The Arizona Cardinals remained a busy team on Tuesday. As a part of their newest set of roster strikes, they introduced in former Vikings LB Blake Lynch. The linebacker finally signed with the Cardinals even after visiting with the Carolina Panthers on Monday. Arizona additionally added Ok Rodrigo Blankenship after releasing Matt Ammendola on Monday.
Lynch played his college ball at Baylor, and he spent 5 years with the Bears earlier than being signed as an undrafted free agent by the Minnesota Vikings in 2020. Lynch really started his faculty profession as a large receiver earlier than transitioning to the defensive aspect of the ball. In 2016 and 2017 mixed, he recorded 51 catches for 674 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Then, in 2018, Lynch transitioned to the protection place, and he recorded 47 tackles together with 4 TFLs and 1.5 sacks. Moreover, he recorded his first collegiate interception in Week 11 towards Texas Tech. 2019 introduced the third consecutive season with a place change, and this time Lynch lastly landed at his NFL place of linebacker.
Throughout that senior season, Lynch took one other step ahead as a defender, recording 68 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, and three.5 sacks. He additionally intercepted a pair of passes and recovered a fumble.
Regardless of the improved play on the defensive aspect of the ball, and evident versatility between linebacker and security, Lynch didn’t discover a suitor within the 2020 NFL Draft. Nevertheless, the Vikings brought him in as an UDFA the place he finally was waived and signed onto Minnesota’s follow squad for the 2020 season.
Throughout 2020, he appeared in 4 video games for the Vikings and even made a Christmas Day begin in Week 16 towards the New Orleans Saints. After all, that’s the recreation the place Alvin Kamara infamously rushed for six touchdowns towards the Vikings protection. General, he completed his rookie season with 12 tackles and one go protection.
2021 noticed an expanded function for Lynch as he appeared in 16 of the 17 common season video games for the Vikings. He turned an important piece of the Vikings particular groups, however the linebacker additionally made six begins on protection. Through the season, he recorded 35 tackles, 2.0 sacks, and a TFL. He additionally recorded his first profession NFL interception towards the Chicago Bears in Week 18.
Lynch now heads to the Arizona follow squad after the Vikings waived him previous to the beginning of the 2022 common season. Minnesota had acquired third-round decide Brian Asamoah and free agent Jordan Hicks throughout the offseason, that means they didn’t have room for the third-year linebacker.
If he finally ends up seeing a while with the Cardinals energetic roster, there’s an opportunity he may take the sector towards his former group in Week 8 as Arizona travels to U.S. Financial institution Stadium to tackle the Vikings on October thirtieth.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The Faculty of Idaho with a bachelor’s diploma in Inventive Writing in addition to minors in Historical past, Human Biology, and Journalism. When he’s not writing concerning the NFL, Josh enjoys marathon coaching, enjoying video video games, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. For extra of his takes, NFL and in any other case, take a look at his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.