A New Defender Enters Vikings Rumor Mill
Dustin Baker
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Last week, it was an idea floated by Bleacher Report suggesting the Minnesota Vikings could trade with the Arizona Cardinals for safety Budda Baker.
And for about last three months, folks have hinted the Vikings should sign veteran cornerback Marcus Peters.
A New Defender Enters Vikings Rumor Mill
But the new latest-and-greatest newcomer theory for the Vikings involves a less prominent name — cornerback Eli Apple.
Apple is a free agent, and the Vikings are considered by most a team possessing an underwhelming cornerback room, with the regular season less than two months away. On paper, onboarding Apple makes sense — but adding any notable veteran CB also checks out.
Like Baker last week, the Apple-to-Vikings hubbub was born at Bleacher Report. BR’s Maurice Moton theorized where a handful of noteworthy free agents could land, and for Apple, the Vikings topped his list.
Moton explained, “Eli Apple hasn’t played up to his first-round pedigree. Though inconsistent for most of seven seasons, he had a solid two-year stretch in a starting position […] Aside from the Cardinals, who have needs all over their roster, the Vikings are an ideal fit for Apple.”
A national champion in college at Ohio State, Apple has spent time in seven seasons with the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, and Cincinnati Bengals. A journeyman, indeed.
“Minnesota has safety Harrison Smith, who still has sideline-to-sideline range in coverage. Assuming Byron Murphy Jr. primarily mans the slot, Minnesota needs an experienced boundary defender following the loss of Patrick Peterson in free agency,” Moton concluded.
The Vikings should, in fact, explore Apple’s free agency — if they haven’t already. The aforementioned Peters is available, too, and Minnesota would be wise to hedge the bet via free agency against an inexperienced CB group that includes Byron Murphy, Andrew Booth, Akayleb Evans, Joejuan Williams, and Mekhi Blackmon, among others.
Here’s the Pro Football Focus tale of the tape for Apple, who turns 28 in three weeks:
- 2016 = 62.8
- 2017 = 64.5
- 2018 = 62.3
- 2019 = 63.8
- 2020 = 55.3
- 2021 = 60.9
- 2022 = 52.9
Moton also name-dropped the Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts as possible landing spots for Apple. Minnesota has about $18 million in available cap space as of July 17th. Apple should not be too expensive this late in free agency.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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