The Minnesota Vikings addressed their cornerback room during the first wave of free agency, locking up Byron Murphy Jr. with a new three-year deal while adding a pair of low-cost, bounce-back candidates in Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah.
The Vikings do have former third-round pick Mekhi Blackmon firmly in the mix for snaps this offseason, but the team will likely add another boundary cornerback, either during or after the 2025 NFL Draft. Both Blackmon and Okudah are working their way back from injuries, Rodgers filled a reserve role during the Eagles’ championship run last year, and while extremely well-paid, Murphy isn’t deployed like a typical No. 1 corner.
Minnesota likely won’t be signing another free agent until after the draft, as players added after April 29 won’t count against the NFL’s compensatory pick formula for 2026. Still, there are some solid veteran options still unsigned, and Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton believes general manager Kewsi Adofo-Mensah should sign Buffalo Bills free agent cornerback Rasul Douglas:
“Rasul Douglas has been a ball-hawking cornerback and a defender who’s prone to give up big plays over the top,” Moton wrote for B/R. “The 30-year-old has recorded at least three interceptions in four out of eight seasons. On the other hand, he’s allowed a passer rating over 108.5 or six touchdowns in four of his last seven campaigns. … He may need a change of scenery. He’s still capable of forcing turnovers and that will help him get a decent salary. He’s a prime candidate for a bounce-back year in 2025.”
Douglas had a down year in 2024 with Buffalo, which could work in the Vikings’ favor if they end up seeking another veteran corner on a one-year prove-it deal. Minnesota made it work last season with guys like Shaq Griffin and Stephon Gilmore, and Adofo-Mensah would likely go that route again if he’s unable to snag his top targets in April’s draft.
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PFF projected Dougals to land a two-year deal in free agency worth $26.5 million. At this point in the process, he’s probably looking at something similar to what the Vikings signed Gilmore to in 2024, a one-year deal worth around $10 million with heavy guarantees.
Waiting this one out could be a virtue for the Vikings, as Douglas is far from the team’s only option right now. Asante Samuel Jr. is also looking for his next contract, and Gilmore could also be a candidate to return on another one-year deal closer to training camp.
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