The 4 Main Training Camp Battles to Watch for Vikings
Dustin Baker
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All dates are set for Minnesota Vikings training camp in July and August. The team announced pricing, type of practice, etc., on Tuesday.
Now, fans need to know what to watch for — aside from the newness of a fresh coaching staff and draft class.
These are the four main battles to watch as Kevin O’Connell’s first training camp gets underway next month.
Right Guard
The Contenders: Jesse Davis. Ed Ingram, Chris Reed
The right guard spot has been a source of frustration for the Vikings and the team’s fans since Kirk Cousins came to town in 2018. Minnesota has auditioned men like Dakota Dozier, Dru Samia, and Oli Udoh to no avail.
Now, with a new front office and offensive-minded coaching staff, the Vikings took a three-pronged approach to fix RG once and for all. According to doings at June’s minicamp, Davis is likely the frontrunner for right guard. He has substantial starting experience with the Miami Dolphins, albeit as a tackle.
If the Davis starter stuff was all smoke, then Ingram, a rookie, or Reed, another free agent, could be the RG1 in September.
Overall, here’s the deal: Davis is the frontrunner from June, Ingram was drafted in Round 2 [so he should start sooner than later], and Reed has an impressive resume from Pro Football Focus. And Reed is a guard by trade, unlike Davis.
Starting Cornerbacks
The Contenders: Patrick Peterson, Cameron Dantzler, Andrew Booth
Back in March, fans panicked about the CB room as Dantzler and reservists players were the only assets on the depth chart. Suddenly, the Vikings have camp battles at corner.
Peterson is a fringe Hall of Famer and Vikings incumbent starter who re-signed with Minnesota back in March when he reasonably could have latched onto a contender like the Kansas City Chiefs. Alas, he chose the Vikings for some reason.
Dantzler is trending precisely how a good young defensive back should, improving from his freshman year to the sophomore campaign — once he escaped Mike Zimmer’s doghouse.
Booth is 2nd-Rounder from April’s draft who some forecasted as a 1st-Round commodity.
All three of these men cannot start unless defensive coordinator Ed Donatell oddly shifts one to the slot position. Therefore, the camp battle is between Peterson, Dantzler, and Booth. Three men for two starting gigs.
Free Safety
The Contenders: Lewis Cine, Camryn Bynum
Vikings fans are used to rookies not starting right away, so this could be familiar paranoia.
Cine was drafted in Round 1 by Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and is the future at safety, especially when Harrison Smith retires. However, Bynum, a second-year safety, played wonderfully when given a chance in 2021.
Just like the CB spot, the Vikings have “too many” good safeties. Bynum probably deserves a starting job based on his unforeseen 2021 production, but Cine is a 1st-Rounder.
It’s advantage Cine to win this job, but Bynum cannot be ruled out.
QB2
The Contenders: Kellen Mond, Sean Mannion
This battle will tell you if something is fundamentally wrong with Kellen Mond, who was drafted in Round 3 of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Listen, Sean Mannion isn’t good. He keeps finding ways to win the QB2 job behind Kirk Cousins — and plays poorly when called upon in regular season games.
Mond was chosen by the Vikings as a potential succession plan to Cousins if the Vikings don’t effectuate a playoff run with the controversial quarterback.
If Mond cannot oust Mannion for a QB2 job this summer — with a new coaching staff that seems to value him — he will never be a franchise quarterback for the Vikings.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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