Cameron Dantzler Pops Up Again, Joins a Vikings Rival & 5th Team of 2023
Cameron Dantzler is back in the news.
Per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, the former Vikings corner is now employed by the New Orleans Saints. Currently, New Orleans is sitting at a pristine 2-0, largely because of their defense allowing an average of 16 points per game. Dantzler is on the practice squad for Dennis Allen’s team, so he’ll need to prove he’s worthy of the 53-man roster to see action.
Cameron Dantzler and The Next Opportunity
At this point, Dantzler is a bit of a frequent flyer in the PurplePTSD news.
As we’ve discussed previously, the corner did some good things while wearing purple. As a rookie, Dantzler showed promise. He made the NFL All-Rookie Team following a year that had some ups and downs but robust stats — and definitely some impact plays.
In 11 games and 10 starts, Dantzler had 601 snaps. He had 46 tackles, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, and 4 PDs. He even kicked in a fumble recovery and 3 TFLs. The more advanced assessment on PFF was encouraging since he finished with a rock-solid 70.9 grade.
As a sophomore, Dantzler continued to show plenty of potential. A modest 54.1% of passes into his coverage went for completions. He held receivers to just 8.7 yards per reception and QBs had just a 74.7 passer rating when going after him. Even PFF joined the fun, slotting Dantzler in with a commendable 73.8 grade.
Last year, Dantzler couldn’t match these promising numbers. But, to be sure, he wasn’t alone. The entire Vikings defense underperformed, and more than a few fans and analysts are pinning a good portion of the blame on Ed Donatell. Dantzler allowed 77.4% of passes into his coverage to be completed while allowing a 111.1 passer rating. His PFF grade sunk down to 63.1.
Following his exit from Minnesota, Dantzler has bounced around the NFL. In 2023 alone, the former 3rd-round selection has been employed in Washington, Buffalo, and Houston. And, of course, Minnesota alongside New Orleans. Clearly, teams are intrigued by the talent he offers and yet there’s also an inability for him to stick around a team for very long.
The top corner in New Orleans is Marshon Lattimore. He isn’t going anywhere, at least when it comes to the CB1 job for the Saints. Supporting the long and strong corner are Isaac Yiadom, Alontae Taylor, Lonnie Johnson Jr., and Paulson Adebo. And, for whatever it’s worth, the Saints boast high-end talent at other spots on their defense, such as Cameron Jordan at edge rusher and Demario Davis at linebacker.
The Saints and Vikings are scheduled to play in Week 10. Allen’s Saints will travel to Minnesota for a 12 p.m. game at U.S. Bank Stadium. A lot of the focus leading up to the contest will be about Kirk Cousins going against Derek Carr and yet the Dantzler addition in New Orleans is something to keep in the back of your mind. Seeing Justin Jefferson across from Dantzler would be a welcome sight for Kevin O’Connell.
Cameron Dantzler will reunite with former Viking Ryan Connelly in New Orleans.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and PFF helped with this piece.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.