Questions Answered: Vikings Breakout Player, Top Remaining Order of Business, Worst Decision

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Tork Mason-USA TODAY Sports.

The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by VikingsTerritory. Today is the May 6th edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].

Questions Answered: Vikings Breakout Player, Top Remaining Order of Business, Worst Decision

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.

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Q: Who’s a player we can all expect to break out in 2024? Need a name.

Breakout Player
Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.

Answer: Mekhi Blackmon.

The young cornerback produced a 71.8 Pro Football Focus grade as a rookie, and for some reason, fans aren’t absolutely thrilled by him. They’re kind of assuming he’s just another combatant in a deep cornerback room.

But for a rookie — or anybody, really — 71.8 is quite impressive, and in fact, that ranked 32nd in the NFL among all cornerbacks. Fans should be genuinely excited by Blackmon’s development; 2023 was only the beginning.

He was also responsible for an 81.8 passer rating against, which is quite good. Tell everyone you know that Blackmon is a solid defender who will break out during his second act.

Q: Aside from Justin Jefferson’s contract, what’s the Vikings next or most pressing order of business?

Called On for Pro
Minnesota Vikings Wide Receivers Coach Keenan McCardell addressed the media from the TCO Performance Center. McCardell joined the Vikings in 2021 as wide receivers coach and is credited with helping to develop Justin Jefferson and others.

Answer: Signing a WR3.

Minnesota could sign Hunter Renfrow or Tyler Boyd, for example, today and get richer in the WR room. Usually, tight end T.J. Hcokenson can be labeled as the club’s pseudo-WR3 because of his massive target share, but he probably won’t be available to start 2024 because of a knee injury.

We’d also recommend that Minnesota sign defensive tackle Calais Campbell but aren’t confined they’ll actually do that. So, let’s stick with adding a proven WR3 to contend with Brandon Powell, Jalen Nailor, and Trent Sherfield this summer.

Q: What’s the Vikings’ worst offseason decision so far?

Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

A: Not nabbing a big-name defensive tackle from free agency or the draft.

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could’ve signed Arik Armstead, Grover Stewart, Leonard Williams, or D.J. Reader — or spent the big bucks on Christian Wilkins. This year’s free-agent class was loaded with DT talent. Next year’s is not.

Then, because of a run on DTs in Round 2 of the draft, the Vikings had hardly any options by the time Round 4 rolled around.

Accordingly, for about the 10th consecutive season, the purple team will head into a season with an underwhelming three-technique DT solution.


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 Sal Spice. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).

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