too far down the rabbit hole, I remember how much trouble Peterson had at it. Such a big, tough dude who just couldn't pass block for shit. Was always a head-scratcher.
@"MaroonBells" said: A blurb of some concern. I'm convinced these two (especially Chandler) can be explosive out of the backfield, but if they can't be trusted in pass pro we'll never get to see it.Great. Just what Kirk needs, more guys whiffing on defenders they need to block in pass protect.
@"MaroonBells" said: A blurb of some concern. I'm convinced these two (especially Chandler) can be explosive out of the backfield, but if they can't be trusted in pass pro we'll never get to see it.With the shelf life of RBs these days and the remote chance that either of them see a second contract here, it's now or never for both of them I'd say. I agree, this is concerning. People always talk about Dalvin's injuries but Mattison hasn't exactly been an ironman in limited work. Hopefully McBride can give us something if Nwangu is just a returner and Chandler isn't up to the task. Hmm
@"purplefaithful" said:Not to get too far down the rabbit hole, I remember how much trouble Peterson had at it. Such a big, tough dude who just couldn't pass block for shit. Was always a head-scratcher.
I believe you mean, "how much Peterson never gave a crap about learning to block".
@"RS Express" said:@"purplefaithful" said:Not to get too far down the rabbit hole, I remember how much trouble Peterson had at it. Such a big, tough dude who just couldn't pass block for shit. Was always a head-scratcher.
I believe you mean, "how much Peterson never gave a crap about learning to block".
Yup. His running ability was all natural talent. Figuring out a protection scheme and working at something he wasn't good at wasn't important to him.I remember an interview with him and Jim Brown where they were bitching about coaches trying to coach them. Partly I get it, they had such incredible natural talent and you don't mess with what works. But you can actually learn and try to get better at other parts of the game.
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