What Will the Vikings Do with No Cornerbacks?
This offseason, it’s a great thing that the Minnesota Vikings have ample money to spend. They also have a boatload of free agents to replace, and some positions are basically ripped down to the studs. Among those spots is the secondary, specifically the cornerback position.
What Will the Vikings Do with No Cornerbacks?
Minnesota went into the year with serious uncertainty at cornerback. Following the death of rookie Khyree Jackson, they lost a promising potential playmaker and contributor. This loss also shook the depth of the role, which was made more problematic by Mekhi Blackmon’s season-ending injury.
Ultimately, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah used some of his available cap space to lure Stephon Gilmore just before the season began. He would pair with holdover Byron Murphy Jr. and veteran free agent Shaq Griffin. That threesome gave the position a decent chance at the top of the depth chart, but there would always be reason for caution.
Now, all three of those cornerbacks are free agents. It seems relatively unlikely that either Gilmore or Griffin would return. Murphy Jr. has been worthy of a new contract, but he’ll be looking for something more lucrative, given the ability to test the open market.
Minnesota also doesn’t have much in the form of draft capital. The Vikings can’t simply address their issues with impact players in April. With a lone first-round selection and then lesser-round picks, there won’t be enough talent to suggest that the draft is the way to go.
Fortunately for the Vikings, Adofo-Mensah has done a great job when it comes to identifying veteran talent. He’ll need to prove his abilities there again this season as cornerback, defensive line, and safety help could all come from the open market.
Cornerback is a tough position to fill at the highest level. The offensive league has made the best players command a premium, and Adofo-Mensah will be tasked with providing multiple solutions for the Vikings. Minnesota seems unlikely to get by with any less than two starting options.
It’s great that the cap space is there, but given the needs necessary to be addressed, it will be chipped away in short order. Again, shrewd deals for players with high upside are a must. Maybe one of them comes on the boundary.
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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