The Minnesota Vikings finished their fourth training camp practice in pads on Saturday in front of a great crowd of fans. Despite the hot temperatures, they came out in droves to see the purple and gold live.
Like the previous padded practices, there were narratives that both continued and shifted from what we had seen previously. This Vikings team is set to be a very interesting one to watch in 2023.
I was live at practice once again on Saturday and these were the 10 main takeaways.
1. Andre Carter II activated from PUP list
After passing a physical, outside linebacker Andre Carter II was removed from the Physically Unable to Perform list and practiced for the first time during training camp. He participated in team drills and showed some struggles. He got buried by Vederian Lowe on a rep and ended up walking away from the drill to talk to coaches. Carter is a project, but there is a lot to work with.
2. What's going on with T.J. Hockenson?
Suspicions were raised on Thursday when T.J. Hockenson was dressed for practice but only ran routes on the side with an assistant. That was very curious, especially with his contract status up in the air. There was no word of injury then and we still haven’t heard anything about an injury.
We got more information today when Hockenson was in shorts and not pads, then walked off the field with a trainer shortly into practice. What is the deal with him? We don’t know for sure, and it’s very peculiar.
3. Lewis Cine is inconsistent
There is a lot of talent with Lewis Cine, whom the Vikings selected at the end of the first round in 2022. The issue isn’t with his talent, but rather how his development is going. He is inconsistent with reading plays and bites a lot on double moves. He also gets grabby when he’s beaten in a route. That will need to be cleaned up, but it’s not all bad. His athleticism and instincts are overall in a good place, the consistency needs to be better.
4. Speaking of inconsistent, enter Brian Asamoah II
Brian Asamoah II is essentially Cine in linebacker form: an explosive weapon that is improving, but doesn’t make the best decisions. This two play sequence from Asamoah is all you need to know about where his game is at.
The Brian Asamoah II experience
Play 1: Shoots the gap, TFL
Play 2: Picks the wrong gap, 10 yard gain— Tyler Forness (@TheRealForno) August 5, 2023
When he is on, Asamoah is a true game-wrecker. When he misses, which admittedly is less than last year, it can turn into a game-changing play. There is still time during practice for Asamoah to work through things. The excitement is still there.
5. Ivan Pace Jr. is going to make the 53-man roster
Inside linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. is having a tremendous training camp. He is explosive, hitting the right gaps and making plays. There isn’t quite enough there for him to be a starter, as he doesn’t stack and shed well enough to be an every-down player, but as we’ve said before, there is absolutely a role on this team for Pace. Don’t be surprised if he gets a high snap share from the onset of the regular season.
6. Jordan Addison continues to shine
At Thursday’s night practice, Jordan Addison looked legit. He was beating cornerbacks with ease and even making a spectacular catch as well. On Saturday, he continued his impressive training camp and created a lot of separation, including smoking starting cornerback Akayleb Evans on a comeback route. Addison made it look like he was a 10+ year vet.
7. Mekhi Blackmon has a firm hold on the nickel CB job
Throughout the last three padded practices, Mekhi Blackmon has been the nickel corner and that continued on Saturday afternoon. There hasn’t been anyone else I have seen that has gotten those reps on the first team. Even with Andrew Booth Jr. injured and fighting for one of those spots, Blackmon seems to have a firm grip on first-team nickel cornerback. An impressive feat for the rookie third-round pick.
8. Marcus Davenport and Danielle Hunter practiced in pads together
For the first time this offseason, Danielle Hunter and Marcus Davenport practiced together in pads. The Vikings were slowly ramping up Hunter after his short-lived hold in and Davenport has been a surprising non-participant in practice. It was great to see them both on the field together and Hunter had some good reps in drills.
9. Jaren Hall is getting more time with the twos
The Vikings are high on Jaren Hall, but they are giving him some time to figure it out. He was firmly with the threes and getting the least amount of reps with Nick Mullens ahead of him. On Saturday, Hall got some of Mullens’ reps in 7-on-7, which was a step forward. Will Hall continue to get more of Mullens’ reps? That remains to be seen, but it’s a start.
10. Defensive line is still in flux
After James Lynch tore his ACL on Thursday and is out for the season, the defensive line group is even more in flux. The first group appears to be Jonathan Bullard, Dean Lowry and Harrison Phillips but Khyiris Tonga is getting a lot of reps at first-team nose tackle. Preseason games will help separate these players from each other, but it feels like it’s Bullard, Lowry and Phillips as the first team.
