A lot is riding on the preseason for one Minnesota Vikings player who is looking to prove his worth in the NFL.
Despite being in his third year in the NFL, cornerback Mekhi Blackmon feels more like a sophomore after missing all of last year with a torn ACL injury. Blackmon is currently in a position battle with Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah to be one of the starting cornerbacks alongside Byron Murphy Jr for the upcoming season.
Bleacher Report's Moe Moton recently shared that he believes that, because of that position battle, Blackmon is one of seven players who have the most at stake in the preseason. If Blackmon can't bounce back from his ACL injury and prove it early in camp, Moton thinks he could lose his starting job.
"The Minnesota Vikings have shuffled the deck at cornerback. They allowed Shaquill Griffin to sign elsewhere in free agency and haven't re-signed Stephon Gilmore. The club added veterans Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah to patch up the position.
Meanwhile, Mekhi Blackmon is working his way back from a torn ACL. In his 2023 rookie term, he showed flashes of potential, logging eight pass breakups and an interception, allowing just two touchdowns and an 81.8 passer rating in coverage.
If not for a knee injury, Blackmon would be in a prime position to start after a promising first year in Minnesota, but his 2025 outlook seems cloudy with Rodgers and Okudah in the fold.
In the preseason, Blackmon has to knock off some rust while in a competitive battle for one of the Vikings' top cornerback spots."
Minnesota Vikings CB Mekhi Blackmon coming into Year 3 with a massive chip on his shoulder
Back in 2023, Blackmon showed plenty of promise in his rookie season, starting three of the 15 games he appeared in. He finished with 41 tackles, three tackles for loss, eight pass deflections, one fumble recovery, and one interception. His coverage skills were solid, with Blackmon allowing a completion percentage of 61.5% and a passer rating of 81.8.
The missed time with the injury was brutal to watch, but Blackmon has bounced back through training camp so far, as he's done a nice job. Rodgers and Okudah have been receiving praise from defensive coordinator Brian Flores, which has made the starting cornerback job an interesting one.
Blackmon should be an easy lock to make the roster, but starting is another story. Flores loved Rodgers all offseason and sees him as a starter. Okudah has been picking up steam in training camp, as he might have more to prove in the preseason than Blackmon does.
A rotation of cornerbacks in the starting lineup will likely occur in the preseason. That will be Blackmon's best shot at proving he should be CB2 over Okudah and Rodgers.