Former Gophers LB Blake Cashman shines in Vikings home debut

Cashman looks right at home in the Vikings' defense.

Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman (51) after the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images / Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Former Gophers linebacker Blake Cashman was all over the field in his home debut with the Minnesota Vikings. He finished the day with a team-high 13 total tackles, one sack, and three pass deflections — one of which led to a game-changing interception.

After two seasons with the Texans, the Eden Prairie native opted to return home to Minnesota as a free agent this offseason. The Vikings signed him to a 3-year, $22.5 million contract, and through two games, he looks like everything they could've hoped for.

“Great athleticism, burst, speed, flies around, instinctive, good cover player, good tackler, and what we really expected coming in and he has confirmed is (he’s a) great communicator. That is not an easy job,” Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said of Cashman, who is wearing the green dot and relaying play calls for Brian Flores' defense.

After playing 69 snaps in Sunday's upset win over the 49ers, Pro Football Focus (PFF) gave Cashman an 80.9 grade, which ranked second-best on the Vikings' defense. In 38 coverage snaps, he earned a team-high 90.9 coverage grade.

.@Vikings @blockayyy on a day when the great @fred_warner comes to town...Sir Blake might have outplayed the best in the BIZ. Perfect fit for Flores scheme. #skol #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/3yBmhu8GXn

— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) September 16, 2024

Cashman was selected in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft,157th overall by the Jets. He struggled to catch on in New York and joined the Texans after three seasons. Last year, in a breakout campaign with Houston, he proved that he can be a quality starting linebacker in the league. At 28 years old and back in his home state of Minnesota, Cashman looks like the perfect middle linebacker for the Vikings' defense.

He was an unranked recruit in the class of 2015, walking on to Minnesota as a safety. Cashman earned himself a scholarship and through a coaching change, he finished his career with 183 total tackles and 12 sacks in 48 games. He was an unknown high school prospect, but he's now blossomed into one of the better inside linebackers in the NFL.

(Our Gophers conversation starts at the 25:30 mark in the embed below.)