Post by Purple Pain on Jul 20, 2023 16:11:53 GMT -6
Training Camp is right around the corner. Who's ready?
Matt Fries: Vikings' Pre-Training Camp 53-Man Roster Projection
Purple Insider's Camp Questions: Will Lewis Cine emerge?
Purple Insider's Camp Questions: Who will emerge from the cornerback room?
Purple Insider's Camp Questions: Hunter and non-Hunter scenarios
Matt Fries: Vikings' Pre-Training Camp 53-Man Roster Projection
Purple Insider's Camp Questions: Will Lewis Cine emerge?
What will it take for Lewis Cine to win the job?
The Vikings’ first-round pick in 2022 had a difficult first training camp in which he never threatened Cam Bynum for the starting job alongside Harrison Smith and lost out the backup gig to Josh Metellus. Just when he was getting his feet wet on special teams, Cine suffered a catastrophic injury Week 4 against the New Orleans Saints that ended his season.
His fast recovery, however, has created hope for his chances of winning the starting job in camp. While was still playing behind Bynum and Metellus during OTAs and minicamp, he was a full participant, meaning that he won’t have to start from behind the others.
From a physical talent perspective, Cine towers over his two contenders but Bynum and Metellus thrive on the mental side of the game, giving them an edge as the safeties learn a brand new defense under Brian Flores. The scheme asks safeties to line up in many different positions and understand everyone’s assignment. In order to compete for the starting gig, Cine will need to equal the other players’ understanding of the playbook and then gain quick chemistry over a few summer weeks in order to get consideration for the starting position.
What about another role in three-safety packages? That’s going to be a battle as well because Metellus was being used in that role during minicamp.
That raises the question: What if he doesn’t win starting gig? It would still be too early to start whispering the word “bust” but it would certainly bring about questions of whether he’s going to be a major part of the defense’s future, especially when Harrison Smith decided to hang ‘em up. It’s a very important camp for Cine.
Can Josh Metellus become a hybrid weapon?
In a small sample size of defensive play, the former fifth-round draft pick from Michigan was very good for the Vikings. He graded an 85.1 by Pro Football Focus and allowed just 70 yards into his coverage on 17 targets. Combine that with his special teams excellence and Metellus emerged as a player who could be potentially useful across different roles in the defense.
During minicamp he was mixing in at safety and playing in a hybrid linebacker role, which might suit him well. Even going back to the Senior Bowl he was touted as a player who could have positional versatility. In previous years the three-safety defense was more myth than reality but Flores has a history of using more than two safeties on the field at the same time. Still, it’s not clear whether Metellus’s role was something they were experimenting with or actually plan on using as a regular part of the defense.
If Metellus does become comfortable in that spot, it may become more difficult for Cine to carve out his place unless he beats out Bynum.
Rest of these at the link above:
Will Harrison Smith show signs of a big season under Brian Flores?
Is Brian Asamoah a lock to start at linebacker?
Who are the under-the-radar players to watch?
The Vikings’ first-round pick in 2022 had a difficult first training camp in which he never threatened Cam Bynum for the starting job alongside Harrison Smith and lost out the backup gig to Josh Metellus. Just when he was getting his feet wet on special teams, Cine suffered a catastrophic injury Week 4 against the New Orleans Saints that ended his season.
His fast recovery, however, has created hope for his chances of winning the starting job in camp. While was still playing behind Bynum and Metellus during OTAs and minicamp, he was a full participant, meaning that he won’t have to start from behind the others.
From a physical talent perspective, Cine towers over his two contenders but Bynum and Metellus thrive on the mental side of the game, giving them an edge as the safeties learn a brand new defense under Brian Flores. The scheme asks safeties to line up in many different positions and understand everyone’s assignment. In order to compete for the starting gig, Cine will need to equal the other players’ understanding of the playbook and then gain quick chemistry over a few summer weeks in order to get consideration for the starting position.
What about another role in three-safety packages? That’s going to be a battle as well because Metellus was being used in that role during minicamp.
That raises the question: What if he doesn’t win starting gig? It would still be too early to start whispering the word “bust” but it would certainly bring about questions of whether he’s going to be a major part of the defense’s future, especially when Harrison Smith decided to hang ‘em up. It’s a very important camp for Cine.
Can Josh Metellus become a hybrid weapon?
In a small sample size of defensive play, the former fifth-round draft pick from Michigan was very good for the Vikings. He graded an 85.1 by Pro Football Focus and allowed just 70 yards into his coverage on 17 targets. Combine that with his special teams excellence and Metellus emerged as a player who could be potentially useful across different roles in the defense.
During minicamp he was mixing in at safety and playing in a hybrid linebacker role, which might suit him well. Even going back to the Senior Bowl he was touted as a player who could have positional versatility. In previous years the three-safety defense was more myth than reality but Flores has a history of using more than two safeties on the field at the same time. Still, it’s not clear whether Metellus’s role was something they were experimenting with or actually plan on using as a regular part of the defense.
If Metellus does become comfortable in that spot, it may become more difficult for Cine to carve out his place unless he beats out Bynum.
Rest of these at the link above:
Will Harrison Smith show signs of a big season under Brian Flores?
Is Brian Asamoah a lock to start at linebacker?
Who are the under-the-radar players to watch?
Purple Insider's Camp Questions: Who will emerge from the cornerback room?
How will Byron Murphy Jr. fit in a new environment?
By PFF grade, Byron Murphy has ranked 35th, 61st, 36th and 78th among starting cornerbacks in his four seasons in the NFL. That pretty well demonstrates his career thus far, which has been a bit of a roller coaster. His above average and below average years seem to be dictated by role. The Vikings believe he can be better than that and they may have a pretty good argument. Not only was Murphy Jr. playing on defenses that never cracked the top 10 and ranked as low as 31st during his time in the desert but he was also shuffled between positions and roles as well, splitting his snaps nearly 50-50 between the slot and outside cornerback.
Kevin O’Connell said that Murphy Jr. will be their starting slot and move outside only when they have two cornerbacks in the personnel grouping. That spot tends to be important in Flores’s defense as a key job in coverage, run defense and his blitz packages. Murphy will have a chance to play an aggressive style in a consistent role rather than bouncing around.
At 25 years old, there would appear to still be more to the former second-rounder’s game than what he did in Arizona. Will we see signs of that during camp? The summertime isn’t always predictive for cornerbacks but two weeks of joint practices could be an indicator of how he’s fitting in and what’s to come from the recent free agent signee.
Mekhi Blackmon vs. Andrew Booth Jr.?
In minicamp Akayleb Evans looked like the favorite for one side of the field and either rookie Mekhi Blackmon or second-year CB Andrew Booth Jr. would be battling it out for the other spot. Much can change once pads come on during training camp but the Vikings have appeared high on Evans since camp last year. He has exceptional movement skills for a 6-foot-2 corner and would seem to fit well in a man-to-man defense. In his rookie year, Evans played 162 snaps and showed both how raw his talents are and the upside, especially in Washington where he had two key pass breakups. Is he locked in as a starter though?
If that’s the case, we’ll be closely watching Blackmon vs. Booth Jr. There were flashes during camp in 2022 from Booth Jr. but injuries consistently kept him out of the lineup and his 105 defensive snaps in the regular season were very rocky. But this year is a fresh start for the 2022 second-rounder out of Clemson. Can he stay on the field and shine with his coverage skills or will this year’s pick come for his job? Blackmon was a stellar corner at USC, where he scored extremely high grades in man and zone coverage while playing an aggressive style for his size. It could come down to which player masters the defense quicker. You would think Booth Jr.’s experience would help but in this case both are starting from square one with Flores. It could be a fascinating battle to watch throughout the summer.
Rest of these at the link above:
Can Joejuan Williams or Jay Ward carve out a role?
Is there any diamonds in the rough?
Will this be the year that turns the tide for the cornerbacks?
Interesting tidbit here: In 2020 the Vikings reassembled their secondary after losing Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander and they haven’t found any stability in the position since. In total, 14 different cornerbacks started games between 2020 and 2022 and only two of those players are still on the roster.
By PFF grade, Byron Murphy has ranked 35th, 61st, 36th and 78th among starting cornerbacks in his four seasons in the NFL. That pretty well demonstrates his career thus far, which has been a bit of a roller coaster. His above average and below average years seem to be dictated by role. The Vikings believe he can be better than that and they may have a pretty good argument. Not only was Murphy Jr. playing on defenses that never cracked the top 10 and ranked as low as 31st during his time in the desert but he was also shuffled between positions and roles as well, splitting his snaps nearly 50-50 between the slot and outside cornerback.
Kevin O’Connell said that Murphy Jr. will be their starting slot and move outside only when they have two cornerbacks in the personnel grouping. That spot tends to be important in Flores’s defense as a key job in coverage, run defense and his blitz packages. Murphy will have a chance to play an aggressive style in a consistent role rather than bouncing around.
At 25 years old, there would appear to still be more to the former second-rounder’s game than what he did in Arizona. Will we see signs of that during camp? The summertime isn’t always predictive for cornerbacks but two weeks of joint practices could be an indicator of how he’s fitting in and what’s to come from the recent free agent signee.
Mekhi Blackmon vs. Andrew Booth Jr.?
In minicamp Akayleb Evans looked like the favorite for one side of the field and either rookie Mekhi Blackmon or second-year CB Andrew Booth Jr. would be battling it out for the other spot. Much can change once pads come on during training camp but the Vikings have appeared high on Evans since camp last year. He has exceptional movement skills for a 6-foot-2 corner and would seem to fit well in a man-to-man defense. In his rookie year, Evans played 162 snaps and showed both how raw his talents are and the upside, especially in Washington where he had two key pass breakups. Is he locked in as a starter though?
If that’s the case, we’ll be closely watching Blackmon vs. Booth Jr. There were flashes during camp in 2022 from Booth Jr. but injuries consistently kept him out of the lineup and his 105 defensive snaps in the regular season were very rocky. But this year is a fresh start for the 2022 second-rounder out of Clemson. Can he stay on the field and shine with his coverage skills or will this year’s pick come for his job? Blackmon was a stellar corner at USC, where he scored extremely high grades in man and zone coverage while playing an aggressive style for his size. It could come down to which player masters the defense quicker. You would think Booth Jr.’s experience would help but in this case both are starting from square one with Flores. It could be a fascinating battle to watch throughout the summer.
Rest of these at the link above:
Can Joejuan Williams or Jay Ward carve out a role?
Is there any diamonds in the rough?
Will this be the year that turns the tide for the cornerbacks?
Interesting tidbit here: In 2020 the Vikings reassembled their secondary after losing Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander and they haven’t found any stability in the position since. In total, 14 different cornerbacks started games between 2020 and 2022 and only two of those players are still on the roster.
Purple Insider's Camp Questions: Hunter and non-Hunter scenarios
Will Danielle Hunter get an extension or be traded (or neither?)
Traditionally the Vikings have opened camp with news of contract extensions being signed but the team’s run of cutting/trading cornerstone players this offseason brings into question whether there will be a Danielle Hunter press conference on the day players report to TCO Performance Center. Hunter’s decision to sit out minicamp was a clear indication that he is not settling for a short-term solution as he has the last two offseasons. After an elite (and healthy) season rushing the passer, the veteran Pro Bowler is looking for a serious commitment.
The Vikings have future considerations with their salary cap though. Justin Jefferson and TJ Hockenson are also up for extensions and Christian Darrisaw is one year away from becoming one of the highest paid left tackles in the NFL. Can they find a way to pay everyone? Does the remainder of Hunter’s peak land within their timeline? Would they be comfortable finding out what they have in recent draft picks?
This situation does not come with an Easy Button for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to push. It could play out throughout the summer if Hunter wants too much money and the other 31 teams aren’t willing to offer enough for his services. Something will have to give at some point but it’s hard to say exactly when.
Where do Marcus Davenport and Dean Lowry fit in?
The Vikings swung on two veteran free agents who had down 2022 seasons to replace Za’Darius Smith and Dalvin Tomlinson. Davenport has put together an uneven career after being picked by the Saints in the first round of the 2018 draft, posting two strong sack-producing seasons in 2019 and 2021 and two years with fewer than two sacks. His PFF grades and underlying pressure metrics are strong in a largely rotational role. Is that the Vikings’ plan for him or do they expect Davenport to be an every-down player? Over his career he’s rarely played as an inside rusher — could that change under Brian Flores? It will take months before we know whether Davenport, who hasn’t yet turned 27, is going to be an underrated gem but we will get an idea what Flores has in store for his role.
Lowry is another bet on 2021 production. He had 42 pressures and 5.0 sacks in ‘21 but those numbers dropped to 17 and 0.5, respectively. A closer look at his usage from PFF’s alignment data shows that he was lined up much more often at a base 3-4 defensive end position in ‘21 versus ‘22, which may have played into his success rushing the passer. Are the Vikings trying to recreate that or use him as more of a traditional defensive tackle?
Rest of these at the link above:
Will we see steps forward from recent draft picks?
The run stuffer battle
Will Andre Carter II be the most intriguing player at camp?
Traditionally the Vikings have opened camp with news of contract extensions being signed but the team’s run of cutting/trading cornerstone players this offseason brings into question whether there will be a Danielle Hunter press conference on the day players report to TCO Performance Center. Hunter’s decision to sit out minicamp was a clear indication that he is not settling for a short-term solution as he has the last two offseasons. After an elite (and healthy) season rushing the passer, the veteran Pro Bowler is looking for a serious commitment.
The Vikings have future considerations with their salary cap though. Justin Jefferson and TJ Hockenson are also up for extensions and Christian Darrisaw is one year away from becoming one of the highest paid left tackles in the NFL. Can they find a way to pay everyone? Does the remainder of Hunter’s peak land within their timeline? Would they be comfortable finding out what they have in recent draft picks?
This situation does not come with an Easy Button for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to push. It could play out throughout the summer if Hunter wants too much money and the other 31 teams aren’t willing to offer enough for his services. Something will have to give at some point but it’s hard to say exactly when.
Where do Marcus Davenport and Dean Lowry fit in?
The Vikings swung on two veteran free agents who had down 2022 seasons to replace Za’Darius Smith and Dalvin Tomlinson. Davenport has put together an uneven career after being picked by the Saints in the first round of the 2018 draft, posting two strong sack-producing seasons in 2019 and 2021 and two years with fewer than two sacks. His PFF grades and underlying pressure metrics are strong in a largely rotational role. Is that the Vikings’ plan for him or do they expect Davenport to be an every-down player? Over his career he’s rarely played as an inside rusher — could that change under Brian Flores? It will take months before we know whether Davenport, who hasn’t yet turned 27, is going to be an underrated gem but we will get an idea what Flores has in store for his role.
Lowry is another bet on 2021 production. He had 42 pressures and 5.0 sacks in ‘21 but those numbers dropped to 17 and 0.5, respectively. A closer look at his usage from PFF’s alignment data shows that he was lined up much more often at a base 3-4 defensive end position in ‘21 versus ‘22, which may have played into his success rushing the passer. Are the Vikings trying to recreate that or use him as more of a traditional defensive tackle?
Rest of these at the link above:
Will we see steps forward from recent draft picks?
The run stuffer battle
Will Andre Carter II be the most intriguing player at camp?
... and neither is this Chris guy.