The 4 Big Surprises at Vikings Training Camp
The Minnesota Vikings are embedded in their seventh Eagan training camp in team history, six years removed from Mankato relocation.
The 4 Big Surprises at Vikings Training Camp
The regular season kicks off in exactly five weeks, with a trip to New Jersey for a date with the New York Giants.
And with preseason just six days away, these are the top four surprises from Vikings training camp, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = top surprise).
4. No Roster Bubble for Akayleb Evans
Akayleb Evans’ job security has increased by the moment. Source? Defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
“We’re going to need him,” Flores said about Evans on Monday. “You can’t teach that height, that length and his speed. Like all of us, he’s working to be as consistent as he can possibly be.”
Evans finished 2023 with a 54.9 Pro Football Focus grade, ranking him 99th of 127 qualifying cornerbacks. He also allowed a 110.4 passer-rating-against during his sophomore season, which was not overly efficient. He was benched a couple of times after starting 2023 quite well. The Missouri alumnus was taken out of a Week 18 game versus the Detroit Lions, later inserted back into the lineup, and was promptly torched by Amon-Ra St. Brown for a 70-yard touchdown.
Flores added about Evans on Monday, “I thought Akayleb did a lot of good things last year. I think there was a lot of growth and improvement from him, from when I got here throughout the season. There’s ups and downs for every player … but that’s life in the NFL. He’s bounced back, he’s strung some good days together, and we’re going to need him.”
From Flores’ lips, Evans’ job security is pretty damn safe.
3. Duke Shelley Is Back
Over a year ago, fans wanted Shelley on the roster for the 2023 Vikings. The front offices said no thanks. Fast forward to July 2024, and Minnesota added Shelley back to the summer depth chart when nobody expected it.
Shelley was marvelous for the Vikings in 2022, and fans fell in love. He played with a scrappy swagger and ranked as one the best cornerbacks in football, per Pro Football Focus that season.
Unexpectedly, he’s back.
2. All the Injuries
Mekhi Blackmon tore his ACL. Shaquill Griffin injured his hamsting and is week to week. T.J. Hockenson and NaJee Thompson are on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. Lewis Cine has a lower leg problem. And Robert Tonyan has back spasms.
Eagan, Minnesota, is a minitiaure infirmary.
1. The Vikings Have a REAL Quarterback Battle
Because he’s so young (he turned 21 in January), McCarthy should be taking his sweet time to develop. Nope — the opposite is occurring.
Darnold and McCarthy are neck and neck at training camp, and the preseason games might determine which man is ready to lead Minnesota into the 2024 regular season. Three weeks ago, Darnold was the odds-on favorite, with little debate from, well, anybody.
But with the preseason six days away, Darnold v. McCarthy as QB1 is a coinflip, which is downright stunning.
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.
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