The Vikings Have a Training Camp Mystery You Can’t Ignore
Minnesota Vikings training camp kicks off in less than a week, and among many central items, one glaring mystery still stands off the page.
The Vikings head into training camp with one big mystery still up in the air. It’s a position that could shape 2025, and there is no clear-cut answer yet.
The club currently showcases a mostly dazzling roster, only limited in the court of public opinion by quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s inexperience.
And while McCarthy’s development will pique fans’ interest to the utmost, onlookers need a verdict on the cornerback room — is the group stable enough for Super Bowl contention?
Vikings Cornerbacks Come with Question Marks
As currently assembled, folks wonder if the CB unit will do the trick.
Are the Current Cornerbacks Enough for a Super Bowl-Contending Team?
Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah utilized free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft to repair his decent-but-not-great offensive and defensive trenches. Fans rejoiced. Nobody complained. It felt like a dream come true.
But regarding the CB room, Adofo-Mensah appeared to rely on players’ upside(s) — like he did in 2024 when signing Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard. That experiment paid off.
Now, after signing veterans Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah, Vikings faithful merely hope that the CB room has the juice to contend for a Super Bowl. The rest of the depth chart is in good shape and doesn’t have loaded question marks.
One must ask herself, is this CB conglomeration the meal ticket?
- Byron Murphy Jr.
- Isaiah Rodgers
- Mekhi Blackmon
- Jeff Okudah
- Dwight McGlothern
- Ambry Thomas
- Tavierre Thomas
- Reddy Steward
- Kahlef Hailassie
- Keenan Garber
- Zemaiah Vaughn
The Probable Isaiah Rodgers Faith
By mid-August — hopefully, for the team’s sake — Isaiah Rodgers will be on a firm track to start in September, and few will care about the cornerback room’s alleged weaknesses.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores has endorsed Rodgers throughout the offseason, a player he’s evidently followed closely since Rodgers’ days at the University of Massachusetts. But Rodgers has never been featured as a long-term starter with any team, and in fact, a 2023 gambling suspension pumped the brakes on his career trajectory.
Minnesota obviously doesn’t care too much about Rodgers’ inexperience (as a starter, anyway) or suspension. Adofo-Mensah made Rodgers his very first free-agent signing in March.
Still, handing the starting CB baton to an unproven asset on a roster that otherwise screams Super Bowl contention may be considered risky business.
The Free Agents in Case of Emergency
What if Adofo-Mensah gets to mid- or late-August and realizes that Rodgers isn’t a dependable starter? Thankfully, as of July 20th, a bevy of free-agent corners remain on the open market.
Minnesota could sign one of these men and reasonably expect a starter’s contribution:
- Rasul Douglas
- Stephon Gilmore
- Mike Hilton
- Jack Jones
- Asante Samuel Jr.
Hilton is especially intriguing for his tendency to blitz quarterbacks — that’s what Flores does on Sundays. Samuel Jr., too, is a frequent inhabitant of Minnesota’s rumor mill, and his upside + youth could be just what the doctor ordered if Rodgers produces an underwhelming training camp.
The Trade Angle
Then — the trade angle. Adofo-Mensah has never been shy about firing off trades to improve his roster, and he has a mostly full allotment of draft picks to wheel and deal.
The trade rumor mill is never an exact science, but these veteran corners could be available for the price of mid- or late-round picks:
- Jamel Dean (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
- Trevon Diggs (Dallas Cowboys)
- Greg Newsome II (Cleveland Browns)
- Tariq Woolen (Seattle Seahawks)
On the whole, a trade may be unlikely because Minnesota didn’t factor much into the Jalen Ramsey rumor mill before he landed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ramsey’s contract was humongous, but he would’ve been the exclamation point on the Vikings’ offseason.
Kyle Joudry on the CBs
PurplePTSD‘s Kyle Joudry opined on the cornerback room this week: “There’s no such thing as a modern NFL team that wins without at least solid corner play. To that end, Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers Sr. are of the utmost importance. The Vikings cannot win without them. The team’s CB1 and CB2 inspire at least some level of optimism given last year’s success.”
“Murphy earned a Pro Bowl trip largely due to his 6 interceptions and 14 passes defended, both career-high numbers. Meanwhile, Rodgers was helping the Eagles win a Super Bowl. The bold truth, though, is that each needs to continue elevating their play in 2025.”
Joudry, too, makes the case, at least from a predictive standpoint, that Murphy Jr. and Rodgers will run the show as starters.
Joudry continued, “Byron Murphy is coming in at 5’11” and 190 pounds. Isaiah Rodgers is coming in at 5’10” and 170 pounds. Any chance that the NFL’s bully receivers can get the better of them? Does the starting twosome struggle with getting boxed out when jumping up for a rebound? Byron Murphy, the Vikings’ CB1, is working under a three-year deal that’s sitting at $54 million.”
“Isaiah Rodgers, the Vikings’ CB2, is working under a two-year deal that’s coming in a touch above $11 million. Sitting on more than $23.5 million in open cap space, the Vikings are betting that these two corners will be weekly difference makers.”
The Vikings’ first depth chart will be released before the preseason game against the Houston Texans, which should provide insight into the cornerback situation.
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