The 10 Main Newcomers at Vikings Training Camp
The 2024 Minnesota Vikings begin training camp on Sunday, and the regular season is 50 days away.
The team added about 40 new players this offseason, hellbent on change and a brand new era at quarterback.
The 10 Main Newcomers at Vikings Training Camp
And with training camp about to heat up in full effect, these are the 10 main newcomers, ranked in ascending order of intrigue (No. 1 = most intriguing newcomer).
10. Will Reichard (K)
The best collegiate kicker from 2023 is on tap for Vikings kicking duty in 2024, thanks to a draft pick by Adofo-Mensah. Some think Reichard could surrender to the unofficial Vikings kicking curse, but eventually, that has to end, right?
Minnesota will have numerous new items in 2024, and an organically drafted kicker is on the list. Ryan Longwell was the last stable kicker for the Vikings, and he came from the Wisconsin team.
9. Shaquill Griffin (CB)
Griffin became a Viking in March, an insurance policy for all of Minnesota’s young cornerbacks. He can be plugged-and-played anytime and might even start for the 2024 Vikings.
He totaled a 72.4 passer-rating-against between two teams last season, which is one of the best among current purple corners. Minnesota needed another veteran presence in the CB room, and Griffin is exactly that.
It’s worth noting, too, that free-agent corners Stephon Gilmore and Xavien Howard remain available on the open market, and both have ties to defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
8. Jerry Tillery (DT)
Some Vikings fans rolled their eyes when Tillery entered the chat this offseason, mostly because the club didn’t sign a high-profile defensive tackle like Arik Armstead. For some, Tillery seemed like a nothingburger.
But while he hasn’t lived up to his 1st-Round draft stock, Tillery fired up a 67.7 PFF grade in 2023. That little factoid flies under the radar. He isn’t Christian Wilkins, but the man is a decent lineman.
Many have already written his presence on the Vikings off as the continuation of a 1st-Round bust. But the decent PFF grade is a building block with Brian Flores’ help.
7. Andrew Van Ginkel (OLB)
Van Ginkel experienced ample playing time in 2023 when virtually every EDGE defender for the Dolphins was lost to injury. He had 6 sacks and 20 pressures, according to Stathead, along with a blistering 91.1 PFF grade.
He’s a transfer from the Brian Flores days in Miami.
6. Blake Cashman (LB)
A new defender via free agency from the Houston Texans, Cashman will replace Jordan Hicks from last year’s roster. He totally excelled in 2023, tallying an 83.7 PFF grade.
His pass coverage skills will fit into Brian Flores’ defense like a glove. He and Ivan Pace Jr. will formulate the best linebacking duo in Minnesota since Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks.
5. Aaron Jones (RB)
Aaron Jones was a Top 3 running back in the NFL during December and January, which is probably why the Vikings handed him an eyebrow-raising one-year contract ($7 million). The veteran halfback helped drive Green Bay to the postseason and knock off the Dallas Cowboys on the road.
With the injury caveat, he’s a top-five Viking this season, even at age 29.
These were Jones’ rushing-yard performances in 2023 to close out the season:
- 127
- 120
- 111
- 118
- 108
Not bad.
4. Jonathan Greenard (OLB)
This fella will directly replace Danielle Hunter, and he just so happened to fire up 12.5 sacks in 2023, his age-26 season. The man is trending up and will start for sure in the Vikings’ 2024 defense.
Greenard’s 78.2 PFF grade in 2023 is undeniable. He’s also a superb run defender — not all pass rushers can claim that.
3. Sam Darnold (QB)
When Darnold last started in the NFL two years ago, he didn’t play poorly at all.
QB Rankings | 2022,
EPA + CPOE:
(min. 125 att)
- Patrick Mahomes (.178)
- Tua Tagovailoa (.148)
- Jalen Hurts (.143)
- Josh Allen (.137)
- Sam Darnold (.128)
- Jimmy Garoppolo (.128)
- Joe Burrow (.126)
All of those theories claiming Darnold could be “this year’s Baker Mayfield” aren’t totally out of left field.
2. Dallas Turner (OLB)
Draft analysts classified Turner the best defensive player in the draft, and he somehow slid to Minnesota at the 17th overall pick. Unless he has a strange summer, he should start out of the gate and formulate a sweet two-headed monster pass-rushing duo with Greenard, another newcomer on this list.
1. J.J. McCarthy
This is the Vikings’ one big chance to organically draft and develop a franchise quarterback. Some have called for it since 2018, when a coalition of the Vikings’ fanbase threw in the towel on Kirk Cousins. Minnesota hasn’t showcased a consistent starting quarterback from its draft class since Daunte Culpepper — 25 years ago.
McCarthy may not win the QB1 job immediately, but he’s the shiny hope for the future. He’s training camp’s top newcomer accordingly. The future of the franchise rests on his shoulders.
Texans Sign Former Vikings Player
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 Vikings 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.
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