Oddsmakers believe the 2024 Minnesota Vikings have about six or seven wins in the tank, evidently on deck for a transformational or growth-oriented season, not Super Bowl contendership.
These 5 Vikings Will Receive More Playing Time in 2024
The summer calendar gets cracking this weekend with the beginning of training camp, and the first preseason game is just three weeks away.
And when the Vikings get to the regular season, a handful of players will receive more playing time. These are those players listed in alphabetical order.
1. Mekhi Blackmon (CB)
Defensive Snaps in 2023: 435 (43%)
Blackmon was the NFL’s 32nd-best overall cornerback back in 2023, according to PFF, a wonderful mark for a rookie and a decent grade for anybody. About 90 cornerbacks play football on any given Sunday, and Blackmon was near the NFL’s best one-third.
Minnesota’s defense was infamously housed on two occasions last year by tall wide receivers: once versus Courtland Sutton and the Denver Broncos and the other time by Tee Higgins and the Cincinnati Bengals (though Akayleb Evans was the one directly on the Bengals receiver). Blackmon was involved. That led some Vikings fans to lose enthusiasm for Blackmon, though that was silly because all rookies make mistakes.
Now, in Year No. 2, Blackmon will build upon an impressive first act, likely surpassing 435 snaps from 2023. If he does not, it will have meant he encountered a sophomore slump of sorts.
2. Blake Brandel (OG)
Offensive Snaps in 2023: 163 (15%)
All offseason, Minnesota’s coaching staff has trumpeted Brandel’s upside.
“I’m really excited about Blake. I feel like he gets bigger every time I see him. He’s just a massive man on the inside. But he’s in great shape, he’s always been very coachable,” offensive coordinator Wes Phillps told reporters at May’s organized team activities (OTAs) about Brandel. “You talk about technique, fundamentals, footwork, hand placement, all the things that are critical for the O-line — one false step for an O-lineman could be a catastrophe — it’s been very encouraging so far with him stepping into that starting spot on the left.”
That sounds like a man on his way to a starter’s job.
3. Ty Chandler (RB)
Offensive Snaps in 2023: 307 (27%)
Chandler didn’t receive an audition last year until the bitter end of the Alexander Mattison experiment. Then, we took over at RB1, he looked great.
Fast forward to March 2024, and Minnesota signed Aaron Jones to once again keep Chandler at RB2. However, Jones is injury-prone and will turn 30 in December. Kevin O’Connell and his coaching staff will probably split the workload between Jones and Chandler more equitably than most fans think, resulting in more touches for Chandler in 2024 than in 2023.
4. Jalen Nailor (WR)
Offensive Snaps in 2023: 94 (24%)
Nailor is likely on tap as Minnesota’s WR4 in 2024, with a sneaky chance to win WR3 over the next guy on the list. Due to injuries last year, Nailor didn’t play much, and he’ll hope for a more prominent role this season.
In many ways, injury and performance, 2024 seems like a make-or-break year for the Vikings’ speedster.
5. Brandon Powell (WR)
Offensive Snaps in 2023: 407 (36%)
Because Minnesota has skimpy WR3 depth, Powell almost feels like the winner of the battle by default. And if that prophecy comes true, he’ll be on the field for about 800 offensive snaps. Powell will turn 29 in September, so he has a season or two to reign as the Vikings’ WR3.
It’s all up to him, winning the third wideout gig, especially after general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah signed no free agents like Tyler Boyd or Curtis Samuel and drafted no young candidates like Javon Baker or Jamari Thrash.
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.