5 things we learned during the Minnesota Vikings preseason
The Minnesota Vikings wrapped up their preseason on Saturday afternoon and are now beginning the preparations for their season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 10.
The preseason was a long process that may not have given much clarity to what the Vikings will actually look like this season, but there are several takeaways ahead of the new campaign.
It's not looking good for the 2022 draft class
This training camp was a big one for last year's class as they were used sparingly during their rookie season. But a majority of these picks have yet to develop as the Vikings had hoped.
Lewis Cine was the Vikings' first-round pick one year ago and there was some optimism after he returned from a season-ending leg injury. While Cine maintained his explosiveness, there were still some concerns such as a missed tackle that led to a 33-yard touchdown run by Tajae Spears against Tennessee, and a 25 percent missed tackle rate that ranked ninth among qualifying safeties that played 50 percent of snaps this preseason.
Things were even worse for Andrew Booth Jr. The second-round pick is also returning from a meniscus injury but allowed a league-high 149.3 passer rating this preseason. It should be noted that Booth only saw three targets but he was also 58th out of 81 qualifying cornerbacks in overall grade.
There are some small victories in that Ingram will start at right guard and Akayleb Evans locked down a starting role at cornerback, but the first two picks set the tone of the class and don't appear to be on the verge of contributing anytime soon.
Ivan Pace is more than "Mr Mankato"
The Vikings signed Pace as a UDFA shortly after last April's draft and he became a favorite to win the prestigious (but also made up) Mr. Mankato award. But as the preseason went along, Pace not only was the breakout player of camp, he may have earned a major role in Brian Flores's defense.
Pace stood out in the opening game in Seattle and wore the green dot on his helmet, which indicates his ability to communicate and call plays in conjunction with the coaching staff. While this could be seen as a contingency plan in case of injury, Pace started to get first-team reps toward the end of the preseason and did not play in the finale against Arizona on Saturday.
Pace's exact role when the Vikings take the field on Sept. 10 is still unclear but it will a bigger one than many anticipated. With Jordan Hicks and Brian Asamoah also in the mix at linebacker, it gives Flores several combinations to work with and adds a wrinkle to his defense.
Questions remain over the offensive line
Dalton Risner's visit to TCO Performance Center at the beginning of training camp didn't result in a contract, but it did raise some alarms over the status of the offensive line. After three preseason games, the Vikings have done nothing to ease those concerns and will head into the opener with major question marks.
The tackle spots seem secure as Christian Darrisaw will start at left tackle and Brian O'Neill is expected to be ready to go as he rehabs from a partially torn Achilles. The middle of the offensive line is set only by name, however, as Ezra Cleveland, Garrett Bradbury and Ed Ingram due to return.
There are even more questions behind the starting group. Austin Schlottmann and Vederian Lowe were the only offensive linemen who posted a PFF grade over 70 this preseason and Lowe still allowed six pressures on 87 pass-blocking snaps. Oli Udoh also had a rough preseason allowing four pressures and two sacks on just 64 pass-blocking snaps.
After watching Kirk Cousins get driven into the turf during the Netflix docuseries Quarterback, the offensive line has to be one of the biggest concerns heading into this season and may need reinforcements.
The Vikings need reinforcement at running back
The Vikings released Dalvin Cook in an effort to get younger, cheaper and more efficient in the backfield but outside of Alexander Mattison, they might have also deprived themselves of depth heading into the season.
Ty Chandler had a solid preseason debut with 11 carries for 42 yards against Seattle but ran for just 24 yards on 11 carries in the second preseason game against Tennessee. After sitting out the Arizona game, he appears to have won the backup job but it's almost by default as no other running back stepped up.
Kene Nwangwu missed the entire preseason with an undisclosed injury and seventh-round pick DeWayne McBride struggled despite running for 37 yards and a touchdown on eight carries in the loss to the Cardinals.
With the Vikings hosting Kareem Hunt for a free-agent visit, this seems like another area where they should be looking for depth in the coming weeks.
Contract negotiations aren't easy
There are other on-the-field storylines such as the depth at wide receiver, how Flores's new scheme looks, and Cousins's "Hollywood" Hogan handlebar mustache but they were all overshadowed by what didn't happen at the negotiation table.
The Vikings were expected to sign Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson to contract extensions this offseason but neither have signed on the dotted line as we approach the start of the regular season.
In the case of Justin Jefferson, he may be waiting on Nick Bosa to agree to a deal with the San Francisco 49ers so he can be the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. But in the case of Hockenson, a reported desire to reset the tight end market has come with a lengthy bout with an ear infection and a sore back.
Both players are key pieces to the Vikings' future and are expected to suit up when they face the Buccaneers. But with Cousins also playing on the final year of his deal without an extension, the Vikings' fear of commitment creates a cloud over the excitement for this season.
