The Minnesota Vikings still have a lot of holes on their roster that could be improved, especially on defense. Just ask all the projections and betting odds that have the Vikings finishing as by far the worst team in the NFC North this season.
But arguably the most urgent defensive need they have is at cornerback. As of today, they’re group is mostly the same as the one that struggled in 2023. Byron Murphy is CB1. From there, playing time will be divided out between the newly acquired Shaq Griffin, along with Akayleb Evans, Mekhi Blackmon and Andrew Booth Jr.
No matter what kind of pass rush you are able to get, that is not a secondary that is going to hold up against… well… any wide receiving core in the NFL, especially if injuries were to find their way into that CB room.
Could Minnesota Vikings help Saints ‘unload’ Marshon Lattimore?
But, according to Ryan Fowler (Bleacher Report), they could find CB help in New Orleans. High-end help. The Saints are in cap hell, projected to be $88 million over the cap in 2025. Because of that, trade rumors have been swirling around Saints top cornerback, Marshon Lattimore for months.
Saints CB Marshon Lattimore said he’s committed to the team, he’s not demanding a trade. And above all else he’s eager to remind everyone how elite he is after two injury-plagued seasons.
— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) June 11, 2024
“I’m No. 1,” he quickly interjected when asked about NFL CB rankings.
And if he is made available, Fowler says Vikings brass would be expected “to kick the tires” on Lattimore. To get a trade done, Minnesota sends a 2025 5th rounder and a 2026 3rd rounder. A deal like this only makes sense because New Orleans needs to dump salary. Minnesota has the 8th most cap space in the NFL ($23 million).
Hypotheticals surrounding the future of Marshon Lattimore have circled overhead for months. Recent statements out of New Orleans expect Lattimore to remain in town for 2024, but it was just a few months ago when team GM Mickey Loomis failed to mince words on the immediate future of his superstar corner.
A former first-rounder out of Ohio State, Lattimore has a reasonable cap hit of $14.6 million in 2024, but that figure is set to rise to $31.4 million the following season and $28.6 million in 2026. If the long-time Saint in Lattimore is made available, expect brass in Minnesota to kick the tires.
Ryan Fowler – Bleacher Report
Now 27-years-old, Lattimore was a rookie back in 2017, when the Minneapolis Miracle took place. He wasn’t directly involved in that play, though. More recently, he’s been a target of Vikings fans, given some of the back and forths he has exchanged with Justin Jefferson on the field.
Justin Jefferson vs Marshon Lattimore week 4 2022:
— ✰ (@turbshit) July 6, 2024
7 Receptions
93 Yards
first WR to catch more than 3 passes on Lattimore since 2021pic.twitter.com/DTnqX4sX7U
How good is Marshon Lattimore?
Even though he’s had success against Lattimore, Jefferson named him as one CB who gives him “the most trouble”. And as you saw in the first tweet included in this article, Lattimore still sees himself as that guy, even given the injury issues he has dealt with over the last couple seasons.
Related: Voice of Vikings Says J.J. McCarthy is a Longshot to Win QB2 Job
After playing in nearly every Saints game from 2017-2021, Lattimore has played only 17 over the past two seasons. But when on the field, Lattimore is getting better with age. His numbers say he’s been even better lately than when he made three straight pro bowls from 2019-2021.
If he can stay healthy, there is no doubt Lattimore would be the best CB on the Vikings team. In fact, he’d be the no. 1 guy on just about any team he were to join. Let’s pray the Saints decide to unload him.
| Year | Age | Tm | G | GS | Int | Tgt | Cmp | Cmp% | Yds | Yds/Cmp | Yds/Tgt | TD | Rat | DADOT | Comb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 22 | NOR | 16 | 16 | 2 | 90 | 58 | 64.4% | 880 | 15.2 | 9.8 | 3 | 98.4 | 12.9 | 59 |
| 2019* | 23 | NOR | 14 | 14 | 1 | 88 | 44 | 50.0% | 612 | 13.9 | 7.0 | 3 | 79.4 | 11.7 | 57 |
| 2020* | 24 | NOR | 14 | 14 | 2 | 85 | 45 | 52.9% | 626 | 13.9 | 7.4 | 7 | 94.5 | 12.9 | 62 |
| 2021* | 25 | NOR | 16 | 16 | 3 | 106 | 61 | 57.5% | 826 | 13.5 | 7.8 | 7 | 92.7 | 12.6 | 68 |
| 2022 | 26 | NOR | 7 | 7 | 1 | 35 | 21 | 60.0% | 228 | 10.9 | 6.5 | 0 | 67.3 | 9.9 | 29 |
| 2023 | 27 | NOR | 10 | 10 | 1 | 47 | 27 | 57.4% | 299 | 11.1 | 6.4 | 1 | 74.7 | 8.8 | 48 |
Generated 7/9/2024.