The Minnesota Vikings did the best they could in salvaging the second-round pick they used to draft Clemson cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. back in 2022.
After Booth struggled to stay healthy and on the field, the Vikings traded him to the Dallas Cowboys last August in exchange for 2021 third-round corner Nahshon Wright, a positional player swap.
However, after one season in Minnesota, Wright did not rectify the Vikings’ past — playing not one defensive snap on only 15 downs on special teams.
But rather than continue to try and make it work at cornerback, the Vikings cut their losses, releasing Wright on Monday, April 7.
Vikings’ 2022 Draft Class is a Bust, But Adofo-Mensah Deserves a Break
Part of a 10-man 2022 draft, Booth and his fellow Vikings draftees did not deliver what the franchise had hoped from Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s first draft.
The Vikings general manager, picking up the pieces left after the firings of Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer, had an abridged pre-draft process of just three months. He was asked by the Vikings’ decision-makers to inherit Spielman’s scouting department, which did not produce much impact under the direction of Adofo-Mensah.
Trading back from No. 12, the Vikings acquired Lewis Cine at No. 32 overall, Booth at No. 42, Ed Ingram at No. 59 and Brian Asamoah at No. 66 with that move that also cost the No. 46 overall pick.
Cine and Booth are no longer with the team, while Ingram and Asamoah have fallen out of favor and will compete for their jobs in camp this summer.
Of the few positive contributors that have emerged later from that draft class, none have had serious staying power with the team.
Fourth-round cornerback Akayleb Evans was released midseason. Receiver Jalen Nailor, despite coming off a six-touchdown season, has been inconsistent. Meanwhile, running back Ty Chandler lost trust with the coaching staff and was effectively benched in the final half of the season — playing just 18 snaps in the final nine games.
Adofo-Mensah’s staff has done better at bringing in young talent since then, but he has limited draft capital to prove that by spending picks in trades to acquire veteran talent.
Jordan Addison was a hit that has elevated the Vikings offense, while Mekhi Blackmon has the look of a stable starter at cornerback.
Undrafted rookie acquisition should also be accounted for. Ivan Pace Jr. was the steal of the 2023 draft, and Adofo-Mensah continues to emphasize spending in rookie free agency on upside players like corner Dwight McGlothern and outside linebacker Gabriel Murphy.
The Vikings general manager will have to start hitting on draft picks to backload the roster, but his roster and contract management have enabled the team to chase priority free agents and not needed to rely on rookies right out of the gate.
Vikings CB Carousel Could End Soon
Since the 2020 season, the Vikings have spun a carousel at cornerback following the departures of Trae Waynes and Xavier Rhodes. The team has never returned a starting duo from the previous year since those two left.
However, the Vikings may be close to finding a core of cornerbacks they are comfortable bringing back.
They signed Byron Murphy Jr. to a three-year, $66 million deal and also acquired Isaiah Rodgers on a two-year, $11 million contract. Rodgers is a breakout candidate after winning a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles. He is considered a “Brian Flores special” who could flourish with the Vikings, much like Josh Metellus has after being primarily a special teamer before Flores’ arrival.
Blackmon is a presumptive starter for next season and is under contract through the 2026 season, meaning next season could be the first year where there is continuity at cornerback.
