With the official kick-off for NFL training camps just around the corner, how the veteran cornerback market shakes out will be among the league’s most intriguing storylines.
Some big-name players are still available, led by Stephon Gilmore, Rasul Douglas and Asante Samuel Jr. While all three of those players have some red flags — Gilmore’s entering his age 35 season, Douglas saw his production slip in 2024, and Samuel’s coming off recent neck surgery — it’s a bit surprising that they haven’t found new homes at this point of the offseason.
Douglas is an interesting case study, as he’ll turn 30 in August and is just two years removed from a dominant 2023 season spent split between the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills. He returned to Buffalo’s secondary in 2024 as an every-week starter, but the struggles were real. He allowed a 116.9 passer rating when targeted and committed 10 penalties.
Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder sees Douglas’ free agent stint ending this summer, and he predicts the Minnesota Vikings could be the team that comes calling:
“Staying within the NFC North, the Vikings could use some help in their secondary after deciding not to bring Stephon Gilmore back,” Holder wrote. “Jeff Okudah and Isaiah Rodgers are currently expected to start on the boundary, but those two were backups with the Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively, last season. Adding Douglas would upgrade the cornerback room in Minnesota.”
The Vikings are definitely a team to watch in the cornerback market, as they’re set to enter training camp with multiple question marks.
While defensive coordinator Brian Flores loves Isaiah Rodgers, guys like Jeff Okudah, Mekhi Blackmon and Dwight McGlothern are all unproven commodities who are facing pressure to impress this summer. With Bryon Murphy Jr.’s ability to move — and excel — inside at the nickel spot, it would make sense for the team to add reinforcements to their thinned-out secondary.
Gilmore feels like the obvious top candidate, given his experience with Flores’ system, but adding a former Pro Bowler in Douglas on a cheap, one-year deal would make a lot of sense for Minnesota. If Okudah or Blackmon fail to turn heads in camp, adding a more proven veteran to the depth chart figures to be a priority.
