The Vikings’ Corner Depth is Super Thin

Jan 9, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson (7) celebrates his interception for a touchdown against the Chicago Bears in the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Currently, the Minnesota Vikings’ corner depth isn’t particularly formidable. Patrick Peterson and Duke Shelley – the team’s starting outside corners – are heading toward free agency. Chandon Sullivan, the slot corner, is similarly marching toward free agency.

Given how poorly things went for the defense, it’s notable that the corner position – arguably the most important spot in football (behind quarterback, of course) – needs a considerable amount of work.

The Vikings’ Corner Depth

Patrick Peterson may have been Minnesota’s best defensive player in 2022.

He finished the season with 5 INTs and 15 PDs. Given that the defense consistently allowed the opposition to pass the ball with success, Peterson’s coverage was (at times) a lonely bright spot. Moving forward, the hope is that Peterson can slide into the CB2 role given that he’s nearing his mid 30s. Nevertheless, he may force his way into the CB1 role simply by his strong play.

In the past, Peterson has been consistent about his desire to stay in Minnesota. Expect another deal to keep him around. I’m looking for a 2-year deal that kicks a fair bit of the compensation into the 2024 budget.

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Jan 8, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson (7) celebrates his interception during the second quarter against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports

Shelley demonstrated some incredible resilience and compete in 2022. Only 5’9″, Shelley often matched up with receivers much larger than himself. Teams, quite evidently, felt that they had an advantage in the matchup, often throwing contested balls in the assumption that their receiver/tight end would win. At times, that assumption was accurate, but Shelley made a lot of plays out there.

The 26-year-old finished with an interception and 8 PDs even though he only played in 11 games, starting 5. QBs only completed 45.7% of their passes into his coverage; he didn’t allow a touchdown all season. Shelley finished 4th overall in the PFF corner rankings. Sign the man to a new deal.

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Sep 11, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Cameron Dantzler Sr. (3) reacts late during the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Somehow, Dantlzer remains an enigma even though he has been with Minnesota for three seasons. At his best, the soon-to-be fourth-year corner is a physical tackler who can use his length to be disruptive when in coverage. At his worst, Dantzler is a player who sometimes loses focus on the field, making brutal mistakes that seem inexplicable (like backing off the goal line on that Amon-Ra St. Brown TD in 2021).

Cutting him would free up $2.745 million in 2023. Dantlzer can be a productive corner in Minnesota. That being said, we know that the team’s cap situation basically guarantees that difficult decisions will need to be made, so it’s a situation that’s worth monitoring. A trade isn’t an impossibility, either. He’s a young, long, physical corner who many talent evaluators were high on just a few years ago.

The Current Talent

Left unchanged from its current state, the Vikings would head into the 2023 season with this depth chart at corner:

  • Akayleb Evans
  • Cameron Dantzler
  • Andrew Booth Jr.
  • Kalon Barnes

Clearly, the team will be making it a priority to add reinforcements to that group. There is hope that Booth and Evans can be long-term contributors at corner, but their rocky rookie seasons were impacted by injuries, so it isn’t a guarantee.

Nov 24, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver DeVante Parker (1) makes a catch while Minnesota Vikings cornerback Duke Shelley. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports.

We have to assume that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will be working toward retaining Peterson and Shelley. Even if he does, though, there is more work to be done. Improving the play at slot corner would be a win, especially since the 3rd corner is essentially a starter in today’s NFL. Finding a way to even make just a couple more plays per game – especially in critical situations – can make all the difference.

In the coming weeks and months, we’ll get a much clearer sense of what the secondary is going to look like in 2023. Adofo-Mensah is hard at work trying to get the finances in order as he plans for success in the upcoming season.

Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.

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