New Defender Enters Vikings Rumor Mill

Matt Krohn-Imagn Pictures.

The Minnesota Vikings usually desire raiding the Inexperienced Bay Packers for rival turncoats — Aaron Jones, Za’Darius Smith, and Chandon Sullivan can attest — but when USA In the present day has it proper, the purple staff may strive on the Detroit Lions for measurement.

New Defender Enters Vikings Rumor Mill

USA In the present day‘s Jacob Camenker listed a free-agent prediction per staff final week, and for the Vikings, Lions cornerback Carlton Davis received the nod.

Lon Horwedel-Imagn Pictures.

Camenkner defined, “The Vikings are set to undergo an overhaul in the secondary, as four of their top five cornerbacks are set to be free agents. Bringing back Byron Murphy should be high on Brian Flores’ wish list, but grabbing a slightly larger cornerback like Davis to replace Stephon Gilmore and Shaq Griffin would also be ideal.”

The overhaul talked about by Camenker entails the present corners connected to the 2025 price range. Solely Mekhi Blackmon and probably Dwight McGlothern might be categorised as playable CBs because it stands earlier than free company. The Vikings, past the shadow of a doubt, want cornerback assist this offseason, virtually to emergency standing.

“Davis is coming off a strong season with the Lions and signing him would weaken Minnesota’s divisional rival,” Camenker added.

Detroit Lions cornerback Carlton Davis III (23) seems to be on at a timeout in opposition to Los Angeles Rams throughout the second half at Ford Subject in Detroit on Sunday, September 8, 2024. © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK through Imagn Pictures.

Right here’s Davis’ taking part in resume to this point for the reason that Tampa Bay Buccaneers scooped him from Spherical 2 of the 2018 NFL Draft:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2018–2023)

Detroit Lions (2024–current)

Davis received a Tremendous Bowl with Tom Brady and the gang in 2020 and not too long ago ventured to Detroit, which can have been a one-year experiment.

Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, proper, talks to security Kerby Joseph (31) and cornerback Carlton Davis III (23) throughout the first half in opposition to Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK through Imagn Pictures.

That is Davis’ Professional Soccer Focus resume over the past seven seasons:

2024: 74.5

2023: 63.1

2022: 65.1

2021: 71.6

2020: 65.7

2019: 70.4

2018: 61.2

Davis is understood for upper-echelon go protection and run protection whereas lagging a bit in tackling and dashing the passer. Spotrac lists his market worth, with free company simply two weeks away, at $13.8 million yearly. And Minnesota can actually afford that sum, outfitted with over $60 million to spend on free brokers.

If Minnesota doesn’t pursue Davis however nonetheless desires a free-agent nook, these choices ought to be accessible:

Byron Murphy

D.J. Reed

Charvarius Ward

Asante Samuel Jr.

Rasul Douglas

Paulson Adebo

Stephen Lew-Imagn Pictures.

Then, these males might be accessible to the Vikings in Spherical 1 or 2 of April’s draft:

Shavon Revel Jr. (East Carolina)

Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame)

Jahdae Barron (Texas)

Trey Amos (Ole Miss)

Davis will flip 29 subsequent December and will command an honest free-agent market.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the College of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his day by day YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The present options visitors, evaluation, and opinion on all issues associated to the purple staff, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates again to 1996. Listed responsible pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doorways (the band). He follows the NBA as intently because the NFL. 

All statistics supplied by Professional Soccer Reference / Stathead; all contractual data supplied by OverTheCap.com.