6 Cornerbacks Vikings Could Add to Address Sudden CB Need

By Andrew Buller-Russ

·July 25, 2024

It didn’t take long for the Minnesota Vikings’ cornerback depth to come into question. On the very first day of training camp, second-year pro Mekhi Blackmon suffered a season-ending ACL tear. This is a big blow for a Vikings secondary who was counting on the 2023 third-round pick to assume an even bigger role after starting three games and appearing in 15 last season.

Combine Blackmon’s injury with losing Khyree Jackson and suddenly, the Vikings’ cornerback depth looks shaky, at best. That’s not good for a team that already entered camp with several question marks when it comes to pass coverage. However, it’s not the end of the world for Brian Flores’s defense, as there are still several potential starting cornerbacks available, either via trade or in free agency.

Here are six potential solutions that GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has likely already considered.

Vikings could turn to an old friend, Patrick Peterson

If the Vikings want to solve their cornerback depth needs in free agency, then Patrick Peterson may be the perfect solution. Somehow the eight-time Pro Bowl CB remains unsigned despite starting 46 games across the past three seasons, including 30 for the Vikings. While he’s never played for Brian Flores, he’s had to learn enough defensive schemes in his 13-year career that making the necessary adjustments shouldn’t be difficult.

After allowing a respectable passer rating of 80.4 when targeted last season, he’d be a solid addition to an unstable cornerback room. But the questions surrounding whether the 34-year-old can still play at a high level are valid too.

Stephon Gilmore may be just what Vikings need

Another multi-time All-Pro who’s bounced around to several teams over the past few seasons, Stephon Gilmore is still searching for a new role entering his 13th season. He graded much higher than Peterson last season while playing for a Cowboys passing defense that allowed the seventh-fewest yards per reception in 2023. He also allowed a passer rating of 83.3 while intercepting two passes and racking up 68 tackles, starting all 17 games last year.

Like many others on this list, who knows how much gas the 33-year-old former Super Bowl champion has left in the tank? Yet, the Vikings could do a lot worse than Gilmore, and he’s even spent two seasons on a Patriots staff that included Coach Flores.

Does James Bradberry still have ‘it’?

Now we get to a player who’s not a free agent, but could very well be on the trade block. For the first time in James Bradberry’s career, he’s working as a safety instead of at cornerback, and he’s not even practicing with the first-team Philadelphia Eagles defense.

This is partially due to the Eagles adding defensive backs with their first two picks in the 2024 NFL Draft but also because of a ‘down’ year that saw him allow a passer rating of 108.6 when targeted last season. That’s not exactly good and a far cry from the 54.2 rating he allowed in 2022 when Bradberry was named a second-team All-Pro.

The question is whether Bradberry simply had a bad season or whether he’s lost a significant step, which, again, could be why he’s being tried as a safety, which typically requires less speed. However, he could benefit from a fresh start, and the Vikings could present the perfect opportunity.

Former Pro Bowl CB J.C. Jackson fits the mold

Another cornerback with familiarity playing in a Brian Flores system, J.C. Jackson started his career with the New England Patriots, where he won a Super Bowl. The former Pro Bowl CB with a second-team All-Pro honor to his name has struggled since signing a massive five-year, $82M contract with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2022, but he also dealt with ankle injuries from the jump in LA.

Still just 28 years old, it’s a bit of a surprise to see Jackson still available in free agency. He fits the mold as a big cornerback that Flores seems to adore, as a 6-foot-1, 198-pound athlete. But as mentioned, he just hasn’t played well since leaving New England, combining for a passer rating allowed of 127.3 over the past two seasons. However, if we go back to 2021, Jackson was elite, allowing a passer rating of just 47.8. Can the Vikings recapture that form?

Xavien Howard knows Brian Flores’s scheme very well

You won’t find a cornerback who both knows the scheme, while being excellent playing for Coach Flo than Xavien Howard. He enjoyed three very productive seasons under Flores with the Miami Dolphins from 2019-21, where he twice reached the Pro Bowl, was named a first-team All-Pro and even finished third in the Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Yet, somehow the 6-foot-1, 203-lb corner who’s nicknamed “X-Factor” remains unsigned in free agency. He’s 31 these days, but this is a player who’s twice led the league in interceptions. But like others listed here, he’s coming off a poor season, by his standards, allowing a passer rating of 86.7. However, if there’s anyone who’s both comfortable and familiar with Howard’s play, it’s Flores.

Marshon Lattimore may be best CB out there, but is he available?

One player who’s been mentioned as a potential trade candidate is Marshon Lattimore. But is that wishful thinking? The New Orleans Saints haven’t expressed any indication that they want to trade the four-time Pro Bowl cornerback. But we can certainly see the appeal from the Vikings’ perspective.

Not to mention, the Saints perpetually find themselves in ‘cap hell’ each offseason. Moving off from Lattimore’s $14.6 million cap hit could be valuable for New Orleans, especially before his cap number spikes to $31.4M in 2025. A trade may lead to the Vikings restructuring Lattimore’s contract.

But again, the Saints might prefer to see if they can be competitive in an unpredictable NFC South division before considering a Lattimore trade. Then again, an offer too good to refuse could do the trick if Adofo-Mensah can work his magic.