The Vikings Have Added 7 Players in the Past 3.5 Weeks
Injury woes have not been kind to the Minnesota Vikings so far in 2024.
The team lost CB Mekhi Blackmon for the season on the very first day of training camp, and now, rookie QB J.J. McCarthy is also out for the year after head coach Kevin O’Connell revealed the first-round pick underwent a full repair of his meniscus on Wednesday.
As a result of some injury troubles, Minnesota has needed to find some new faces to fill in on the field. Since training camp began on July 21st, the Vikings have added seven different players. Here is a look back at each of the players they have brought in.
LBs Jabril Cox/Jordan Kunaszyk
Of course, Jabril Cox has already left the Vikings after Minnesota opted to waive him with an injury designation. Cox was a fourth-round pick in 2021 by the Dallas Cowboys after splitting his collegiate career between North Dakota State and LSU. In total, he has played just 26 games at the NFL level because of injuries.
As for Cox’s replacement, Kunaszyk was brought in earlier this week to try and shore up the depth at the linebacker spot. Kunaszyk has largely been a rotational/special teams contributor since he began his NFL career in 2019. The linebacker has appeared in 46 games, making two starts.
S Bobby McCain
Bobby McCain, who turns 31 years old on Sunday, August 18th, has seen a lot of football at the NFL level, and he also brings some versatility to the table. McCain was selected in fifth round by the Miami Dolphins back in the 2015 NFL Draft, and he has showcased an ability to play both at safety and in the slot.
With the Vikings having plenty of question marks at the cornerback position while also potentially looking for a Lewis Cine replacement on the depth chart, McCain can be a valuable depth piece who has two years of experience in the Brian Flores defense.
CB Fabian Moreau
Many Vikings fans maybe hadn’t heard much about Fabian Moreau before he signed with the team, but make no mistake, Moreau is not an unknown player in the NFL. Moreau was a third-round pick by the Washington Commanders back in 2017, and he has recorded 56 starts during his NFL career, including 38 over the past three seasons.
The Vikings desperately need to find some sort of production at the cornerback position in 2024, and it won’t be coming from Andrew Booth after he was traded away. Perhaps Moreau can be a guy to take on some snaps in the defense this season.
CB Nahshon Wright
Speaking of Andrew Booth being traded, the Vikings shipped their 2022 second-round pick to Dallas, and in return, Minnesota got Nahshon Wright, who was selected by the Cowboys in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Essentially, this trade was a swap of two disappointing top-100 draft picks who may have needed a change of scenery in order to have any hopes of rejuvenating their NFL careers. Wright has started just three games during his NFL career, so it will be interesting to see if he can garner any role with Minnesota’s defense.
CB Jacobi Francis
Jacobi Francis was one of the players who the Vikings immediately brought in following Blackmon’s season-ending ACL tear. The cornerback is a former undrafted free agent who played five collegiate seasons at Memphis from 2017-2021.
Francis appeared in five games during the 2022 season with the Houston Texans, but he did not garner any playing time in 2023. He is yet to take a defensive snap at the NFL level, so he is a longshot to make the team this year.
CB Duke Shelley
And finally, the man who became beloved by Vikings fandom during the 2022 season: CB Duke Shelley. Shelley rose the ranks from practice squad all the way to starter during his first stint with the Vikings, and he was a big reason why Minnesota pulled off a victory against the Buffalo Bills.
This time around, it remains to be seen what Shelley’s role will be in Minnesota. The veteran was somewhat buried on the first depth chart, so it seems as if he will have his work cut out for him again in 2024.
Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via Pro Football Reference.
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