The Vikings Still Have Multiple Ways To Address Outside CB

The NFL is always changing, and teams value certain player archetypes in line with current league trends. However, some NFL archetypes will be part of the league for the foreseeable future. Outside cornerback – or the boundary corner – is one of those categories, and the Minnesota Vikings have been trying to fill that role recently.

Minnesota hasn’t seen elite outside cornerback play since Xavier Rhodes was roaming the secondary from 2013 to 2019, when he earned multiple Pro-Bowl nods and All-Pro accolades in 2017. That isn’t due to a lack of effort in the draft. The Vikings have spent multiple top picks trying to address this need since Rhodes left. They’ve brought in players like Andrew Booth, Jeff Gladney, and Cameron Dantzler, but none have made a long-term impact.

The team has also tried to bring in established players at the position, including Stephon Gilmore and Patrick Peterson, who played admirably at the back end of their careers for the Purple and Gold.

Last season, not having a boundary corner to pair with Isaiah Rodgers hurt the Vikings. In fact, they had to move their Pro Bowl nickel cornerback, Byron Murphy Jr., to the outside to help compensate for this missing piece. Doing so had a domino effect on the rest of the Brian Flores defense. Josh Metellus had to move to the nickel, taking him out of the do-it-all role where he excels.

Minnesota’s only move to address this need is bringing in James Pierre, a potential rising player at the position.

So, how can the Vikings finally address the missing piece that has haunted them for years? Below are a few options available either in this year’s draft or still on the free-agency market.

Free Agency

The most notable names in free agency have already committed to play for other teams at this point. However, there’s still an intriguing player left: Marshon Lattimore. At one time, Lattimore was one of the league’s best corners. He accumulated multiple Pro Bowls, specializing in exactly what the Vikings so desperately need. Since the New Orleans Saints traded him to the Washington Commanders, he has struggled to stay on the field due to injuries. As a result, his play has dipped in recent years.

In the offseason, the Commanders released him to save on cap space. The Vikings need a capable boundary cornerback to pair with Rodgers, and Lattimore could be a great mentor for the young players in the room, like Dwight McGlothern and Zemaiah Vaughn. Minnesota should definitely kick the tires on the one-time star.

Dane Jackson and L’Jarius Sneed are both corners I like based on their strengths and experience. If you aren’t a fan of the Buffalo Bills or Carolina Panthers, you probably haven’t heard a ton about Jackson. Similar to Pierre, Jackson was in a reserve role for the Bills this past season. However, he was a huge factor on their 2022 and 2023 squads. Jackson is a sure tackler and is a serviceable outside cornerback. The Vikings could bring in Jackson to help add to the competition this offseason.

Sneed was vital to the Kansas City Chiefs' recent Super Bowl runs and started 54 games over four seasons. The Tennessee Titans signed him to a huge deal in 2024, but they eventually released him due to injuries and the cap situation. He could come in immediately and start opposite Rodgers.

Finally, the Vikings could re-sign Jeff Okudah, an incomplete reclamation project they began last year. Okudah made a great early first impression this offseason, and the potential is still there. Like Jackson, if the Vikings choose to address this need by committee this offseason, Okudah is worth another look.

Draft

Ideally, the Vikings need to address this need and find a player who fits the outside corner archetype in this year’s draft class. Ohio State’s Davison Igbinosun fits that description well.

Igbinosun is 6’2”, 189 lbs., and fits the athletic mold of a prototype outside cornerback in today’s NFL. He also comes from a college system that Bill Belichick disciple Matt Patricia coached. Vikings DC Brian Flores got his start on the same defensive staff and adopted the same schemes he learned with Patricia in New England.

It also helps that Igbinosun is a heck of a player. He started at boundary cornerback for the Buckeyes over the last two seasons and earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors in 2025.

Outside of Igbinosun, keep an eye on Iowa’s T.J. Hall, who helped lead a top-10 pass defense in college football last season. He checks in with that ideal build at 6'1”, 189 lbs., and earned Third-Team All-Big in 2025 for the Hawkeyes. He’s projected to be a mid-round prospect, with most experts slotting him in the fifth round.

Finally, some UDFA-level prospects that fit the archetype build well are Ceyair Wright and Rashad Battle. Both of whom are more developmental projects than plug-and-play draftees.

The Vikings have been trying to fill this need for a long time, to say the least. If the team finally adds a player who can fill the outside cornerback archetype well, it will allow players like Murphy and Metellus to return to their positions of expertise and also unlock another level for Brian Flores’ defense.