Vikings’ Reclamation Project Is Getting All the Buzz
The Minnesota Vikings hired some players who will be immediate help for some of the team’s weakest position groups from last season. Among those are Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave on the defensive line and Will Fries and Ryan Kelly on the offensive side of the ball.
Vikings’ Reclamation Project Is Getting All the Buzz
One position Vikings fans might have envisioned more resources to be spent on is the cornerback group that hasn’t been that great since the prime days of the Mike Zimmer Vikings. Shaq Griffin and Stephon Gilmore have not received a renewed contract, although they are still available, and the front office could still get that done if they feel like they need another experienced guy in the room.
Isaiah Rodgers was signed in free agency, and he is expected to be the starter opposite Byron Murphy Jr., who got a sweet raise from the Vikings after his Pro Bowl campaign. Mekhi Blackmon also returns from his torn ACL, but he is a wildcard at this point. Taking a year off after a rotational rookie season isn’t the best way to develop.
The fourth guy in that room is former high draft pick Jeff Okudah. His injury history is significant, and he has never lived up to his draft status. At the age of 26, the Vikings hope to get more out of him than his past employers.
Earlier this week, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah spoke on KFAN, and he said about the former third overall pick: “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,” Adofo-Mensah informed Paul Allen, voice of the Vikings.
Sure, if he were coming out in this draft, he probably would’ve been a top ten pick once again, perhaps even back in the top five. However, he has barely shown that talent in the NFL.
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.
On the positive side, Okudah comes with the size that most of his teammates at the position don’t have. The Vikings list him at 6-1, 205 lbs, which is pretty much ideal size for a corner.
However, injuries have been an issue. Minor soft-tissue injuries limited him in his 2020 rookie season, and a torn Achilles robbed him of all but one game in 2021. Due to a hip injury, he played in only six games last year with the Texans.
In five NFL seasons, Okudah has played in only 44 games with 31 starts. The Vikings have shown that they view previously injured players as an opportunity to uncover bargains.
But Adofo-Mensah isn’t the only guy who’s excited about Okudah. Head coach Kevin O’Connell also mentioned him during an appearance on the NFL Network on Saturday’s draft.
“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.”
Okudah is a physical cornerback. His size allows him to shove receivers around a little, a tool that could help him get onto the field because other guys in that room simply don’t have his body composition and strength.
PurplePTSD’s Kyle Joudry argued after the signing that he is a strong roster candidate due to the structure of his deal. “At the most basic level, Okudah is working on a single-season, prove-it contract with a modest cap hit in 2025: $2,350,000. There’s no funny business with void years pushing some of the cap charge into the future. Neither are there any details about incentives being able to boost the pay. What you see is what you get: a one-year contract sitting at $2.35 million.”
It’s a relatively cheap contract, but the guaranteed money matters.
Joudry continued: “Now, here’s the caveat: every penny is going to hit the cap. Or, at least, every penny is going to hit the cap if the Vikings decide to move on with a cut. So, there’s really no financial incentive to move on once the time comes for roster trimdowns. The thinking with the signing is that Mr. Okudah is going to be on the roster.”
At this point, Okudah should be considered the fourth man on the depth chart behind Murphy Jr., Rodgers, and Blackmon. However, if Brian Flores can unlock some of his talent that once made him a third overall draft choice, he could quickly enter the lineup, although it should be noted that those types of breakouts aren’t common in year six.
Regardless, it is the offseason, and that’s the time to have a glass-half-full approach, get excited about a new player, and hope he can reach his once-promising potential.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.