On Thursday night, the Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks will kick off on Thursday night at 9 pm central and the 2023 season will officially kick off. Going into the game, there are a few storylines worth watching, including the development of the cornerback position.
The first depth chart of the year was released on Monday and it showed us a few things. As we look forward to Thursday night’s game, our staff identified one player to keep your eye on.
Managing editor Tyler Forness: WR Blake Proehl
The Vikings wide receiver room is an interesting one. They have really good receivers at the top of the unit in Justin Jefferson, K.J. Osborn and Jordan Addison. After those three, it’s a battle. Blake Proehl has had a good camp, but hasn’t played in a game since the year 2020. He tore his ACL right before the Vikings’ first preseason game in 2021 and missed the entire preseason. During training camp, Proehl has looked great. He is snapping off routes and making the tough catch. He is currently a long shot to make the roster, but anything is possible with the final roster spots at wide receiver.
Columnist Judd Zulgad: LB Ivan Pace Jr.
The undrafted free agent from Cincinnati has been getting reps with the first team, usually in place of Brian Asamoah, and it appears as if this has turned into a battle for the spot alongside veteran Jordan Hicks. Ivan Pace Jr. should get plenty of opportunities to try and win that battle in the preseason.
Columnist Kevin Fielder: DL Jaquelin Roy
Rookie defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy might need to mature quicker than the Vikings expected. Even though James Lynch was not guaranteed to make the team, he was still added depth to allow younger players like Roy to continue to develop in a meticulous manner. Now, it feels like the Vikings may just be one series of unfortunate but still possible events from Roy getting some real playing time. The good news is that Roy has some pass-rushing traits that could make him an instant contributor, even if his numbers decreased every year in college.
Columnist Saivion Mixson: CB Mekhi Blackmon
Rookie cornerback Mekhi Blackmon has more than solidified his spot on the 53-man roster. He has been getting first-team nickel snaps as the third cornerback with Byron Murphy Jr. and Akayleb Evans. As the game starts to slow down for him and we see him show off that playmaking ability this preseason, it will be interesting to see how many snaps he earns this upcoming season.
