Sounds Like 1 Unsung Vikings Signee Could Play a Big Role
The Minnesota Vikings have swapped out half of their secondary this offseason. Brian Flores had to say goodbye to starting safety Cam Bynum. His backup, Theo Jackson, is expected to take over. At corner, Isaiah Rodgers will likely replace one of the departed veteran duo of Shaq Griffin and Stephon Gilmore, but the other spot is up for grabs.
New Vikings corner Jeff Okudah has gotten some run.
There are numerous candidates for the gig. That starts with third-year defender Mekhi Blackmon, who is returning from his lost season due to a torn ACL. Last year’s undrafted rookie, Dwight McGlothern, showed some flashes in the preseason, and so did Reddy Steward, but in a Bears uniform. Ambry Thomas collected some experience as a 49ers defender, and undrafted first-year player Zemaiah Vaughn has gotten some buzz.
But it looks like one guy is just as good a bet as each of those guys: Jeff Okudah. A former third overall pick, Okudah has turned into a journeyman backup cornerback throughout the years as injuries have slowed down his progress.
Almost like Sam Darnold a year ago, in what might be his last chance to compete for a significant job on a defense, the 26-year-old seems to enter the summer in a good position to redeem himself.
Alec Lewis of The Athletic was asked about the cornerback rotation in his mailbag article. Of course, it’s important to use information gathered in OTAs and mandatory minicamp cautiously, but it’s all we have. About that, he noted, “Full disclosure: Flores toys with different looks during minicamp, and this can often lead to misdirection. Last year, for example, Joejuan Williams participated among the starters, then never played a snap.”
Sure, Flores is not only toying with his opponents in September, he also does with his players in the offseason to put them in different positions and assemble the best possible rotation by the time the season begins in less than three months from now.
Lewis about the cornerback rotation: “Most of the nickel groupings featuring three cornerbacks included Byron Murphy Jr., Rodgers and Jeff Okudah. Third-year pro Mekhi Blackmon mixed in at times. Dwight McGlothern, an undrafted signing last year, also participated in reps with the starters. Both of those two need productive training camps.”
Byron Murphy Jr. should be considered a lock to be on the field in any packages. He signed a massive contract in March and is coming off a Pro Bowl season. Despite all the uncertainties in that room, he has the CB1 slot secured.
Rodgers playing next to him makes sense. He signed a solid contract worth at least $5.5 million per season, which is starter money. Okudah, meanwhile, got a fully guaranteed but cheap $2.35 million contract for one campaign. The veteran getting reps ahead of Blackmon is surprising.
But we just have to listen to his coaches, who have been pleased with him.
Kevin O’Connell told the media two months ago: “How about Jeff Okudah, a guy that was a really high draft pick, has all the traits. Very smart player. We’ve had our struggles against him at times, dealing with his length and strength at the line of scrimmage.”
GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said around draft time, “Okudah is somebody we signed in free agency that we’re excited about. He’s as talented as anyone who got drafted last Thursday or Friday.”
There’s no doubt about Okudah’s talent. He is long and has the strength to be a problem for wideouts, and his speed is helping, too. The Lions once drafted him third overall.
Let’s ask someone who’s gone up against countless defensive backs over his decorated NFL career: Justin Jefferson. He recently spoke about his new teammate: “He has that speed … and he has that ability to really play-make and just be an annoying cornerback. That’s what I like to call those types of corners, ‘annoying cornerbacks,’ because they know how to be physical. They know how to get you off your route and not be able to have free access.”
Injuries have been a big problem for the former Ohio State standout. Some soft-tissue injuries limited him to nine games in his rookie season, a torn Achilles cost him all but one contest in 2021, and he played only six games last year because of a hip injury.
According to PFF, Detroit’s former draft pick has been targeted 181 times in his career, allowing 120 passes to be caught for 1,926 yards and five touchdowns with a passer rating of 106.3. He has yet to finish a season with a PFF grade of 60, which would still be below-average.
The Vikings seem to be big fans of their cheap signing. It remains to be seen whether he can repay that trust. Okudah will be a guy to watch this summer in matchups with Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
At the age of 26, the Vikings hope they can finally unlock some consistency from the once highly-touted defender.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.