Vikings Preseason: Josh Robinson Will Get Plenty of Reps Friday

Looks like we’ll finally get to see 3rd round cornerback Josh Robinson on the football field Friday. Leslie Frazier says it’s unlikely Robinson will run with the ones against Buffalo – the plan now is to play all the healthy starters into the second quarter – but he does expect to get Robinson plenty of reps.

“We’ll try to get him a number of snaps so we can evaluate him and so he’ll be able to evaluate himself and find out what the pro game is all about,” Leslie Frazier said. “And he wants to win a starting spot, so we want to see him go out there and work and get some snaps against some good receivers and be able to gauge where he is at the end of this ball game. We’re looking forward to watching him play.”

The speedy Robinson was one of three cornerbacks the Vikings were apparently targeting with their 3rd round pick this year, the others being Casey Hayward (who went to the Packers after they traded up) and Trumaine Johnson (who was taken by the Rams a pick ahead of Robinson). Robinson came into camp with hopes of vying for the starting CB slot across from Chris Cook but a hamstring pull has hampered him and he was held out of the preseason opener Friday night.

Robinson has practiced all week however and it appears he’s over the hammy pull. He’ll be probably the most intriguing player to watch Friday night against Buffalo, since we haven’t seen him at all yet. Everyone knows the Vikings need to get a lot better in the secondary and for that to happen, Robinson and fellow rookies Harrison Smith and Robert Blanton will have to develop quickly.

The hope, at least from my end, is that Robinson and Smith will both be starting by the season opener. I’ve seen all I need to see of Mistral Raymond, so hopefully Smith can bump him permanently. Robinson probably has a ways to go to push out Chris Carr but it’s well within the realm of possibility, Carr being only a middling cornerback who is best suited to a nickel role. If Smith and Robinson quickly live up to the potential indicated by where they were drafted, the Vikings secondary will be better than last year and that will be a great relief.

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