Vikings Rookie Report: Preseason Week 2
Adam Patrick
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With two games now under their belts, the 2016 Minnesota Vikings rookie class look like a bunch of savvy veterans out on the field. Well ok, not quite.
But Last week’s preseason contest against the Seattle Seahawks gave the young Vikings another opportunity to remind their team why they drafted them. In their second NFL game, some of Minnesota’s rookies made the most of their time on the field while others barely even got a shot to get their cleats dirty.
Laquon Treadwell, WR (23rd overall, first round)
After a successful debut in Cincinnati a week ago, Treadwell came back to earth in Seattle. He saw four balls thrown his way the entire game but finished with zero catches.
However, some of Treadwell’s struggles against the Seahawks may have not been entirely his fault.
In his two games with the Vikings, he has seen passes thrown from quarterbacks Shaun Hill and Joel Stave. Treadwell has caught 66 percent of the balls Hill has thrown him while only 33 percent of Stave’s throws.
His next game should provide more insight into why Treadwell’s stat sheet was blank in Seattle.
Mackensie Alexander, CB (54th, second round)
Other than the last drive of the game, Alexander may have had the best performance of any Minnesota player on the field last Thursday.
The Vikings’ 2016 second round pick looked like he had been in the league for a decade the way he was covering the Seahawks’ receivers. Even if he allowed a pass to be caught on him, he made sure that player did not get out of his grasp and he finished the game with six total tackles..
With Xavier Rhodes currently nursing a hamstring injury, Minnesota might need their rookie corner to play a little more to start the season. Luckily for the Vikings, he should be up to the task.
Willie Beavers, OL (121st, fourth round)
He did not do anything too wonderful and he did not do anything too horrible. He basically looked like a rookie offensive lineman overwhelmed with the speed and power of the defensive players he has to block.
Minnesota may keep him on their roster for depth in the season, but it would not be surprising if Beavers ended up on the Vikings’ practice squad for 2016.
Kentrell Brothers, LB (160th, fifth round)
His play in Seattle definitely improved from his performance a week ago against the Bengals. He finished the game with five total tackles and almost came away with an impressive interception.
Despite his improvement from the game in Cincinnati, Brothers did not exactly blow anyone out of the water during his snaps against the Seahawks either. Special teams duty is likely what he will be relegated to once the regular season begins.
Moritz Böhringer, WR (180th, sixth round)
No words to describe MoBö’s three snaps on special teams, just a short video clip.
Poor MoBö…#Vikings pic.twitter.com/kAcYgUr0fh
— Adam Patrick (@Str8_Cash_Homey) August 22, 2016
David Morgan, TE (188th, sixth round)
Unlike his fellow sixth round rookie teammate, Morgan has been one of the most impressive rookies in a Vikings uniform this summer. So much so that Minnesota may end up keeping four tight ends on their active roster when they begin the regular season.
He did not catch any passes in Seattle, but it was his skills as a blocker that made Morgan stand out while playing among the backups. He still struggles a bit with pass protection, but his ability to create holes for the Vikings’ running backs have lead to some of the team’s longest runs in the preseason.
When Minnesota finally decides to part ways with tight end Rhett Ellsion, Morgan will be a more than worthy candidate to fill his role.
Steven Weatherly, LB (227th, seventh round)
Nothing too significant to note about Weatherly’s performance against the Seahawks other than his “almost sack” on the same play that lead to Marcus Sherels’ game-winning pick six. Special teams or practice squad is what will likely be in the rookie pass rusher’s future for 2016.
Jayron Kearse, S (244th, seventh round)
It still remains incredibly hard to believe that Kearse fell all the way to the seventh and final round of the 2016 draft.
Although his play this week was not as good as it was against the Bengals, Kearse still displayed that he has the skills and tools to become a successful NFL player in the near future. He finished Thursday night with just two tackles, but he could have had more if he had just decided to tackle with other parts of his body than just his arms (especially on Seattle’s touchdown run in the fourth quarter).
Should not be anything too serious to worry about. A few one-on-one sessions with coach Zimmer and Kearse will be able to tackle an oiled up pig on an ice rink.