The 2 Free Agent CBs to Watch for Vikings

Ed Donatell is taking over the Minnesota Vikings defense, situated under new head coach Kevin O’Connell and assistant coach Mike Pettine.

The Vikings defense tumbled over the last two seasons after ranking as the NFL’s best from 2014 to 2019 per defensive efficiency. On top of that, Mike Zimmer’s 2020 and 2021 defense collapsed at the worst of times:

So, when O’Connell was hired — a man renown for offense-first thinking — there was concern the defense would remain poor or at least not be emphasized as much as the Zimmer era. But the hires of Donatell and Pettine ensure the Vikings leadership still has defense on the brain.

First, though, Minnesota must revamp its defensive personnel. Several key defenders were signed to one-year deals last spring — Patrick Peterson, Sheldon Richardson, Xavier Woods, Nick Vigil, Everson Griffen — and not all will return in 2022. The Vikings need defensive starters and depth players.

This is especially the case at cornerback. For now, Cameron Dantzler is the only startable corner on the roster, with Kris Boyd and Harrison Hand as reservist players. The Vikings need cornerbacks — that should be the slogan until the day the NFL draft ends.

Because Donatell is accountable for the defense, two names in free agency should be at the forefront of your brain — Bryce Callahan and Kyle Fuller.

Both men played for the Denver Broncos last year — where Donatell was employed for three consecutive seasons — and both are free agents. Interestingly, they both played for and were drafted by the Chicago Bears. While it’s somewhat unlikely both join the Vikings, betting money suggests one will toss on purple clothes in 2022.

Too, each man should be available at an affordable price. Callahan is 30 years old and generated a 60.0 grade from Pro Football Focus last season. He will not command a giant contract based on that grade and age.

Fuller is also 30 — there are a lot of career similarities between these two — but his PFF score was worse. He only rated a 47.2 grade, so Fuller should be obtainable for pennies on the dollar.

Recently, Patrick Peterson stated he would return to the Vikings, but that was after he found out his old secondary coach Deshea Townsend would be a part of O’Connell’s staff. The news was premature, and Townsend joined the Jacksonville Jaguars. Peterson still might re-sign in Minnesota, but the Townsend-to-Jaguars development makes the decision less certain.

Theoretically, if Peterson returned, the Vikings could showcase Peterson, Dantzler, Callahan, and/or Fuller — and any rookies drafted in April. That group wouldn’t rank near the top of the NFL, but it would be markedly better than Dantzler and “figure it out” as it stands now.

The realism of Callahan and Fuller is derived from the money. Minnesota will find ways to scrounge up cash for free agency in the coming weeks, but the piggy bank is barren at the moment. They likely cannot afford to ink a top-tier corner like J.C. Jackson — unless they trade Kirk Cousins or Danielle Hunter.

Free agency begins on March 14th.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).