If you find yourself worrying about the state of the Vikings' secondary, you have good reason to feel that way. 

The Vikings sported one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL a year ago, so the good news is that it can't get much worse. After such a bad season, the majority of the secondary was replaced. Patrick Peterson, Kris Boyd, Duke Shelley, Chandon Sullivan, and Cameron Dantzler are all gone. 

Other than free agent addition Byron Murphy, the team will be relying on a crop of unproven young players at the position. 

Currently, third-round rookie Mekhi Blackmon and 2022 fourth-rounder Akayleb Evans are slated to start alongside Murphy. 

Evans got bullied as a rookie with limited opportunities, finishing with a PFF grade of 47.2. Evans has the size to be an outside corner, however, standing at 6'2" weighing just under 200 pounds. Evans' tall, lanky frame and physical style of play could fit well in Minnesota. Training camp and preseason action will be good litmus tests for the progress Evans has made. 

Blackmon has the opposite problem of Evans, as his size was a concern among NFL teams. Blackmon stands at 5'11" and weighs a slight 178 pounds. There is some question on if Blackmon is big enough to last on the outside in the NFL. For now, it appears that Blackmon will get a shot to prove he can. 

Behind the two presumptive starters is 2022 second-rounder Andrew Booth Jr. It's easy to forget about Booth since the corner only played in six games as a rookie after suffering a season-ending knee injury in November. 

Booth is the biggest wildcard on the team. If he lives up to his draft pedigree, the Vikings seem likely to fare much better against the pass in 2023. Per reports, Booth looks "bigger, stronger, and faster," this offseason, which is a very encouraging sign. 

Behind Evans, Blackmon, Murphy, and Booth? There is not much to be excited about. Joejuan Williams is a former second-round pick of the New England Patriots who was brought in this offseason. Tay Gowan, John Reid, and Kalon Barnes are all young players who have bounced around on several teams already. The point being, if any of those top four struggle, the Vikings could be in major trouble. 

Blackmon needs to get acclimated to the NFL quickly and Booth needs to prove he is deserving of his draft pedigree. This is not a deep group and there is plenty of room for a player to separate himself and claim a spot. 

Do you think the Vikings have enough at corner? 

Featured image via © Rich Storry | 2022 Oct 16