Perhaps the only hurdle to the Minnesota Vikings finding success in the NFC – if JJ McCarthy demonstrates during the season more of what we have seen during minicamp – is at the cornerback position.
And so former NFL Network reporter and now host of ‘Up and Adams’, Kay Adams, has urged the Vikings to pursue ex Green Bay Packers cornerback and 2 x All-Pro, Jaire Alexander.
“My vote for landing spot for one Jaire Alexander would be the Vikings, of course, ” Adams said on Monday. “We can do the funniest thing ever here: join forces with he who you like drawing against [Minnesota’s All-Pro receiver, Justin Jefferson]…Go to the Vikings – so much has gone on between him [Alexander] and Minnesota over the years.
They need a corner; I talked to [head coach] Kevin O’Connell about that being the only thing I don’t love right now as far as keeping them from winning a Super Bowl. He gets a chance to play them, the Packers, twice a year. This would be perfect…I would love Jaire to stay in that division.”
Do The Vikings Need To Bolster Their Secondary?
Whilst the Vikings have faith in their duo of Isaiah Rodgers and Mekhi Blackmon as young, ascending talents, there is a belief amongst some that the franchise would still benefit from some veteran additions at the position.
Despite the team adding veteran and one-time third overall pick, Jeff Okudah in free agency, Pro Football Focus presented corner as the team’s #1 biggest need remaining after free agency and the draft.
“The Vikings will be replacing more than 1,000 coverage snaps following the departures of Stephon Gilmore and Shaquill Griffin.” Trevor Sikkema wrote in early May, post draft. “They’ll now have to lean on Isaiah Rodgers, who earned a 70.5 PFF coverage grade with the Eagles last season, and Mekhi Blackmon, who is coming off a torn ACL.”
How Would Jaire Alexander Fit In With The Vikings?
The Vikings have a long tradition of signing Packers’ disgruntled free agent cast-offs. Although the most famous is the signing of Hall of Fame quarterback, Brett Favre; who joined the team in 2009 and took them to the NFC Championship in his first season with the team; household names like Aaron Jones and Za’Darius Smith have made an impact in Minneapolis after being released by Green Bay over the past half decade.
It feels like the release of Alexander may end up being less contentious than others in the past , given that the two parties were in constant discussions with one another over the course of the past few months, so there is no “surprise” factor. Nevertheless, the Vikings is truly an ideal landing spot for Alexander regardless of the two teams’ historic in-division rivalry.
The Vikings are bona fide contenders, unlike other cornerback-needy teams like the Miami Dolphins, and would not require Alexander to be healthy for 17 games and lead the room, given their accumulated young talent in the room.
But it would give them yet another option both on the perimeter and in the slot, and would allow Blackmon and Rodgers a great, experienced presence to learn from in 2025, and perhaps beyond.
