Forgotten Vikings Defender Making Noise in June
Last summer, the Minnesota Vikings encountered a horrendous stretch when rookie cornerback Khyree Jackson passed away, cornerback Mekhi Blackmon tore his ACL, and quarterback J.J. McCarthy busted his meniscus.
One Vikings defender who you may not be thinking about is already turning heads this summer.
It felt the season had veered off the rails before it even began, but Minnesota ended up winning 14 games inside a season that oddsmakers pegged it for six or seven.
This summer has yet to be rocked by turmoil, and in fact, one forgotten Vikings defender has returned from the aforementioned injury. Blackmon, a third-year corner, is fully back in the mix of summer activities, and his defensive coordinator, Brian Flores, has taken notice.
Mekhi Blackmon Is Back from Injury
There is no mystery through mid-June about Mekhi Blackmon’s ACL recovery. He’s all the way back.
Without Blackmon in 2024, the Vikings turned to veteran Stephon Gilmore and Shaquill Griffin, two men who remain free agents after three months on the open market. Minnesota hasn’t needed to onboard those players for 2025 because, well, men like Blackmon are back in the mix.
Some 2024 injuries, like that to left tackle Christian Darrisaw, will require careful tracking this July and August to determine if Darrisaw will be ready for Week 1. But Blackmon isn’t like that. He’s good to go.
Brian Flores Not Shy about Mekhi Blackmon
Flores was asked last week about Blackmon’s ACL recovery, and the defensive boss didn’t hold back.
He told reporters, “I mean, it was incredible, honestly. I remember, we’re not late in the year, but we’re in, you know, October, November, and he’s up, he’s moving around, he’s training, and it was kind of a running joke, ‘I’ll see you in two weeks.’ And now we’re here and, you know, seeing him back out on the field is really a testament to his work ethic, his want-to, his belief in himself — just his overall ability to get back as quickly as he could and get himself out here so he could compete and do what he loves.”
“And that’s what we’re looking for. I think K.O. has said it many times: We want guys who love to play, who love the grind of it, who love the practice element, the studying element, the meetings. That’s certainly Mekhi.”
That’s precisely the type of update Blackmon fans would hope for — all smiles from Flores.
Blackmon’s Performance as a Rookie
Blackmon didn’t play one speck of football in 2024 because of the ACL, but before that, as a rookie, he stood off the page.
The USC alumnus logged a 71.8 Pro Football Focus grade, which flew somewhat under the radar for Vikings fans. Everyone was wrapped up in Ivan Pace Jr. mania regarding rookies. But Blackmon performed well, too.
When opposing quarterbacks targeted Blackmon — 52 times — they tabulated an 81.8 passer rating against. How does that translate? Quarterbacks essentially morphed into Mason Rudolph or Mac Jones when throwing the pigskin in Blackmon’s direction two seasons ago.
It’s even more noteworthy because he was a rookie.
A Promising CB Room That Could Use One More Player?
Generally speaking, the Vikings’ depth chart doesn’t exude many weaknesses, but if the club wanted to upgrade one position, it would likely be cornerback.
The team will roll with Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, Jeff Okudah, Dwight McGlothern, and Blackmon this summer into training camp and the preseason, a group that may or may not get the job done. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could also explore a high-profile corner like Jaire Alexander from free agency or a trade for Miami Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey.
A productive Blackmon — as a trustable starter — would make it so Minnesota needs no additional secondary help. Therefore, Flores’ comments should be interpreted with promise and excitement.
Kyle Joudry on Mekhi Blackmon
Our own Kyle Joudry weighed in on Blackmon last week: “The PFF enthusiasts in the crowd will be heartened to see that the corner snagged a healthy 71.8 grade in his rookie season. The grade positioned Blackmon at 42nd among 229 corners, suggesting that he’s a reasonably strong starter (at least by that single assessment).”
“One then turns the attention toward Jeff Okudah, Tavierre Thomas, Dwight McGlothern, and Mekhi Blackmon (among others). Who is going to end up as the CB3? The now-healthy corner — Mr. Blackmon — has a good chance of earning the spot. He could even slide into the CB2 spot if things really progress in his career. Almost similar to J.J. McCarthy, Blackmon had to shift the focus in 2024 away from the physical component of football.”
Blackmon was an “old” rookie entering the 2023 NFL Draft. He’s 26, so now is go-time for his career trajectory.
Joudry added, “Yes, there’s a physical, bodily component toward getting back to full health, but that differs from getting football reps in practice and on Sunday. Instead, he had to soak up the intellectual side of things, something that could very plausibly lead to him playing faster since he’ll have a fuller understanding of what his DC is asking of him.”
The Vikings’ defense, without Blackmon, ranked second last year per EPA/Play, only trailing the Denver Broncos by a whisker.
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