For Better or Worse, Vikings Address the CB Problem
The Minnesota Vikings entered the offseason with their top four corners set to become unrestricted free agents. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah only retained one of them, and just like every other year of this decade, the defensive back group could use some reinforcements.
For Better or Worse, Vikings Address the Cornerback Situation
On Thursday, general manager Adofo-Mensah and his head coach Kevin O’Connell spoke to the media a couple of days after assembling their 53-man roster. As expected, someone asked about the fact that the club only has four cornerbacks on the roster.
Kwesi’s Words
Adofo-Mensah’s response showed no urgency. In fact, the man appeared quite happy with his group. “Yeah, it’s a position where we have the ability to play Big Nickel and things like that, so we look at that group with that versatility. We were able to bring back Fabian Moreau, who we view as an NFL-caliber guy and has played a lot of snaps for us,” Adofo-Mensah said about his CB room.
Big Nickel means playing a safety at slot cornerback, something Joshua Metellus did frequently in the past two seasons.
Currently, the Vikings have only four cornerbacks on the 53-man roster:
- Byron Murphy Jr.
- Isaiah Rodgers
- Jeff Okudah
- Dwight McGlothern
Murphy Jr. went to the Pro Bowl following last season and has taken a step towards becoming a true CB1. Rodgers was signed in free agency and will be a first-time starting cornerback in 2025 after years in rotational roles. Okudah has a resume of struggling play in his NFL career, but the Vikings have stressed all offseason how much they liked him. McGlothern, a 2024 undrafted rookie, is the lone backup.
Fabian Moreau, the Solution?
Moreau was signed to the practice squad. He was the fourth cornerback last season behind Murphy Jr. and his wingmen, Stephon Gilmore and Shaq Griffin. At the age of 32 years, he’s a journeyman depth player.
Unlike McGlothern, Moreau has played a ton of football in his career, logging over 4,000 defensive snaps in 113 games with five different franchises. He enjoyed his best time in Washington during his first four years of his career.
At that time, he played slot cornerback, followed by four seasons of one-year stints. Actually, the Vikings seem to be his first consecutive years with the same franchise since his time in Washington (2017-2020).
The defender stepped in for Gilmore in two games last year, but that can’t be more than an emergency option. Due to his experience, he’s a valuable depth player, but if he has to start football games, that’s a problem. Brian Flores’ defense isn’t bound to fail with him at corner, but some more oomph on the bench when the starters are mysteries, too, would be appreciated.
Available Players
Adofo-Mensah added, “We’ll always be mindful throughout the season to look at different opportunities.”
This implies that the decision-maker will continue to monitor the market, but doesn’t see the need to sign someone immediately. Still, he left the door open for a later acquisition. He signed Dalton Risner during the 2023 campaign, and something like that could be possible at corner. There are still some guys who are unsigned or on the practice squad.
Asante Samuel Jr. could be an intriguing candidate, but he won’t be available until October due to an injury recovery. Stephon Gilmore is still unsigned after a solid season in the Twin Cities. He’s long past his prime, but could be a sweet insurance. The Seahawks released Shaq Griffin and can be signed.
Mike Hilton, another veteran in his 30s, was cut by the Dolphins. An elite blitzer from the slot position could be a fit for Brian Flores’ blitz-heavy scheme. Beanie Bishop was a star rookie for the Steelers last year, but somehow didn’t make their 53-man roster. He’s currently on Pittsburgh’s practice squad, and the Vikings could take a look.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.