5 Options for the Vikings’ Cake Topper at CB
The Minnesota Vikings have added two notable cornerbacks in free agency: veterans Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah.
5 Options for the Vikings’ Cake Topper at CB
This is the 2025 CB group as of March 21st:
CB1: Byron Murphy Jr.
CB2: Mekhi Blackmon
CB3: Isaiah Rodgers
CB4: Dwight McGlothern
CB5: Jeff Okudah
CB6: Tavierre Thomas
CB7: NaJee Thompson
CB8: Nahshon Wright
CB9: Ambry Thomas
CB10: Reddy Steward
CB11: Kahlef Hailassie
And while that unit could do the trick next season, these are five possible cake-toppers for the Vikings’ offseason at cornerback, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = most realistic option).
5. The Sauce Gardner Trade
The Gardner trade rumors appeared to emerge from an X account called “Playmaker Dave,” who boasts an impressive social media accuracy run, foreseeing events like Daniel Jones to the Vikings a few months ago, Davante Adams to the Los Angeles Rams, and Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders, among other accurate prophecies.
The account tweeted last week, “SOURCE: Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets in discussions for blockbuster trade involving Sauce Gardner’ lots of movement in the last 24 hours and the cap situation makes it all work.'”
There is likely no realism to this, but just in case, as the least likely cake-topper, Gardner was included. It would explain why Minnesota has kept its monetary books so flexible.
And make no mistake, Gardner would be the almighty CB cake-topper.
4. A Denzel Ward Trade
Bleacher Report kickstarted this idea at the beginning of the offseason.
“Ward has long been one of the NFL’s better players at a premium position. He’s headed to his fourth Pro Bowl and is in the prime of the career,” BR’s Gary Davenport recommended in February.
“But if Minnesota offers the 24th overall pick for Ward, Cleveland should pull the trigger. It would be a truly ‘all-in’ move for the Vikings, who are already short on draft picks this year. But with $57.9 million in cap space, the Vikings could make this splash trade and still have enough money to bring back Sam Darnold.”
Adofo-Mensah could send his 1st-Rounder from this year to Cleveland — his former employer — for the 28-year-old Ward and a mid-round pick and call it good.
“Calling pass defense the Vikings’ biggest weakness this season doesn’t do it justice. They were 28th in the NFL during the regular season and got shredded by the Rams in a playoff loss. Ward would be a massive upgrade at their most vulnerable position. He’d all but surely a more impactful player in the short-term than that 24th pick,” Davenport added.
Ward’s cap number next season? $24.5 million.
The Vikings 2025 CB room would be totally solidified.
3. Asante Samuel Jr. from Free Agency
This would pester the Vikings’ pursuit to preserve the current 2026 compensatory draft pick formula, so it may be unlikely.
But if Minnesota decided that Samuel Jr. represented a better or more ironclad CB2 option than Isaiah Rodgers, well, would it really be silly to sign him? No, probably not.
The young corner is nursing 2024 injuries, which might be delaying his free agency, but sooner or later, he’ll sign somewhere this offseason.
That could be the purple team if it throws caution to the wind regarding 2026 compensatory draft picks.
2. Jaire Alexander, if Released by GB
ESPN’s Rob Demovsky wrote last month, “One way or another, it appears that two-time All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander and the Green Bay Packers are headed for a split.”
“General manager Brian Gutekunst was noncommittal about Alexander’s future when he spoke to reporters Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, but sources confirmed Wednesday that the team is willing to listen to trade offers.”
Green Bay won’t trade Alexander to Minnesota — the whole intradivisional trade no-no thing — but if he’s released, Alexander will not affect the aforementioned compensatory formula if signed by Minnesota.
Byron Murphy Jr., Jaire Alexander, Mekhi Blackmon, Isaiah Rodgers, Jeff Okudah, and Dwight McGlothern would symbolize phenomenal cornerback depth.
1. The Draft
If all the options above fail to materialize, the draft is less than five weeks away.
Rookies like Trey Amos (Ole Miss), Jahdae Barron (Texas), Maxwell Hairston (Kentucky), Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame), Shavon Revel Jr. (East Carolina), and Azareye’h Thomas (Florida State) should be available.
This is the most realistic option for the cornerback cake-topper — probably Barron or Revel Jr.
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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