Vikings exploring additions at cornerback with depth tested by injuries

Cornerback Shaq Griffin, who missed the Vikings’ Friday walk-through after being injured Thursday while slipping after an interception, is dealing with a soft tissue injury in his left leg, coach Kevin O’Connell said Saturday.

O’Connell called Griffin’s status day-to-day, though he said it “might be a week or so,” given how cautious the Vikings could be this early in training camp. “We’ll get him back, get him with Tyler and the group, and hopefully we can get him back sooner rather than later,” the coach said, referring to vice president of player health and performance Tyler Williams.

Griffin’s injury followed Wednesday’s news that second-year cornerback Mekhi Blackmon will miss the rest of the season after tearing his ACL on the first day of Vikings practices. The injuries put third-year corners Akayleb Evans and Andrew Booth Jr. in a larger spotlight, as the Vikings try to figure out if they have enough cornerback depth on their roster, but O’Connell indicated the team could look for more outside help.

”I think everything is just conversations, really healthy dialogue about potential players on our roster and where their roles [would be] if we were all healthy,” O’Connell said. “Then, as you get some clarity from that standpoint, do we need to add to that room? Just knowing the type of camp I want to have from a work standpoint, I do think we’re going to need to add at that position, just to make sure we’ve got enough of a head count.

“But at the same time, there could be some impact players out there that might be interested in joining our team. That’s what [General Manager] Kwesi [Adofo-Mensah] and his staff are working through right now.”

The Vikings welcomed fans to training camp for the first time on Saturday, and the bleachers surrounding the practice fields were about three-quarters full on a warm afternoon. Justin Jefferson entered the field to the biggest reaction from the fans, who roared as the receiver ran onto the field motioning for noise.

Once practice started, Jalen Nailor was the receiver who commanded some attention.

He caught three touchdown passes from three different quarterbacks during a red zone period, hauling one in from Sam Darnold in the back of the end zone and making a one-handed catch on a Nick Mullens throw before leaping for a J.J. McCarthy throw in the back left corner.

Nailor, a third-year receiver who was limited by a hamstring injury last season, has won praise from Vikings coaches this offseason and could find a larger role as a receiver this year.

“Jalen has done everything we’ve asked of him, and that really has not changed since we drafted him,” O’Connell said. “He’s going to be doing a little bit more offensively, but he’s been very good in the kicking game, as well. He maybe hasn’t been able to show all the consistency of what Jalen expects for himself, but when he has been out there, he has made plays consistently. I think we’re all very optimistic about Jalen, because he’s proven what he is as a football player.”

The touchdown pass from Darnold came after Harrison Smith intercepted the quarterback on a throw for Johnny Mundt in the back of the end zone. Darnold again flashed his arm strength on a 50-yard throw he dropped into the arms of Jordan Addison, while McCarthy’s throw to Nailor was one of his three touchdowns during the red zone period.