New Defender Enters Vikings Rumor Mill
The Minnesota Vikings typically prefer raiding the Green Bay Packers for rival turncoats — Aaron Jones, Za’Darius Smith, and Chandon Sullivan can attest — but if USA Today has it right, the purple team might try on the Detroit Lions for size.
New Defender Enters Vikings Rumor Mill
USA Today‘s Jacob Camenker listed a free-agent prediction per team last week, and for the Vikings, Lions cornerback Carlton Davis got the nod.
Camenkner explained, “The Vikings are set to undergo an overhaul in the secondary, as four of their top five cornerbacks are set to be free agents. Bringing back Byron Murphy should be high on Brian Flores’ wish list, but grabbing a slightly larger cornerback like Davis to replace Stephon Gilmore and Shaq Griffin would also be ideal.”
The overhaul mentioned by Camenker involves the current corners attached to the 2025 budget. Only Mekhi Blackmon and possibly Dwight McGlothern could be classified as playable CBs as it stands before free agency. The Vikings, beyond the shadow of a doubt, need cornerback help this offseason, almost to emergency status.
“Davis is coming off a strong season with the Lions and signing him would weaken Minnesota’s divisional rival,” Camenker added.
Here’s Davis’ playing resume to date since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers scooped him from Round 2 of the 2018 NFL Draft:
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2018–2023)
- Detroit Lions (2024–present)
Davis won a Super Bowl with Tom Brady and the gang in 2020 and recently ventured to Detroit, which may have been a one-year experiment.
This is Davis’ Pro Football Focus resume over the last seven seasons:
- 2024: 74.5
- 2023: 63.1
- 2022: 65.1
- 2021: 71.6
- 2020: 65.7
- 2019: 70.4
- 2018: 61.2
Davis is known for upper-echelon pass coverage and run defense while lagging a bit in tackling and rushing the passer. Spotrac lists his market value, with free agency just two weeks away, at $13.8 million annually. And Minnesota can certainly afford that sum, equipped with over $60 million to spend on free agents.
If Minnesota does not pursue Davis but still wants a free-agent corner, these options should be available:
- Byron Murphy
- D.J. Reed
- Charvarius Ward
- Asante Samuel Jr.
- Rasul Douglas
- Paulson Adebo
Then, these men could be available to the Vikings in Round 1 or 2 of April’s draft:
- Shavon Revel Jr. (East Carolina)
- Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame)
- Jahdae Barron (Texas)
- Trey Amos (Ole Miss)
Davis will turn 29 next December and should command a decent free-agent market.
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 Vikings 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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