The Vikings Need To Acquire a Starting Cornerback This Offseason
Somehow, after drafting defensive backs so often Rick Spielman got heckled by his wife for drafting early-round cornerbacks, the Minnesota Vikings are once again thin at the position. As of right now, there are only four corners on the Vikings roster: Cam Dantzler, Kris Boyd, Harrison Hand, and Parry Nickerson.
Chris Tomasson is reporting that the Vikings have told Mackensie Alexander that they won’t re-sign him. And, even if Patrick Peterson does return to the roster, which is a possibility, the Vikings will still need to add some corners to the roster just to field a competitive team next season.
This is especially true because of the transition to Ed Donatell’s defensive scheme. Donatell’s 3-4 defense focuses heavily on stopping opposing team’s passing attacks, often by putting his DBs one-on-one with no help over the top. Think of the role that Jalen Ramsey played in the Rams defense last season. The Vikings don’t have this kind of player on the team right now.
The Vikings will have two opportunities to add players to the roster: free agency and the draft.
Free Agency
Because the of the Vikings salary cap issues, which are partly the result of Hunter’s contract situation, the Vikings have already missed out on some of the best available free agent corners. The Jacksonville Jaguars signed Darious Williams to a three-year, $39 million dollar deal this morning. This is a player the Vikings could have made a move for if they had the cap space.
There are several veterans still on the market, though, including some former Vikings. As mentioned earlier, the Vikings could sign Patrick Peterson to a new deal. Xavier Rhodes and Mike Hughes are both looking for work, as well. Or, alternatively, they could look to sign a Donatell-familiar player who already understands the system, like Bryce Callahan.
With very little available cap space, some of the best corners on the market already locked up, and few quality corners on the roster, the Vikings are in a bit of a tight spot here. It looks like they will have to, once again, turn to the draft.
The NFL Draft
Fortunately for the Vikings, they have a high first-round pick (#12 overall), and there are several talented corners at the top of board.
The first one the Vikings will take a look at is Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner out of the University of Cincinnati. Gardner is a playmaking, ballhawk with an ideal, lanky frame which allows him to lockdown receivers. He recorded 9 picks and 2 touchdowns as a collegiate player in a tremendous career at Cincinnati. However, if the Vikings want to make a play on Gardner, they may need a bit of luck. Gardner could easily go in the top ten.
The next option behind Gardner is Derek Stingley Jr. out of LSU. Like Gardner, Stingley is a playmaking corner with serious potential, displaying both the ball skills and the athleticism required for the position. If Gardner goes off the board early and Stingley is still there at the #12 spot, it is very likely that the Vikings think long and hard about choosing him.
Whether in free agency or the draft, the Minnesota Vikings need to add a starting quality corner to the roster. This will be a great test for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and his staff in evaluating and drafting top-level talent.
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