Questions Answered: The Plan after Mekhi Blackmon, Vikings Training Camp So Far, Sam Darnold

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Mekhi Blackmon (5) and the Minnesota Vikings celebrate an interception in the third quarter of a Week 15 NFL football game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Cincinnati Bengals, Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Bengals won 27-24 in overtime. © Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK.

The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by VikingsTerritory. Today is the July 25th edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].

Questions Answered: The Plan after Mekhi Blackmon, Training Camp So Far, Sam Darnold

Also, please note: These are opinion-based responses. Some answers will be incorrect from time to time. But we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.

Minnesota Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores addressed the media from the TCO Performance Center on July 25th, 2024. Flores was hired in February 2023 to take over for Ed Donatell after Minnesota finished 30th in points allowed.

Q: Who will replace Mekhi Blackmon?

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Oct 29, 2023; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Mekhi Blackmon (5) breaks up a pass intended for Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (9) in the game at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Tork Mason-USA TODAY Sports.

Answer: The Vikings will probably wait for a few days to see what the existing group looks like, and if the product is underwhelming, survey free agency for a “Brian Flores guy,” like Stephon Gilmore or Xavien Howard.

Thankfully, Duke Shelley is back in the house. He played wonderfully in Minnesota two years ago. Maybe he has more in the tank and is just what the doctor ordered.

Directly, in the slot cornerback position, Byron Murphy will likely take over Blackmon’s responsibilities, with Shaquill Griffin and Akayleb Evans on the outside. That’s assuming, of course, that general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah does not sign Gilmore or Howard.

Q: What has stood off the page so far at Vikings training camp?

mekhi blackmon
Oct 2, 2022; London, United Kingdom; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell (left) and wide receiver Jalen Nailor (83) before an NFL International Series game against the New Orleans Saints at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.

Answer: Besides obvious quarterback enthusiasm and hype — that was basically inevitable — third-year wideout Jalen Nailor.

According to The Athletic, Nailor looks great in Eagan this week. “When Jalen Nailor is healthy, he stands out. Wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell directed the Vikings receivers through early drills Wednesday, and Nailor appeared bulkier than in years past,” Alec Lewis wrote Wednesday.

To date in the NFL, Nailor has encountered a litany of injuries, stunting his development.

Lewis also mentioned Nailor’s possible WR3 frontrunner status. “If he stays healthy, he is likely the internal favorite to be the team’s No. 3 receiver, a role O’Connell discussed Wednesday,” he explained. “For as much faith as the staff has in Brandon Powell and Trishton Jackson, it still feels like the Vikings could add a more experienced and reliable option at this spot.”

It might feel a little bit like Irv Smith Jr. — this is your warning — but Nailor looks the part so far this summer.

Q: Will Sam Darnold play in the preseason?

New Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold at June 2024 minicamp. Eagan, Minnesota. TCO Performance Center. Darnold has played with the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers in his six-year career.

A: This one could go either way, but we’ll say yes to Darnold in the preseason.

Darnold is not a franchise quarterback. In years past, Minnesota would put Kirk Cousins on ice in August, chiefly because he had nothing to prove. Consistency was his jam. Darnold isn’t like that. He’ll need time to jibe with the offense, and the preseason is perfect for the assignment.

We’d rather see oodles of J.J. McCarthy in the preseason, but the Vikings will probably do both — Darnold and McCarthy. Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall will get snaps, too. Maybe a quarter for each player?


Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL. 

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily ... More about Dustin Baker