The Minnesota Vikings have had a hectic offseason, and it’s safe to say there are a lot of new faces in the team’s locker room. While everyone is curious how the offense will look with a new quarterback (either Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy) under center as Kirk Cousins’ replacement, they aren’t the only new guys in town.
In fact, there are still fresh faces being brought to town, even with training camp underway now. On Monday, the Vikings brought in veteran defensive back Bobby McCain to help shore up their secondary, and in the process, they ended up reuniting him with his former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, who is now Minnesota’s defensive coordinator.
Via Adam Schefter:
“Source: Vikings are signing former Dolphins and Giants free-agent defensive back Bobby McCain, reuniting him with Minnesota DC Brian Flores.”
Vikings shore up secondary with Bobby McCain
McCain is set to enter his tenth season in the NFL, and after spending time with the Dolphins, Washington Commanders, and New York Giants, he finds his way to the Vikings. The 2023 campaign didn’t go all that well for McCain, as he played almost solely on special teams in the ten games where he took the field for his team.
Prior to that, McCain had started at least 15 games in each of the past three seasons, and while he won’t be a starter for the Vikings, he can certainly fill in for them on defense when needed. The veteran defensive back has played at both safety and cornerback throughout his career, and while he’s spent more time at safety as of late, he can hold his own at both spots in a pinch when he needs to.
Right now, the Vikings have Harrison Smith and Camryn Bynum holding down their safety spots, while Byron Murphy Jt., Shaquill Griffin, and Josh Metellus seem set to hold down their top three cornerback spots. McCain will likely be a rotational player in the secondary if he sticks around, but his familiarity with Flores and his defensive scheme could give him a leg up on the competition.
This isn’t a groundbreaking move by any stretch of the imagination, but the Vikings managed to land a veteran player who has the upside to help them shore up their secondary if he can stick with the team through training camp. It’s a low-risk, high-reward move for Minnesota, and it will be worth keeping an eye on McCain to see how he ends up panning out with his new team.
