Daily Norseman
The Vikings’ brass may be happier with it than we think
One of the areas many pundits expected the Vikings to address during the draft was cornerback. Indeed, many of them dinged the Vikings in their draft grade for failing to address this perceived position of need.
However, the Vikings may be more comfortable with their cornerback room in their own assessment. Indeed, Kevin O’Connell’s comments about the cornerback position were pretty clear at the owner’s meeting back in early April:
“Our roster is pretty full at that position right now so it’s going to be competitive throughout the spring especially if we’re able to do anything in the draft.”
The Vikings did not address the cornerback position in the draft, but did add a couple of UDFAs after the draft was over. Given what the Vikings did in free agency, and their existing roster at cornerback, this wasn’t all that surprising.
The Vikings extended starting outside cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. on a three-year deal, then signed another starting outside cornerback in Isaiah Rodgers on a two-year deal. There should be no doubt that Rodgers will be the other starting cornerback opposite Murphy, as Rodgers was someone defensive coordinator Brian Flores targeted early in the off-season according to Kevin O’Connell:
“Isaiah was a guy that Flo identified pretty early. Historically, when Flo has that tone in his voice about guys, he has been pretty darn accurate. That guy, whether playing for us or somebody else, has immediately shown up. No pressure on Isaiah but he definitely got that evaluation from Flo.”
Flores echoed that this week when he said he was interested in Rodgers when he was at UMass and said he was all in when he learned that the Vikings had a chance to acquire him in free agency.
Nevertheless, when Jalen Ramsey became available in trade and now Jaire Alexander has been released by the Packers, speculation about the Vikings’ interest in either cornerback has ramped up, noting that the cornerback room appears to be the weak link on the team.
Having two starters, both 27, on two-year deals means there was no urgency for the Vikings in using their top draft pick on a cornerback, especially when left guard was a greater position of need and Donovan Jackson was arguably the best player available at #24 when the Vikings picked him.
The Vikings also have two outside cornerbacks in Mekhi Blackmon and Dwight McGlothern who were both arguably mid-round talents- although McGlothern went undrafted- that are likely to be backups that may earn some rotational reps over the course of the season. Blackmon was named to the PFF All-Rookie team in 2023 before his ACL injury last year, while McGlothern was one of the best corners in the SEC his senior year according to PFF and did well with a handful of reps last season as he developed. My breakdown of Mekhi Blackmon is here and McGlothern’s is here. So, with Blackmon and McGlothern on...
