Vikings Re-Sign Fan Favorite After His 1-Year Absence
It’s been a tumultuous offseason for the Minnesota Vikings, especially at the crucial quarterback position. Kirk Cousins exited the building in free agency, while Sam Darnold joined to take his spot. J.J. McCarthy obviously arrived a few weeks later in the draft. The defensive unit, coordinated by Brian Flores, was also revamped.
Vikings Re-Sign Fan Favorite After His 1-Year Absence
Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and first-rounder Dallas Turner are supposed to replace departed star defender Danielle Hunter and his supporting cast of D.J. Wonnum and Marcus Davenport. Blake Cashman will start next to Ivan Pace, and Shaquill Griffin was acquired to support the inexperienced cornerback group.
That cornerback room took another big hit when the devastating news of Khyree Jackson’s tragic accident surfaced. The Vikings will take care of his family, which is the right thing to do.
As inhumane as it sounds, the football operations move on quickly. The spot that was planned for the fourth-round rookie has been handed to 2022 standout defender Duke Shelley, the team announced on Tuesday afternoon.
Shelley was a fascinating storyline in the 2022 season, a year that ended with a 13-4 record and the immediate exit in the postseason. The cornerback was a significant reason for the successful regular season.
The 2019 sixth-rounder spent his first three seasons with the Chicago Bears, but the NFC North rivals decided to cut him after the 2022 preseason. Chicago always used him in the slot, where he, despite his size limitations, never excelled. His spot is on the outside, where the Vikings would use him in 2022.
His journey in Minnesota began on the practice squad. The Vikes needed someone to step up because injuries decimated the cornerback room. Dantzler, Andrew Booth Jr., and Akayleb Evans all missed significant portions of the season, and Shelley became a starter, something nobody had expected.
He played 12 games for the Vikings and logged six starts, including one postseason matchup. In Week 18, he caught his first interception in the league. Shelley recorded 31 combined tackles and defended eight passes.
According to Pro Football Focus, Shelley was the fourth-best CB in the league, with a coverage grade of 86.4. Opposing passers were limited to a passer rating of 59.6 when throwing in his direction.
Regardless, he quickly became a fan favorite because of his play. The cornerback was outstanding at breaking up passes, especially those against much bigger receivers were impressive. He is of small stature at 5’9″, which is likely why the Bears thought he should be a slot cornerback.
One of his first plays with the Vikings was against the Buffalo Bills when he broke up a pass in overtime against Dawson Knox, a big tight end, with the game on the line. His overall feisty playing style was fun to watch.
His 2023 season showed that his play a year before was likely a fluke. The Raiders released him before the season began, but he joined the Los Angeles Rams shortly after, playing in 11 games and logging 76 defensive snaps as a depth player.
The Vikings employ Byron Murphy, who will continue to man one of the cornerback spots. The good news for Shelley is that the remaining depth chart is a mystery. Griffin is favored to play another outside spot, with Evans, Mekhi Blackmon, and Booth also in the mix.
Shelley has an outside chance to make the 53-man roster, and he has proven that he can beat the odds. Expect to see him make plays in training camp, and he will likely see some action in the preseason.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Focus and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt