“Biggest Hole” for Vikings Has Been Identified
NFL free agency is basically over, and the Minnesota Vikings embarked on a total spending spree to fill short- and long-term roster needs.
“Biggest Hole” for Vikings Has Been Identified
The club is sitting in pretty fancy shape, possessing few urgent roster concerns, with the 2025 NFL Draft just 23 days away.
But according to ESPN, the Vikings still need one of their holes filled — cornerback.
The “Biggest Hole” for Vikings per ESPN
ESPN sized up roster holes for each NFL team this week, and for Minnesota, cornerback got the nod.
“Top three needs: CB, DT, C. The Vikings won’t have to reach for need in the draft for 2025 impact due to their $300 million-plus free agent shopping spree. But the one position that still needs work is cornerback,” Kevin Seifert explained.
“The team’s top four corners this past season were all on expiring contracts, and only Byron Murphy Jr. has been re-signed. Newcomers Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah and holdover Mekhi Blackmon aren’t enough depth The other positional holes are longer-term.”
Cornerback as a roster need isn’t surprising. The spot has caused draft heartache for the organization over the last decade. In fact, the last high-round corner to succeed from a Vikings draft was Trae Waynes — 10 years ago.
Seifert added, “The Vikings’ top three defensive linemen — Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave and Harrison Phillips — are between 29 and 32 years old. New center Ryan Kelly is 32 and on a short-term contract.”
Rookies from the Draft to Fill the Hole
If Minnesota agrees with the assessment, a handful of promising corners will be available in the draft, either via the 24th overall pick or a trade down.
These men could activate Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s radar in Round 1 or 2 if he deems cornerback a need:
- Trey Amos (Ole Miss)
- Jahdae Barron (Texas)
- Maxwell Hairston (Kentucky)
- Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame)
- Shavon Revel Jr. (East Carolina)
- Azareye’h Thomas (Florida State)
Don’t Rule Out Isaiah Rodgers
Byron Murphy Jr., a Pro Bowler, re-upped with Minnesota last month, holding down the CB room for the next few years. In addition to Murphy Jr., the Vikings inked Isaiah Rodgers, a Super Bowl champion from the Philadelphia Eagles.
And Minnesota’s coaching staff might be higher on Rodgers than some fans at this offseason juncture. Seifert tweeted Tuesday, “Also interesting: O’Connell said Brian Flores identified CB Isaiah Rodgers’ pretty early’ as a UFA target. O’Connell: ‘When Flo has that kind of tone in his voice about guys … he’s been pretty darn accurate.’ O’Connell sees him as ‘an every down impact guy.'”
Rodgers cannot be ruled out as the standalone CB2 solution if Brian Flores views him as an “every down impact guy.”
Free Agent CBs after Draft
If not the draft, and if Minnesota doesn’t trust Rodgers for a starter’s duty, Adofo-Mensah could examine a few free-agent corners after the draft when signings won’t ruin the 2026 compensatory draft pick formula.
These are the CB candidates:
- Rasul Douglas
- Shaquill Griffin
- Mike Hilton
- Asante Samuel Jr.
Samuel Jr. recently entered the Vikings’ rumor mill from a sketchy source. SKOR North features a segment on its Minnesota sports show called “Reckless Speculation,” a title that gives its hosts permission to say anything, no matter how ludicrous.
Last week, the speculation involved Samuel Jr., citing a nameless tip from someone’s neighbor at a nightclub.
“I was always a bit hesitant to wade too far into the waters of reckless speculation. However, earlier this morning – it’s a couple days ago – I received quite an interesting call from my neighbor. He had just received a text message from his daughter, who is currently in Fort Lauderdale on spring break. She was with friends at the SWAY Nightclub,” Phil Mackey relayed the message.
“She noticed a young man in a Vikings cap with an entourage around him. She’s a big football fan and made her way toward him and asked if he played for the Vikings. He kinda smiled and said, ‘It won’t be official for about five weeks, but yes.'”
If one buys into rumors like that, perhaps Samuel Jr. could fix the “biggest hole.”
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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