Roster Weakness? Vikings Say Nope.
The Minnesota Vikings have very few roster weaknesses heading into training camp next month.
The Vikings disagree with the popular consensus roster weakness. Their actions, or lack thereof, prove as such.
If forced to choose, most watchful fans would label the cornerback position as one that could use a little love. A handful of veteran free-agent corners are on the open market, and Jalen Ramsey has yet to be traded by the Miami Dolphins, although it’s pretty inevitable that he will be moved.
But don’t count out the Vikings’ contentment with the cornerbacks as-is.
Increasing Evidence Suggests Vikings Are Content with Current CBs
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has had over three months to bolster his CB group. From initial free agency, the 2025 NFL Draft, to post-draft free agency, Adofo-Mensah has shown that he prefers his current CB corps.
Why? Well, this is rather simple. If he believed the unit was less than desirable, he could’ve signed an additional starter from free agency, or drafted Michigan’s Will Johnson, a CB, instead of Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson, a guard.
Minnesota’s CB Room Isn’t as Thin as Some Claim
The CBs in Minnesota might just do the trick in 2025, as evidence mounts of the team’s approval of the group.
No to Jaire Alexander
The most significant piece of evidence to support the Vikings’ approval of their exiting cornerback room is Jaire Alexander. The Green Bay Packers cut Alexander loose earlier this month, and the Baltimore Ravens signed him last week for a deal worth up to $6 million.
The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis wrote this week, “Were the Vikings one of the teams that lost out on bidding for Jaire Alexander? No. The Vikings’ front office constantly explores creative additions.”
“It’s one of the tenets of how Adofo-Mensah operates: Rarely do they dismiss any options or opportunities. Alexander — and you can categorize Dolphins corner Jalen Ramsey in a similar boat — was always a longshot.”
If the Vikings thought their CBs needed love, Alexander, a member of their foremost rival team, was the perfect target, especially at his affordable price point.
“It’s not just their locker room fit, but it’s also the Vikings’ belief in the cornerback room they currently have. That does not mean the Vikings did not check in with Alexander’s representation,” Lewis continued.
“Nor does it mean the Vikings will refrain from future additions, even in training camp. More than anything, it’s a reflection of how they feel about their overall chemistry and talent.”
The last sentence says it all: How they feel about their overall chemistry and talent.
The CB Group As-Is
Pretend Minnesota does not sign a single additional CB this summer. Here’s the group for training camp and the preseason:
- Byron Murphy Jr.
- Isaiah Rodgers
- Mekhi Blackmon
- Jeff Okudah
- Dwight McGlothern
- Ambry Thomas
- Tavierre Thomas
- Kahlef Hailassie
- Reddy Steward
- Zemaiah Vaughn
- Keenan Garber
The Reinforcements, if Needed
Then, pretend Minnesota does want one more corner, but it didn’t like Alexander and doesn’t want to trade a draft pick for Ramsey. These are the free-agent alternatives:
- Mike Hilton
- Jack Jones
- Asante Samuel Jr.
- Rasul Douglas
- C.J. Henderson
- Shaquill Griffin
- Stephon Gilmore
And via trade, let’s keep these names alive for good measure:
- Jalen Ramsey
- Tariq Woolen
- Greg Newsome II
More from The Athletic
Lewis also opined on the Vikings’ cornerback rotation at minicamp: “Full disclosure: Flores toys with different looks during minicamp, and this can often lead to misdirection. Last year, for example, Joejuan Williams participated among the starters, then never played a snap.”
“Most of the nickel groupings featuring three cornerbacks included Byron Murphy Jr., Rodgers and Jeff Okudah. Third-year pro Mekhi Blackmon mixed in at times. Dwight McGlothern, an undrafted signing last year, also participated in reps with the starters. Both of those two need productive training camps.”
Most fans believe Murphy Jr. will start for sure, but the mystery ensues thereafter.
Lewis added, “Cornerback may be a question mark, but it still inspires a comparable amount of confidence to the 2022 group of an aging Patrick Peterson, Chandon Sullivan and Cam Dantzler. Can the defense maintain its dominance? Can a roster with a bevy of veterans stay healthy?”
Folks can continue to daydream about an extra cornerback signing or a Jalen Ramsey trade, but Minnesota may just enjoy its current arrangement. Thankfully, Minnesota’s defense ranked second leaguewide in 2024 per all credible defensive efficiency metrics, so it’s not like the team is a little engine that could, crossing its fingers to climb out of the basement. The coach and personnel talent are present.
More Good News for the Vikings Rolls In
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