Most of the stories and hype from Minnesota Vikings OTAs, and rightfully so under the circumstances, have been focused on quarterback J.J. McCarthy. That is not going to change during training camp, no matter what anyone else does. But there will, of course, be other players of interest to keep an eye on.
The Vikings have had some turnover on their cornerback depth chart this offseason. The idea Stephon Gilmore or Shaq Griffin could be brought back lingers, but as of right now, here's what the depth chart looks like in terms of who's on the 90-man roster.
- Byron Murphy Jr.
- Isaiah Rodgers
- Mekhi Blackmon
- Jeff Okudah
- Tavierre Thomas
- Dwight McGlothern
- Ambry Thomas
- Kahlef Hailassie
- Reddy Steward
- Keenan Garber
- Zemaiah Vaughn
With that, the idea that the Vikings need to add a cornerback makes a level of sense. A big move to trade for someone like Jalen Ramsey seems unlikely, but after Byron Murphy and Isaiah Rodgers, there are some question marks.
The most critical of those questions might be Blackmon, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL. He showed some promise as a rookie in 2023, but the injury robbed him of the chance to take the next step last season.
Mekhi Blackmon might be the answer for the Minnesota Vikings at cornerback
As a sign of how many non-McCarthy stories have fallen by the wayside at Vikings' OTAs, a recent clip posted online showing Blackmon moving well on the practice field drew a notable response from Alec Lewis of The Athletic.
Didn't mention it last week, but was great to see Mekhi Blackmon back out there Wednesday. Looked good. Was really eager to see him last year, injury came at brutal time. Going to be fun to follow into the fall. https://t.co/SdteD1xay5
— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) May 31, 2025
Over 15 games and 435 defensive snaps as a rookie in 2023, Blackmon had 41 total tackles, eight pass breakups, one interception, and a forced fumble. He posted an overall PFF defensive grade of 71.8, with a matching coverage grade and a high-end mark as a tackler (90.3).
He spent most of his time as a wide corner (382 snaps), as expected playing in Brian Flores' system he got sprinklings of work in the slot (18 snaps) and in the box (30 snaps).
This is where the token sentiment of "it's only OTAs" deserves mention. But if Blackmon is healthy, he will be firmly in the mix for a big role in the Vikings' secondary, and he may be the only one who can firmly put to bed the idea of adding a cornerback.