When the Minnesota Vikings reconvene for training camp in a few weeks, one of the key storylines will be the team’s precarious situation at cornerback.
While it’s easy to like GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s work since the start of the new league year, especially on the interior offensive and defensive lines, it’s fair to question what the team left for coach Brian Flores in the secondary.
Per analyst Judd Zulgad of the Purple Daily Podcast, Jeff Okudah ran with the first-team defense throughout minicamp in the nickel spot. That’s good news for Okudah’s chances of making Minnesota’s 53-man roster, as the former No. 3 overall pick is now trying to stick with his fourth team in as many years. It’s a shaky sign for the Vikings, though, given Okudah’s last full season as a starter, 2023 with the Atlanta Falcons, wasn’t pretty; he finished the season with a lowly 46.0 grade in coverage from PFF.
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The Vikings are thin on proven options at cornerback, with the recently re-signed Byron Murphy Jr. the only real known commodity. As it stands, the team will be relying on:
- Mekhi Blackmon, who spent all of 2024 on injured reserve;
- Isaiah Rodgers, who filled a backup roll for the Eagles in 2024 but did earn himself a Super Bowl ring;
- Okudah, who only appeared in six games last year with Houston due to injuries;
- Dwight McGlothern and Zemaiah Vaughn, two undrafted players who Zulgad thinks could make the initial 53-man roster;
- Ambry Thomas and Tavierre Thomas, two veterans on the roster bubble who are vying for depth / core special teams roles.
It’s a bit surprising that the Vikings haven’t added another defensive back since April’s draft, which saw Minnesota prioritize the offense and supporting first-year starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy. NFL analyst Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports sees that changing, eyeing a potential trade with the Cleveland Browns that would fill an obvious need.
Benjamin predicts the Vikings will trade for Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II. Here’s why he thinks the move for the former first-round pick would make sense for Minnesota:
Minnesota spent big to address both trenches this offseason, but the one non-quarterback spot that lacks top-end answers is the secondary, now sans veteran starters like Stephon Gilmore and Camryn Bynum. Forward-thinking general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was in the Browns’ front office when Cleveland spent a first-rounder on Newsome in 2021, and at just 25, the former Northwestern standout has the upside to become a longer-term option for Brian Flores’ defense. Why would the Browns give up such a young chess piece? Despite his draft reputation, Newsome managed just three starts in Jim Schwartz’s unit in 2024, and he’s headed into a contract year.
Newsome’s actually in an expensive contract year, as he’ll make $13.7 million fully guaranteed in 2025 on his fifth-year option. That could be a tough number for the Vikings to justify, given their spending spree during the first wave of free agency this spring.
It’s not about salary cap space — Adofo-Mensah could make it work without breaking a sweat — but would ownership approve another big check for a player the team could potentially sign in free agency in 2026? Even for the Wilfs, who have proven they’re willing to spend big to bring a championship to the Twin Cities, this feels a bit too rich.
There are more cost-friendly options out there, with Stephon Gilmore, Rasul Douglas and Asante Samuel Jr. among them. The Seattle Seahawks recently scooped up another logical option in Shaq Griffin, so we’ll see how comfortable the Vikings are with their current group when training camp kicks-off next month. If the team is going to add more depth at corner via trade or free agency, early August feels like the right timeline.
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