On Tuesday, Bleacher Report tabbed what it considers the Vikings top need — cornerback. BR‘s Kristopher Knox explained, “The Minnesota Vikings, who ranked 31st in total defense and 28th in points allowed last season, need a defensive overhaul. The process began when Minnesota hired Brian Flores to replace coordinator Ed Donatell. It must continue with an influx of talent, and there isn’t a bigger need than that of a quality shutdown cornerback.”
Nov 24, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings fans. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.
Ironically, Vikings Don’t Need to Use 1st Draft Pick on Top Team Need
The Knox quote was used to illustrate that the Vikings indeed need CB help in 2023 if they want to embark on the upcoming season with their usual playoff of Super Bowl stakes. For now, only Andrew Booth, Cameron Dantzler, and Akayleb Evans are under contract.
Aug 14, 2022; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. (23) in the first half against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.
Yet, the weird and ironic part here is that Minnesota doesn’t necessarily have to use its 23rd overall draft pick on a cornerback. Two different Vikings general managers — and mainly Rick Spielman, with Mike Zimmer’s suggestion — have drafted oodles of defensive backs in the 1st Round throughout the last decade. Spielman and the new guy, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, have selected six cornerbacks in Rounds 1 and 2 of the last 10 NFL drafts.
That is a lot of draft capital for one position — especially one that is somehow in rough shape at the moment — so it might be time to use a different method of finding productive cornerbacks.
Dec 24, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah looks on before the game against the New York Giants at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports.
Here’s the tale of the tape on CBs as of late:
- Xavier Rhodes (2013, R1)
- Trae Waynes (2015, R1)
- Mackensie Alexander (2016, R2)
- Mike Hughes (2018, R1)
- Jeff Gladney (2020, R1)
- Andrew Booth (2022, R2)
And when Minnesota invests Round 1 and Round 2 draft capital in the same position year after year, they’re inadvertently ignoring positions like EDGE and interior defensive line. Be different. Try something else. Don’t be silly and continue missing on CBs as an annual pastime.
Oct 6, 2019; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Russell Shepard (81) cannot catch a pass in the end zone against Minnesota Vikings cornerback Mike Hughes (21) in the second half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports.
The Vikings have Booth, Evans, and Dantzler under contract for 2023. They could also re-sign Patrick Peterson and Duke Shelley. There’s no prime-age alpha CB in that pack, but the depth is assured. Use it. Find the best candidate to emerge — while hedging the bet with a veteran corner from free agency. These players will be available as unrestricted free agents in four weeks, assuming they don’t return to their 2022 teams:
- James Bradberry (Eagles)
- Jamel Dean (Buccaneers)
- Jonathan Jones (Patriots)
- Byron Murphy (Cardinals)
- Cameron Sutton (Steelers)
What’s more, the 2023 NFL Draft is tremendously deep at cornerback. Adofo-Mensah could get away with selecting a corner in Round 3 or so, while implementing his Booth-Dantzler-Evans-Peterson-Shelley fivesome and possibly finding a keynote free agent. In that scenario, Minnesota would suddenly become deep-deep at the position.
NFL draft season officially kicked off the moment Super Bowl LVII ended, and in examining the Vikings roster needs, it appears the franchise should probably target a cornerback — once again. But peel back the curtain a bit, and there might just be a different way to do it.