Defensive Shakeup Opens Opportunities for Vikings
On Wednesday, around 6PM, I was looking out at my lawn, thinking maybe I would get the mowing done. The sun was setting, and since it wasn’t too hot and humid, I could also do the trimming.
I didn’t have a care in the world and wasn’t thinking about the Vikings. A few hours later, one trade I never expected happened, changing the defensive side of the ball significantly. Defensive tackle Harrison Phillips had been traded to the Jets out of nowhere, and that floored me.
The Vikings’ defensive shakeup after the Harrison Phillips trade has opened doors for bubble players like Taki Taimani, Tyler Batty, and others to prove their value.
I really thought the team had finally secured him some help up front, and they would dominate with really good young depth. Now, with the trade of Phillips, it means others have obviously proven that they can handle the position.
This also gives some players who may have been sitting on the roster bubble another chance to jump and lock down a spot. There’s also the chance that someone not on the roster could be slid into this spot. Let’s take a look at the guys on the roster that have their last chance to lock down a place or put their skills on tape as they face the Titans Friday night.
Vikings Defenders to Monitor on Friday Night in Final Preseason Game
Taki Taimani / Elijah Williams
A group that was devoid of depth the last few years is now one of the deepest on the roster, as evidenced by the Phillips trade. Like the offensive line, the defensive line got deep quickly this offseason.
Taimani was looking like the odd man out with rookie Elijah Williams making a big push to unseat him. He still might. All the other linemen are locked in as starters and rotational players with Javon Hargrave, Johnathan Allen, Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez, and rookie Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins. With Phillips’ departure, this may make space for both players; otherwise, Taimani may need to beat out Williams outright to stick around.
Williams has had some great splash plays on both run and pass plays, so I think he might have the edge where Taimani is best as a run stuffer.
Tyler Batty
I have to admit, I am intrigued by Batty’s skillset and what he’s shown this preseason. He is a big man and wouldn’t usually project as an OLB in the NFL. He has had some runs there with minimal success. He has also been playing as an interior defensive lineman with his hand in the dirt.
We all know how much Bran Flores likes versatile players that can be moved around like chess pieces to keep the offense off balance. Batty may show that versatility in this final game and make it tough to let him go. Could he also be part of the reason the Vikings felt they could trade away Phillips? Probably not. While I think he could be on the roster, I feel he’s a solid practice squad player who could develop into more.
Mekhi Blackmon
Talk about a guy I didn’t think would be on the roster bubble this year. Word out of TCO was that he had recovered from his knee injury and was on track to be a significant contributor on defense. However, we haven’t seen much from him in the two preseason games.
Cornerbacks don’t always have to have interceptions or pass breakups to show that they are doing their job. They just need to be in proper coverage where observers can see that quarterbacks aren’t throwing their direction because they have things locked down. We haven’t heard that kind of talk around him, which leads me to believe that he is getting out of position against 2nd and 3rd string lineups.
He has been tackling well and hasn’t been burned deep, but there isn’t much else to talk about. Dwight McGlothern, Ambry Thomas, and Reddy Steward have put more on tape, and Zemaiah Vaughn (a Mr. Mankato favorite) has been putting plenty of pressure on Blackmon. He needs to have a very solid game to show the team he can stick around. Add in team cutdowns and there may be a free agent to come in and push him out as well.
Asante Samuel Jr. is still available, serving as an example of a potential late signing to help with cap room gymnastics, similar to when the team signed Dalton Risner a few years ago.
Ryan Wright / Oscar Chapman
This is either a quiet contest or simply a full tryout in case of emergency. Chapman is listed as the team’s international player, which means they could put him on the practice squad, and he doesn’t take up a spot. The NFL allows teams to have one extra spot for an international player from the International Player Pathway Program.
You may think it’s a waste for a punter, but if you don’t have anyone in any other position to fill it, then why not use it in this fashion? Chapman has been successfully holding kicks for Will Reichard to show he can handle both the punting and holder duties. He also has a special kick in his toolbox called the “Banana Ball,” which is a kick that bends when it’s kicked, similar to a banana shape, and can be a good skill for directional kicks and pinning the team closer to their own endzone. He has about the same power as Wright, but it’s not so far off that most would notice in a game.
If the Titans face a high number of punts and field goals this Friday, we may see a new punter by the end of the weekend.
Defensive line, linebackers, and safety are all pretty set at this point, with some players possibly securing their spots due to their special teams play. There’s also the chance that the team is waiting to sign a free agent at these defensive positions after the preseason is over. After the trade of Phillips, anything is possible.
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