Great optimism followed Minnesota’s 2022 NFL Draft. No longer.
The Vikings, we can say with quite a bit of confidence, almost fully whiffed in that critical event. Across six trades and ten picks, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah reinforced the offense with five new players and the defense with five new players. Going into Week 13 of the 2024 season, Minnesota only has four players on their active roster from that draft. Within just this past week, Adofo-Mensah said goodbye to both corner Akayleb Evans (now a Panther) and tight end Nick Muse (back on the practice squad).
The Vikings & The 2022 Draft Wreckage
For a really long time, fans called for a switch at right guard.
Ed Ingram, a left guard in college, had been holding down the spot since getting scooped up at the end of the 2nd Round. To his credit, Ingram was rugged and durable. What was lacking was an ability to offer strong pass protection. Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold got hit too often with Ingram operating as the RG1.
Veteran Dalton Risner has stepped in and the impression one gets from listening to Kevin O’Connell discuss the situation is that the veteran is the preferred option. A switch back to Ingram, in other words, seems unlikely.
There’s then Jalen Nailor and Ty Chandler on offense/special teams.
Nailor is offering good value as the WR3, especially since he got scooped up in the 6th. Snagging a reasonably strong third receiver at that stage in the draft is nice work; he complements the broader set of skill players well. The third-year pass catcher has 17 receptions for 252 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Chandler, meanwhile, has become an afterthought on offense. Where he’s offering some value is as the kickoff returner. He looks confident catching the ball — an underrated aspect of the returner role, the kind of thing you only miss once it’s gone — and may break loose for a score before it’s all said and done. His 3 kickoff returns have gone for 85 yards, working out to an average of 28.3 yards per return. His longest one has gone for 35 yards. Speed has never been a problem for Chandler.
Finally, there’s Brian Asamoah, someone who seems to have inspired zero confidence in defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Super fast and pretty physical, Asamoah has barely gotten any work on defense despite injuries to both of Blake Cashman and Ivan Pace Jr. during the current season. Kamu Grugier-Hill, a veteran journeyman on a modest contract, is the preferred option when injury strikes.
Asamoah has just 13 snaps on defense. He does, however, have 198 snaps for Matt Daniels on special teams, which is likely what’s keeping him on the team. One does wonder, though, if his special teams contributions will be enough for him to stick around once the offseason roster crunch arrives.
As I’ve suggested before, it’s very possible that not a single player from the ten who were drafted earns a second contract with the Vikings. Pretty disappointing to even consider that possibility as a feasible reality. Just imagine if it actually comes to fruition.
What has saved Minnesota’s 2024 season is an exemplary group of free-agent signings during the most recent offseason (as so many have suggested). Landing all of Jonathan Greenard (EDGE1), Andrew Van Ginkel (EDGE2), Aaron Jones (RB1), Stephon Gilmore (CB1), Sam Darnold (QB1), Blake Cashman (LB1), and Shaq Griffin (CB3) — among others — is unbelievable work. Credit to the GM; credit to the coaching staff. The players deserve praise, too.
Safe to say, though, that Minnesota would be wise to fix their drafting woes before long. Continuing to fail in this area will undermine a roster that has the potential to be special going forward.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter, as a co-host for Notes from the North, and as the proprietor at The Vikings Gazette, a humble Vikings Substack.