There are several positions in football where the ability to respond with a rebound and meet the next moment is important, but cornerback has an inside track to a podium for that quality.
The Vikings in 2024 needed to respond to difficult on-field challenges for sure, but nothing quite like the group began overcoming in July.
The tragic death of rookie Khyree Jackson in a Maryland car accident placed the vibrant teammate in the hearts of every teammate for the rest of summer break and beyond.
Adversity continued on the first practice day of training camp when 2023 third-round pick Mekhi Blackmon tore his ACL.
The Vikings added Fabian Moreau within a week of Blackmon’s injury and then signed fellow vet Stephon Gilmore in mid-August (Shaq Griffin had joined Minnesota in March).
The additions of Moreau, Gilmore and Griffin provided extensive experience to join Byron Murphy, Jr., who had been the most experienced cornerback in 2023, his first season with the Vikings.