Vikings Free Agency Is Missing Emphasis on Key Position

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

We are a couple of days into the tampering period of free agency, and the Vikings have made a couple of moves. To date, the Vikings have extended Kirk Cousins, released Michael Pierce, and agreed to terms with defensive tackle Harrison Phillips and linebacker Jordan Hicks. However, they have not signed a player to a key position yet.

The Vikings are in desperate need of cornerback help. The only reasonable starter they have right now is Cam Dantzler. The rest are just some guys who should play special teams. Being that cornerback is the second, if not the first, most important position on defense, it’s surprising they haven’t made a move yet.

With the type of defense Ed Donatell wants to play, you need good cornerbacks. The cornerbacks are required to play man-to-man frequently. Right now, none of the cornerbacks on the roster are capable of that. Well, Dantzler might be able to, but he needs to be more consistent.

The top cornerbacks on the market (JC Jackson, Carlton Davis, and Charvarious Ward) are no longer available. However, it was always going to be difficult for a cash-strapped Vikings team to make serious offers for any of them. Who is still out there in free agency? Who are the most likely targets?

Free Agent Cornerback Targets

While the top cornerbacks are off the market, there are still many options out there. First, the Vikings will need to clear some cap space. They will likely do so with a restructure of Adam Thielen and Harrison Smith. A deal is reported to be under negotiation with Danielle Hunter as well. After that, the Vikings need to sign a cornerback or two or three.

Patrick Peterson – Peterson is not the lockdown corner like he was earlier in his career. However, he is no slouch. More importantly, he brings added leadership and a veteran presence to help the younger corners develop. The best part is he actually wants to be with the Vikings, so maybe a team-friendly deal is in order.

Mackenzie Alexander – Mack is an interesting name to watch. He is one of the better slot cornerbacks in the league. Whether or not he is a good fit for the new defense is debatable. However, there is a chance the Vikings sign him for the Vet minimum. Not a bad deal for a reliable slot corner.

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Kyle Fuller – Fuller has ties to Ed Donatell and knows his system. He is 30 years old but still has some game in the tank. Last year he made $9 million in Denver, but due to his age, he could be cheaper than that yet. The most important part here is that we know he is a fit for Donatell, and he brings a veteran presence.

Bryce Callahan – Callahan is another name to watch. He would probably be more of a slot cornerback. However, once again, he knows Donatell’s defense. Additionally, he would be a relatively cheap veteran to bring in and bolster this depleted secondary.

Cornerback Draft Prospects

We should expect to see the Vikings sign at least one cornerback throughout the next couple of weeks. The only problem with the corners on this list: they are all older. While I firmly believe that having a veteran presence is a net positive, the Vikings will need to address this position group in the draft.

The most common names associated with the Vikings with the 12th overall pick are Derek Stingley Jr. and Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner. However, they could elect to spend the 12th on an edge rusher or maybe even a wide receiver. In that case, a day two pick would be used to find a developable cornerback prospect.

Look for the Vikings to target like Mario Goodrich out of Clemson. Goodrich had a decent combine performance earlier this month. But his most impressive trait is his ability to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage. While he is not necessarily a first-round talent, he has some traits that fit well with the Vikings’ defensive scheme.

However, before any of this happens, they need to decide on some more of their veteran players and contracts. Will someone be traded? Who will be restructured first? A lot of questions still remain.

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