In the wake of Mekhi Blackmon‘s season-ending ACL injury, the Minnesota Vikings have signed former Houston Texans cornerback Jacobi Francis on July 25, per Aaron Wilson of NBC’s Houston affiliate KPRC2.
Francis joins a depleted Vikings cornerbacks room that saw Najee Thomspon start training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.
He’s anticipated to be out until “mid-August,” KSTP’s Darren Wolfson reported. The team is also missing rookie Khyree Jackson, who was poised to compete for playing time before his tragic death earlier this month.
Vikings Are Still in Need of an Answer for Blackmon
Undrafted out of Memphis in 2022, Francis is a converted safety who spent most of the past two seasons in Houston. He’s appeared in five games in two seasons and has one career tackle.
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Vikings sign another cornerback who could potentially compete to replace Blackmon after he was poised to hold a starting spot in nickel packages this season.
The Vikings signed Duke Shelley on July 23, bringing him back to Minnesota after he became a fan favorite during the 2022 season.
While Shelley had his moments in 2022, it remains to be seen whether he fits Flores’ scheme. The Vikings passed on re-signing Shelley in Brian Flores’ first season in Minnesota, leading him to sign a $1.3 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023.
Byron Murphy Jr. and Shaquill Griffin appear locked into the top two starting cornerback spots, while Murphy will move to the slot in nickel packages.
There aren’t many solid players left in free agency at this stage of the offseason, but a veteran signing who can pick up Flores’ defense quickly would be ideal.
In the meantime, Akayleb Evans, Andrew Booth Jr, rookie Dwight McGlothern and Shelley will compete for the first-team reps in camp.
Vikings’ Andrew Booth Jr. Adamant on Showing He Deserves to Be in the NFL
After two years of struggling to earn a rotational role with the Vikings, Booth has an opportunity this summer given Blackmon’s injury.
He spoke to Wolfson at training camp on July 24 about the next five weeks which could determine whether he stays in Minnesota or is released come the final 53-man roster cuts.
“It’s pretty big. to show what I can do,” Booth told Wolfson. “It’s huge. I got a lot to show to earn that spot.”
Drafted in the second round of the 2022 draft, Booth had high expectations on him to become an impact player on defense but has played meaningful snaps in just six games in his career.
“Being drafted as high as I was, I definitely want y’all the best me and what I got,” he added. “I don’t think anybody’s promised anything out here. Everybody’s trying to earn that spot.”
While Wolfson pressed Booth on what he had to do to prove his worth and carve out a role in Flore’s defense, Booth deferred to let his play do the talking.
“I can’t tell you, I got to show it out there.”
