Minnesota Vikings Top Free-Agency Targets at Cornerback
With free agency only a little more than a month away, the Minnesota Vikings will turn their eyes toward help at the cornerback position.
Xavier Rhodes has cemented his place as the No. 1 CB after a breakout sophomore season in 2014. The rest of the group is less than stellar. Neither Captain Munnerlyn nor Josh Robinson could find any level of consistent play and if one played well, the other seemingly struggled and vice versa.
It was only a year ago when the Vikings brought Munnerlyn to town as a free agent. His disappointing season hurts his case to keep the starting role opposite Rhodes, and his salary balloons in 2015 and then increases again in 2016. Minnesota should be looking for contingency plans and more competition at the position.
These six cornerbacks are the best fits into the Minnesota defense. Due to a combination of age and expected salaries that will be through the roof, Darrelle Revis, Chris Harris Jr. and Antonio Cromartie are not included. Minnesota will be looking for some combination of youth and bang for the buck instead.
6. Sterling Moore
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Sterling Moore's NFL career has been nothing special, but he responded when thrust into a starting role for the Dallas Cowboys in 2014, more than doubling his career snaps on defense, per Pro Football Focus.
Age is still on Moore's side. Despite already angling for his second contract, Moore will only be 25 at the start of the 2015 season. That means he would not have to be a stopgap player for the Vikings. Mike Zimmer and his staff could conceivably work with Moore and get even more out of him.
Bringing in Moore would be purely a depth and competition play. He would not necessarily displace Munnerlyn from the lineup right away. But if the market for cornerbacks gets out of hand, Minnesota should look to bring in a cheaper commodity like Moore to add numbers in the secondary.
5. Buster Skrine
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If the Vikings prioritize a cheaper investment at the position, Buster Skrine of the Cleveland Browns could be their man.
Dane Brugler of CBS Sports commends the way Skrine played in 2014:
"If this is Buster Skrine's final game for the Browns, he's going out playing physical. His asking price has gone up throughout 2014
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) December 28, 2014"
That steady improvement should bode well for the future, and his physical style of play would be a welcome sight.
Having Rhodes shadow opposing No. 1 receivers only helps Skrine's case in Minnesota as well. His 5'9" stature will turn some teams away, but the Vikings can play him on No. 2 receivers and take advantage of better matchups.
4. Kareem Jackson
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Kareem Jackson should be a prized free agent due to an improved 2014 season in which he played the best football of his career.
His 9.5 cumulative grade from Pro Football Focus placed him at No. 11 among cornerbacks in 2014. Game-to-game consistency was a bonus too. Jackson never scored lower than -0.9 in a game last season. By comparison, Minnesota's three cornerbacks all had at least one game with a -2.8 score or worse.
Jackson is still trying to fight off his less-than-sterling reputation though. He often plays well for long stretches in games before getting badly beaten. Those big plays were fewer in 2014, but Minnesota will note it nonetheless.
Other concerns also leave Jackson lower on this list. It took a contract season to lift his play to match the expectations of a first-round pick, which he was. If financial incentives are what drives him the most, Minnesota cannot expect an even better Jackson after a big-money deal.
3. Chris Culliver
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San Francisco 49ers CB Chris Culliver might command a hefty price, because his 2014 season was tremendous.
Per Pro Football Focus, Culliver allowed only 37 receptions on 73 targets. He combined that efficiency with four interceptions to finish with a 66.5 passer rating on targets in his direction, No. 6 by that measure out of 73 qualifiers at the position.
However, Culliver may not be a proven commodity. He spent the entire 2013 season on the sideline with a torn ACL and was up-and-down at best in 2012. If it turns out his 2014 season was an aberration, some team may be on the hook for a lot of money.
Zimmer's coaching pedigree and Culliver's fit with the Vikings should ease those worries, but they will be considered.
2. Brandon Flowers
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Despite turning 29 before the start of the 2015 season, Brandon Flowers could be a perfect fit for Minnesota. He will be a sought-after free agent after spending only a single season with the San Diego Chargers.
Flowers' plague is similar to that of Skrine. Any team with height thresholds for cornerbacks will not consider Flowers, because he measures in at only 5'9". He makes up for his lack of height with awareness and ball skills. Munnerlyn and Robinson were sorely missing those skills in 2014.
After a down 2013, Flowers had a bounce-back season in San Diego, even when tracking top receivers. As previously mentioned, Rhodes' ability to shadow No. 1 receivers in Minnesota makes a smaller CB like Flowers a smart play.
Flowers could also be an insurance policy for Munnerlyn in the future because of his ability to play in the slot. His versatility makes him an even more exciting proposition for the Vikings.
1. Byron Maxwell
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As the Seattle Seahawks prepare to pay up on Russell Wilson and other young talents, Byron Maxwell could be a talented player that slips through the cracks.
Raw completion statistics do Maxwell no favors because of the way teams attacked the Seattle defense. Whereas Richard Sherman was targetd on 11.8 percent of his snaps, Maxwell was targeted on 17.4 percent of his, per Pro Football Focus.
Despite that, Maxwell only allowed an 81.1 passer rating. He also intercepted two passes to one touchdown allowed.
Maxwell is a size option for the Vikings at 6'1" and 207 pounds. Those figures and his fine play in 2014 will certainly bump his price up, so Minnesota would have to get out the checkbook to acquire him. His experience in the league's best secondary and his physical tools should have the Vikings considering it.
Statistics via ESPN.com unless noted otherwise.
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