Vikings at Risk of Losing Key Veteran CB to Saints?

The Minnesota Vikings are undeniably thin in the secondary after letting two of their three starting cornerbacks and a starting safety depart in free agency. 

Minnesota spent big to secure Pro-Bowl cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. on a three-year extension, but decided not to pursue new contracts for Stephon Gilmore or Shaq Griffin.

The Seattle Seahawks scooped up Griffin in free agency, while Gilmore remains a free agent with less than one month remaining before Minnesota opens training camp in mid-July. 

Gilmore, who will play next season at 35 years old, is a five-time Pro Bowler and former Defensive Player of the Year who started 15 games for the Vikings in 2024. He tallied nine pass breakups and an interception over that run. 

The fact that Minnesota's cornerback room is untested and Gilmore remains available at a market value of just $5.3 million on a new one-year deal, per Spotrac, creates the potential for a reunion between the two sides. 

However, Aaron Schatz of ESPN suggested on Thursday that the New Orleans Saints, who play in the NFC South, should add Gilmore to their secondary before any other team beats them to it.

"The Saints actually have salary cap room, which is a remarkable statement," Schatz wrote. "That gives them the ability to bring in a veteran to help fill a hole, and they could use one at outside cornerback."

Schatz added that Gilmore remained a more than competent cover cornerback with the Vikings last season.

"Gilmore maintained his high level in 2024 with Minnesota, ranking 30th in my coverage DVOA metric while being assigned to some of the league's toughest receivers," Schatz continued. 

"He could challenge Isaac Yiadom for a starting job, while serving as an important mentor for Kool-Aid McKinstry and fourth-round rookie Quincy Riley."

The Vikings have ostensibly replaced Gilmore with Isaiah Rodgers, though the latter has yet to prove himself as a true starting-caliber cornerback at the NFL level. He's played four seasons and appeared in 60 games, though started just 13 of them. 

The NFL suspended Rodgers, who will play next season at age 27, for the entirety of the 2023 campaign for violating the league's gambling policy.