Veteran Minnesota Vikings CB facing a pivotal preseason ahead of 2025 campaign
The obvious one, quarterback J.J. McCarthy, will get his first crack at running the Kevin O'Connell offense, and has been set up for success with the likes of wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison (once he returns from a three-game suspension), tight end T.J. Hockenson, and running backs Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason beside him. The other is perhaps a less obvious choice, but one that at least one prominent NFL writer is going to have his eyes on in 2025.
Recently, Moe Moton of Bleacher Report identified seven players around the league who have the most at stake in the coming season, and one of his seven is none other than Vikings second-year cornerback Mekhi Blackmon. Blackmon is technically entering his third season, but his 2024 season -- much like McCarthy's -- was lost to a knee injury. That knee injury and a reportedly heated camp battle are what have Blackmon under the microscope in Moton's eyes.
According to Moton, were it not for that knee injury, Blackmon "would be in a prime position to start after a promising first year in Minnesota". Instead, he's embroiled in a position battle with new Vikings Isaiah Rodgers and Jeffery Okudah to start alongside rising star Byron Murphy, Jr. According to The Athletic's Vikings beat writer Alec Lewis:
"General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, O'Connell and Flores said they believed Rodgers could play an every-down role, and that they had a vision for Okudah. It's no surprise, then, that those two have played alongside Byron Murphy Jr. with the first-team defense."
That doesn't sound too promising for Blackmon's prospects going forward. Still, he's likely built up some good will with the team after his rookie season, where he played in 15 of the 17 games, starting three, and was a solid contributor -- especially for a rookie. Blackmon only notched one interception in his rookie campaign. Still, he did have eight passes defended and one fumble recovery, and proved helpful at all levels of the defense, even adding three tackles for loss.
How much opportunity Blackmon gets to build on his successful rookie season remains to be seen, but 2025 could prove to be a pivotal year one way or the other for the young cornerback. Blackmon heads into the third year of a four-year deal with the team, and the Vikings will likely be looking to decide on his future with the team based mainly on how this season shakes out for him.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
a few seconds ago
- USA Today
Clock ticking for Arizona Cardinals with cutdown deadline eight days away
Howard Balzer goes through each position, breaking them down by likelihood of making the roster. All NFL teams must reduce their rosters to 53 players by 1 p.m. Arizona time on August 26. For the Arizona Cardinals, several decisions will be impacted by injured players, including those currently on the active/physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Any players placed on reserve/PUP at the cutdown must miss at least the first four games of the season and can't practice while on reserve. With 91 players currently on the roster, there will likely be several reductions made prior to the 26th. That total includes international player, tackle Roy Mbaeteka, who could be the team's 17th player on the practice squad. The waiver period ends earlier than normal after the cut to 53, which is 9 a.m. Arizona time Aug. 27, rather than 1 pm. Practice squad spots can then be filled once players clear waivers. All teams can have six veterans on the practice squad. Those players aren't part of the waiver system as their contracts are immediately terminated. Here is a look at the Cardinals' current roster. It's not a prediction of the 53, but rather the 40 position players considered safe and 17 hoping to survive cutdown day, knowing that there will be roster churn after cutdown day. Many in the 'maybe, maybe not' category will end up on the practice squad. It should never be called the 'final' cut. Wide receivers Tight ends Offensive lineman There are tough choices here with the severity of knee injuries to Conner and Jones unknown. Running backs Quarterbacks If Tune is waived, will the Cardinals sign him to the practice squad. They did last year with Desmond Ridder. Total: 20 rock solid, 7 maybe, maybe not, 3 injured Defensive linemen Jones has been sidelined by a knee injury, while Nichols and Nolen have yet to practice during training camp. Linebackers Defensive backs One of the more intriguing battles is between Crawford and Blount. They both deserve to be on the roster because of their special-teams prowess. Total: 20 rock solid, 10 maybe, maybe not, 4 injured Specialists Overall total: 43 rock solid, 17 maybe, maybe not, 7 injured Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
NBC Sports
a minute ago
- NBC Sports
The scrapping of the Colin Kaepernick docuseries sparks unavoidable speculation
Eventually, there could be a documentary about the scrapping of ESPN's Colin Kaepernick documentary. The news that Spike Lee's collaboration with Kaepernick won't be televised by ESPN has sparked predictable speculation regarding its potential connection to the NFL acquiring 10 percent of ESPN. Even if the creative differences between Lee and Kaepernick predated ESPN's transaction with the NFL, the timeline will make reasonable people wonder whether the league and/or ESPN put the kibosh on the project. It's an item in Monday's edition of Sports Business Daily, with this title: 'Speculation grows as Spike Lee's Kaepernick doc won't air on ESPN.' The item links to an article from Tom Jones of Poynter, which explores the perception that the ESPN-NFL deal doomed the documentary. It's impossible to tell Kaepenick's story without exploring his claim that the league colluded against him after he became a free agent in 2017. Without exploring the evidence that his attorneys had developed. Without delving into the eventual settlement of the claim. Without examining the ill-fated joint workout the league arranged in November 2019. Without saying things the NFL would prefer not be said. Then there's the fact that the ESPN-NFL merger requires regulatory approval. Given the manner in which the current president reacted to the anthem protests sparked by Kaepernick, it would have been impossible to ignore that wrinkle in the eight-part series. Could things said in the Kaepernick documentary have become the sticking point for the administration? Again, the creative differences between Lee and Kaepernick may have been destined to derail the documentary. The ESPN-NFL deal will nevertheless cause plenty of people to believe that the league pressed the Playmakers button. Or that ESPN, in the exercise of its programming discretion, opted to kick the plug out of the wall before anyone asked for it to be pulled. This is the kind of thing that becomes unavoidable, now that the NFL is in line to own 10 percent of ESPN. Whether there's something to it or whether there isn't, any time ESPN makes a decision that tends to shield The Shield from scrutiny, reasonable people will think that the NFL asked for it — or that ESPN made the move pre-emptively. Is it worth it? That's for the NFL and ESPN to decide. But it's safe to say folks won't get used to this one. The question of whether ESPN's coverage of the NFL will be influenced by its business relationship with the NFL will from now on be an integral part of the coverage of ESPN.
Newsweek
a minute ago
- Newsweek
FanDuel Promo Code: Get $300 Bonus For MLB, EPL, Commanders-Bengals
The FanDuel promo code for new users will unlock a $300 bonus for MLB, EPL and tonight's Commanders vs. Bengals preseason matchup. The FanDuel promo code for new users will unlock a $300 bonus for MLB, EPL and tonight's Commanders vs. Bengals preseason matchup. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Sign up with the latest FanDuel promo code offer and secure $300 in total bonuses. New players can create an account and place a $5 bet on the NFL preseason, MLB, WNBA or any other event like the EPL match between Leeds and Everton this afternoon. This is a 60-to-1 odds boost for players to use on any game this week. This promo can turn any team into a significant underdog, at least as far as the odds are concerned. The Washington Commanders and Cincinnati Bengals will close out the second week of NFL preseason games. Although preseason isn't the same as the real thing, the end of Week 2 of the preseason is a sign that the regular season is right around the corner. There are also tons of MLB options available this week. FanDuel Sportsbook will raise the bar for players on any game in any sport. Let's take a deeper dive into the details of this offer. FanDuel Promo Code Offers $300 Bonus This FanDuel promo is a straightforward offer for new players. Create a new account, make a cash deposit and start with a $5 bet on any game. Remember, anyone who picks a winner on this first bet will receive $300 in total bonuses. We expect to see a lot of interest in Monday's MLB games. The Atlanta Braves have -210 moneyline odds against the Chicago White Sox on Monday night. Existing users on FanDuel Sportsbook would need to risk $630 to win $300. New players who take advantage of this promo can turn a $5 winning wager into $300 in bonuses. Although MLB and the NFL preseason are the two most popular markets available on Monday night, this promo applies to any sport. There are options in the WNBA, tennis, golf and other sports this week. How To Register With FanDuel Promo Code New players can activate this offer in a matter of minutes. In fact, there is no need to manually enter a promo code. Simply sign up by filling out the necessary information sections. Make a cash deposit of $5 or more using any of the secure payment methods. Finally, start with a $5 bet on the NFL preseason, MLB, WNBA, tennis, golf or any other sport this week. Anyone who starts with a winning wager will receive $300 in bonuses. New users will receive bonus bets to use on FanDuel Sportsbook. After locking in, get a 25 percent profit boost on any parlay using August 18 matchups and gear up for the Futures Day promotion next week. Super Bowl 60 Odds At FanDuel The Super Bowl is a long way away, but football fans can start making bets on the big game with FanDuel Sportsbook. There are additional futures markets available on the MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the year and more. Let's take a closer look at the current odds to win Super Bowl 60 in February (odds are subject to change): Buffalo Bills (+700) Baltimore Ravens (+700) Philadelphia Eagles (+700) Kansas City Chiefs (+800) Detroit Lions (+1100) Washington Commanders (+1900) San Francisco 49ers (+1900) Green Bay Packers (+2000) Los Angeles Rams (+2000) Minnesota Vikings (+2200) Houston Texans (+2200) Cincinnati Bengals (+2200) Denver Broncos (+2500) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+2500) Los Angeles Chargers (+2700) Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
