Blake Cashman Comes Home
Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
You can take Blake Cashman out of Minnesota, but you can’t take him out of Minnesota for very long. The Eden Prairie native and former Minnesota Golden Gopher linebacker has decided to level up his hometown hero status, reportedly agreeing to a three-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings on Monday.
The New York Jets drafted Cashman in the fifth-round in 2019, and he struggled to find playing time in his frist three seasons. Cashman broke into just 14 games (seven starts) with injuries limiting his playing time. The Jets moved Cashman to the Houston Texans in 2022.
Once in Houston, Cashman was able to get on – and as importantly, stay on – the field. He played in 16 games in 2022, with 26 tackles (19 solo), three sacks, and two pass deflections. Last season saw Cashman finally getting full-time duties for the first time in his five-year career, starting 13 of the 14 games that he played in. He rewarded the Texans with 106 tackles (56 solo), five pass deflections, two sacks, and a forced fumble.
With news breaking that the Atlanta Falcons have assumed the contract of Kirk Cousins (and the massive cap hit that accompanies him), the Minnesota Vikings have clearly focused on re-building the defense. Cashman is the latest front-seven defender to join Minnesota, following Edge Rushers Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel agreeing to terms with Minnesota today. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores suddenly has a lot to work with.
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