How Many CBs Do the Vikings Need?
Realistically, the Minnesota Vikings can only start so many cornerbacks. On Tuesday, they added another in the form of Jeff Okudah. They still have a first-round pick and could use that on a player who competes for a cornerback role. At some point, there are only so many mouths to feed.
How Many CBs Do the Vikings Need?
The problem for the Minnesota Vikings is they have a few mouths they shouldn’t want to feed right now. Okudah joins the team and immediately fits that category. Last season, the Vikings started Byron Murphy Jr., Stephon Gilmore, and Shaq Griffin. Only the former of those is back.
Beyond the starting contingent, the Minnesota Vikings had depth in the form of Mekhi Blackmon and Dwight McGlothern. Blackmon could have been in line to draw a few starts, but he wound up suffering a season-ending knee injury during training camp. McGlothern was an exciting, undrafted talent but is still a ways from reaching a safe level of development.
It’s great that Murphy Jr. is back, and Isaiah Rodgers has been signed to assume a starting role, too. It shouldn’t be expected that Okudah will start, and if he does, he’ll certainly have to earn it. He has spent more time on injured reserve than the active roster, and it would be foolish for Brian Flores to think he has a player who was once worthy of the third overall pick.
When the Vikings are on the clock at 24th overall next month, it’s beyond possible that they use the pick on a cornerback. If they choose to do so, that player would seemingly slot in as an immediate starter, and the defense would benefit from that talent level.
Last season, only four teams allowed more passing yards than the Minnesota Vikings. Flores has helped Kevin O’Connell’s defense to be substantially more competent than they were under Ed Donatell. Still, the secondary leaves plenty to be desired, and in a league that now leans into passing, that’s not a good thing.
Minnesota has revamped the defensive front. That should help the secondary in their pursuit, covering opposing wide receivers. If they can add another top-tier talent, the group would look great despite losing two-thirds of the 2024 starting talent.
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Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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