Some in the media have questioned the Minnesota Vikings’ decision not to select a cornerback in the 2025 NFL Draft, with uncertainty surrounding the position.
Minnesota lost Cam Bynum and Stephon Gilmore to free agency, leaving their secondary with some gaps. The Vikings have addressed this with the signings of Theo Jackson, Isaiah Rodgers, and Jeff Okudah to potentially fill in those starting spots.
Some within the organization have spoken out to support their signings of Rodgers and Okudah, including head coach Kevin O’Connell, defensive coordinator Brian Flores, and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. There is still a chance the team looks in free agency for one more addition, and there might be a former division rival who could help with that.
PFF’s Ryan Smith looked at the most logical landing spots for the best remaining free agents in the market. Smith feels the Vikings and cornerback Rasul Douglas make the best pairing despite struggles last season with the Buffalo Bills.
“Douglas is coming off a disappointing season in which he ranked 102nd out of 116 qualifying cornerbacks with a 53.9 PFF overall grade. He was strong the previous three years, earning a career-best 81.0 PFF overall grade in 2023.”
“The Vikings will need to replace Stephon Gilmore, and Douglas is a natural fit in defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ aggressive, blitz-heavy scheme. Minnesota had just five draft picks in the draft, and none were used on a defensive back, suggesting the team was confident it could address its cornerback depth through free agency.”
Douglas played with the Bills for the last two and a half seasons, when he was a starter. Before that, he made life miserable with the Green Bay Packers for two and a half seasons. In eight seasons, he has assembled 441 tackles, 79 pass deflections, 19 interceptions, three interceptions returned for touchdowns, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and two sacks.
Byron Murphy Jr. needs a second corner to work alongside him, and Douglas is a perfect candidate for it based on his experience. Despite the praise that Okudah and Rodgers have received in the offseason, Douglas has been the more proven guy in his career.
This would solve the Vikings’ issues in the secondary for at least the 2025 season. They will have to address it next year with younger talent.
