Vikings Move on $37 Million Former Top-5 Pick in Free Agency

The Minnesota Vikings have plenty of experience with failed premium draft picks at the cornerback position, but they are leaving the door open for another in Jeff Okudah.

Drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2020, Okudah has played for three teams in his NFL career.

The Vikings still need to bolster their ranks even after re-signing Byron Murphy. Okudah, the No. 3 overall pick of his class, spent the 2024 season with the Houston Texans but has also played for the Atlanta Falcons.

“CB Jeff Okudah has started his free agent visit with the #Vikings,” the team announced in a post on X on March 17.

Okudah mostly played on special teams with the Texans.

He faced 11 targets in coverage, allowing 72.7% completion, per Pro Football Reference. He has allowed better than 72% completion in three of his five seasons, three of which were spent with the Lions.

His best season came in 2022 with the Lions when he allowed 59.7% of the passes thrown in his coverage to be completed.

The Vikings followed a similar process with Jonathan Allen before signing him.

Jeff Okudah Plagued By Injuries & Inconsistency Amid Vikings Interest

Getty Former Atlanta Falcons CB Jeff Okudah #1 during the game against the Tennessee Titans.

Okudah has appeared in 44 games, dealing with myriad injuries since he entered the league after a clean bill of health in college. Okudah played in at least 13 games in all three seasons at Ohio State, going to bowl games in each.

His inability to stay on the field has impacted his effectiveness when he has been.

The Texans eyed a bigger role for Okudah when they signed him in March 2024, but lapses in coverage led to 77 total defensive snaps.

Okudah did start nine games for the Falcons in 2023, though, and he held up for 15 games during that 2022 campaign.

He is still the player many draft analysts raved about heading into the 2020 cycle.

“Head coach and general manager’s dream prospect with blue-chip physical traits, mental makeup and personal character. He has size, length and foot quickness to road-block press release and elite closing burst to close catch windows or eliminate yards after catch. He has room for improvement with his recognition and balance at the top of the route,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlien wrote pre-draft in 2020.

“Quarterbacks rarely target and beat him over the top. He has a rigid adherence to technique, but squeezing coverage even tighter and trusting his traits, talent and recovery speed could make him one of the top shutdown corners in the game.”

Vikings Have Depth at CB

Getty Byron Murphy Jr. #7 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on before a game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Okudah was on a one-year, $4.7 million pact with the Texans. He has inked a series of one-year deals since his four-year, $33.5 million rookie scale contract with the Lions expired. He has earned $37.9 million in his career.

Over The Cap projects the Vikings have $32.8 million left to spend. Spotrac projects Okudah’s market value at a two-year, $10 million contract.

The Vikings signed veterans Ambry Thomas and Isaiah Rodgers in free agency.

Former third-round pick Mekhi Blackmon returns. The Vikings also have promising youngsters Dwight McGlothern and Reddy Steward among others in their secondary. But Okudah’s potential – even at 26 – could afford him another opportunity, this time with the Vikings.