The Vikings’ Upside Corner Ventures into Uncertainty Yet Again
Based purely on his physical build, college history, and athletic potential, Jeff Okudah has tons of appeal as a football player. The lone issue has been his track record so far in the NFL.
The Vikings’ upside corner hasn’t fulfilled that upside while being employed in the Twin Cities. To the contrary, Mr. Okudah has fallen to the reputation that has followed him since becoming a pro: he’s an injury-prone player who has failed to live up to expectations. Where he goes in 2026 is anyone’s guess; the Vikings, in all likelihood, will look elsewhere for a depth option.
The Vikings’ Upside Corner Flopped in 2025
Standing at 6’1″ and weighing 205 pounds, Okudah appears to be a strong matchup option.
Football is a matchup sport. When another team has an unguardable weapon, then keeping pace on the scoreboard becomes quite difficult. Accordingly, coaches seek to have answers to the various challenges another team can put onto the field, such as a long-and-strong corner to go toe-to-toe with the league’s bullies out at receiver (think corner Xavier Rhodes lining up across from receiver Mike Evans).
But while there’s tons of appeal in Okudah’s potential — especially given the brilliant strategist at DC — Okudah’s play has been suboptimal.
The 2025 season has seen the corner get into action for six games. He earned 14 tackles alongside a fumble recovery. The stat columns for interceptions and passes defended show zero, hinting at the underwhelming season that arrived for the free-agent add.
Okudah has been on the IR for the past couple of months, getting shuffled over at the beginning of November.
To be fair, Okudah came to town for $2.35 million. In the world of NFL finances, that’s a low-end, middle-class agreement for someone who is 26 and who was chosen at No. 3 in the 2020 NFL Draft. A worthwhile gamble, to be sure.
On PFF, Jeff Okudah has a 32.4 grade. Essentially, an evaluation that points toward a need to sit on the bench. He offered the level of play while picking up 75 snaps out wide, 12 snaps in the slot, 4 snaps in the box, and 1 along the defensive line.
The question for Minnesota now becomes how things develop at corner.
Rolling into 2026, CB1 Byron Murphy Jr. and CB2 Isaiah Rodgers are going to remain. Neither are elite; neither are poor. The two are strong players, corners capable of being disruptive and capable of making plays on the ball. There’s a good case to be made that the Vikings still need a true lockdown option, but that’s true of many NFL teams that find a way to muddle through without a top-tier CB1.
So, there needs to be some understanding of reality as the new year begins.
Minnesota has a young, upside option in Jay Ward. He can shuffle between corner and safety with some ease, giving Brian Flores the versatility that the DC so clearly desires. So, too, are Josh Metellus and Theo Jackson good bets to bounce back next season. Could adding a promising young fella like Caleb Downs — should he fall that far in the 2026 NFL Draft — be the magic elixir to heal what ails the Vikings’ secondary?
The Vikings’ upside corner didn’t work out particularly well in 2025. Jeff Okudah struggled on the field and then needed to take time away from the field to get healthy. Ideally, he’ll arrive at complete health while finding a way to transform huge potential into on-field excellence.
The lone caveat within that genuine hope is merely that Minnesota is likely to look elsewhere for a high-end corner with size going into 2026.
