Is Brian Asamoah Close to Done with the Vikings?
There was a time when Brian Asamoah looked the part of an emerging cog in the Minnesota Vikings defense. Then he came out in 2023 and played a grand total of 36 defensive snaps. Is that a sign of what’s to come in Brian Flores’ defense, or is there opportunity to turn things around?
Is Brian Asamoah Close to Done with the Vikings?
Drafted in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Brian Asamoah quickly emerged as an exciting contributor for the Minnesota Vikings. As a rookie, he played 11% of the defensive snaps and grabbed another 61% of the special teams snaps. His quick burst appeared to be something of intrigue at the linebacker position, and a second year in the league would allow him to continue development.
In 2023, Ivan Pace Jr. was signed as an undrafted free agent and emerged as a focal point of Brian Flores’ defense. Asamoah was nowhere to be seen, and there were more questions than answers about his practical usage for the Minnesota Vikings.
Kevin O’Connell is an offensive-minded head coach, and it’s worth suggesting that he likely doesn’t get too far into the weeds regarding the defense. He allowed Ed Donatell to sabotage his offense in 2022, and while Asamoah found more opportunities during his rookie campaign, it’s worth mentioning how bad that unit was. In empowering Flores during his 2023 takeover, deciding what players got run isn’t something that O’Connell would ever do.
Now, with Pace, Blake Cashman, and a couple of other new linebacker options in tow, you have to question whether we have seen the last meaningful snaps for Asamoah with the Vikings. It’s hard to believe his development as a rotational talent with significant athletic abilities simply stalled out, but the scheme could be one in which his skillset no longer suffices.
This is probably the final year for Asamoah to make any real impact for the Vikings, and if he isn’t going to transition back in a positive way, it’s hard to believe he will be kept around by the organization much longer. What was once a promising start has looked anything but since. The next chapter of this story remains the most important one.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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