Vikings Bring a Veteran Corner in for a Workout
Well, this one has been a long time coming.
Per Ben Goessling of The Star Tribune, the Vikings have brought Ronald Darby in for a workout. Darby is a veteran corner capable of lifting the team’s floor at CB. Take a look at the word from Goessling: “The #Vikings worked out veteran cornerback Ronald Darby today. Darby tore his ACL with the Broncos last October. If he’s healthy, he could be an option to add a veteran presence to the secondary at some point.”
For a variety of reasons, adding Darby makes sense, but much will come down to the finances and (of course) fit within the Brian Flores defense.
Ronald Darby:
The Veteran Corner Competing for a Spot with the Vikings
Right now, Byron Murphy is the lone Vikings corner who has extensive starting experience. Not too long ago, Josh Frey took on the topic for PurplePTSD. Frey makes the astute observation that Murphy is a long way ahead of the next most experienced corner (at least in terms of starts). The former Cardinal stands at a hefty 48 starts; in second place is Akayleb Evans with 2 starts.
That’s right, no other corner exceeds the pair of games that Evans picked up last season during his rookie season.
Now, that doesn’t mean the Vikings’ CBs are thus doomed to fail. Maybe the added youth & speed will be precisely what the doctor defensive coordinator ordered. One still does wonder, though, if another veteran presence could help. The veteran would infuse some predictability into the equation, something that’s lacking amidst all of the unproven, upside players.
Ronald Darby entered the NFL in 2015 as a 2nd-round selection. He’s 5’11” and weighs 193 pounds, so don’t expect the second coming of Patrick Peterson or Xavier Rhodes. Instead, think a corner a bit closer to Terence Newman.
Coming into the draft, Darby ran a blistering 4.38 forty. Given his age — he’ll be 30 on January 2nd — Darby likely isn’t as fast as he used to be. Nevertheless, his experience may allow him to keep up with the NFL’s various sensational receivers. Somewhat surprisingly, the shorter corner has never been much of an option in the slot. PFF suggests that he’s only had 127 snaps in the slot while piling up 4,415 out wide.
On Vikings Territory, Dustin Baker spends a few moments unpacking why Darby may be a nice add: “A Super Bowl champion in 2017 — he was a part of the Eagles squad that shellacked the Vikings en route to Super Bowl LII — Darby should be gettable for cheap this late in free agency. He’s just waiting on the call.”
Yes, the Super Bowl win is a nice part of equation. And, of course, the money is what it’ll come down to if both sides are interested in forming a partnership.
Currently, Minnesota sits on a bit more than $10 million in cap space. Darby’s advanced age, recent injury (torn ACL roughly 10 months ago), and August workout suggest that a major deal isn’t forthcoming. Instead, the veteran corner would likely need to settle for a 1-year, prove-it deal. Something around $2-$3 million would make some sense, at least from Minnesota’s perspective.
If Darby — or another free agent — isn’t added, the Vikings will need to let Joejuan Williams, Tay Gowan, and various others compete for the final opening or two on the final roster.
In 5 games with the Broncos in 2022, Ronald Darby had 14 tackles, 3 PDs, and 1 FF. He finished in 2nd place for Defensive Rookie of the Year back in 2015.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
