Welcome to Minnesota, Cam Robinson. We know your first practice as a Viking just ended Thursday afternoon, but, hey, can you start at left tackle in a nationally televised game for a near-desperate team that’s lost two straight, and do it in about 72 hours?
“I don’t want to tell you, ‘Yeah,’ and I don’t want to tell you, ‘No’; I’m not sure, it’s my first day,” said Robinson, acquired Tuesday in a trade with Jacksonville to replace Christian Darrisaw, who suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Rams last week.
The Vikings haven’t said what their plan is partly because they aren’t sure how quickly Robinson can get up to speed after playing the last eight seasons with the Jaguars. It certainly doesn’t hurt that the next three games are against AFC South teams: Indianapolis, Jacksonville and Tennessee.
“Practice was good,” Robinson said. “Just kind of, get out here and get my feet wet with the guys, get used to the new verbiage, new teammates. It was a good practice.”
Star receiver Justin Jefferson noticed two things about his newest teammate.
The first: “He’s definitely a big guy, for sure,” Jefferson said of the 6-6, 335-pounder who is noticeably bigger than Darrisaw, one of the team’s top two linemen.
Secondly: “He’s going to fit right in,” Jefferson said. “He didn’t seem like he had any problem out there going over plays. The guys helped him out tremendously. Him being at home at a place that wants him, I’m pretty sure he’s going to go out there and fly around.”
Robinson said he had mixed emotions learning about the trade. He’s been with the Jaguars since they drafted him in the second round in 2017. Jacksonville also franchise-tagged him twice. But, then again, he’s gone 35-56 in 91 starts and hasn’t participated in a playoff game since 2017. (He was injured during Jacksonville’s playoff appearance two years ago and has played only one full season, 2020, in his career).
