Post by Purple Pain on Feb 5, 2023 11:50:57 GMT -6
Welp, looks like we still need a lot of help at cornerback! Surprise, surprise.
Lewis: Why the Vikings’ biggest need in the 2023 NFL Draft is still cornerback
Tom Schreier: What Are the Vikings Going To Do At Cornerback Next Year?
Purple Insider's Paul Hodowanic - The future of the Vikings, Part 7: Cornerbacks
Lewis: Why the Vikings’ biggest need in the 2023 NFL Draft is still cornerback
Last week, Dane Brugler, The Athletic’s esteemed NFL Draft analyst, released his second mock draft of the season. If you missed it, he projected that the Vikings would select Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks at pick No. 23.
We’ll talk specifically about Banks later on in this piece, but Brugler’s projection raises a broader conversation about Minnesota’s most important roster need.
Fortifying the interior of the offensive line would be an investment in all facets of the offense. Adding another dynamic pass-catching option behind Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson would enhance the possibilities in the passing game. Acquiring a presence in the middle of the defensive line would help the pass rush and against the run.
Arguments for each of those roster improvements make sense.
The lengthy list of potential benefits of a talented young cornerback, however, might outshine them all.
Let’s consider this past season. By now you can probably recite these statistics: The Vikings ranked 31st in the NFL in total passing yards allowed. Meanwhile, Football Outsiders’ DVOA, which accounts for strength of schedule, ranked Minnesota as the seventh worst pass defense.
These metrics provide context as to why the Vikings recently fired defensive coordinator Ed Donatell. But how are the numbers reflective of the team’s cornerback play?
There are several ways to answer this question. The first, citing PFF coverage metrics, is fairly basic but an illuminating place to begin. Here are the number of times each Vikings cornerback was targeted and the quarterback’s passer rating on those targets:
For reference, the average NFL passer rating this season was 89.1, and Patrick Mahomes’ passer rating was 105.2. The point? When targeted, Cameron Dantzler, Chandon Sullivan, Akayleb Evans and Andrew Booth were jarringly susceptible.
We’ll talk specifically about Banks later on in this piece, but Brugler’s projection raises a broader conversation about Minnesota’s most important roster need.
Fortifying the interior of the offensive line would be an investment in all facets of the offense. Adding another dynamic pass-catching option behind Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson would enhance the possibilities in the passing game. Acquiring a presence in the middle of the defensive line would help the pass rush and against the run.
Arguments for each of those roster improvements make sense.
The lengthy list of potential benefits of a talented young cornerback, however, might outshine them all.
Let’s consider this past season. By now you can probably recite these statistics: The Vikings ranked 31st in the NFL in total passing yards allowed. Meanwhile, Football Outsiders’ DVOA, which accounts for strength of schedule, ranked Minnesota as the seventh worst pass defense.
These metrics provide context as to why the Vikings recently fired defensive coordinator Ed Donatell. But how are the numbers reflective of the team’s cornerback play?
There are several ways to answer this question. The first, citing PFF coverage metrics, is fairly basic but an illuminating place to begin. Here are the number of times each Vikings cornerback was targeted and the quarterback’s passer rating on those targets:
For reference, the average NFL passer rating this season was 89.1, and Patrick Mahomes’ passer rating was 105.2. The point? When targeted, Cameron Dantzler, Chandon Sullivan, Akayleb Evans and Andrew Booth were jarringly susceptible.
Tom Schreier: What Are the Vikings Going To Do At Cornerback Next Year?
The Vikings spent a lot of draft capital on corners. In 2020, they took Jeff Gladney in the first round and Cameron Dantzler in the third. Last year, the new regime picked Andrew Booth Jr. in the second round. Still, Minnesota’s cornerback depth chart lacked many of their high-end picks by the season’s end.
Patrick Peterson (32): A Hall of Fame veteran with more left in the tank than the Arizona Cardinals thought when they released him. However, he may be exiting his prime.
Duke Shelley (26): A 5’9” fireball the Chicago Bears probably regret releasing, Shelley came on late in the season. Still, he’s not a surefire CB1 entering next season.
Chandon Sullivan (26): The former Green Bay Packers corner played in all 17 games but left something to be desired.
Cameron Dantzler (24): Limited to 10 games (nine starts) due to injury, Dantzler continues to flash talent. However, Shelley surpassed him on the depth chart. Dantzler remains one of Minnesota’s most perplexing and inconsistent players.
Kris Boyd (26): Minnesota’s seventh-round pick in the 2019 draft, Boyd is hardly a shutdown corner. However, he’s become an effective special teams player.
Andrew Booth Jr. (22): The Vikings got Booth, a talented corner out of Clemson, in the second round because of his injury history. Unfortunately, he only played in six games (one start) and had knee surgery after the New England Patriots game in Week 12.
The Vikings don’t have a ton of depth at corner, despite all the draft capital they used on the position. There’s no guarantee Peterson is back, and his days as a bona fide CB1 may be coming to an end. Shelley deserves to be part of Minnesota’s plans, but they shouldn’t try to overextend him. And Dantzler probably will keep getting a shot because he continues to show promise, but he hasn’t proven to be a reliable corner yet. After that? They’ve got some work to do.
Patrick Peterson (32): A Hall of Fame veteran with more left in the tank than the Arizona Cardinals thought when they released him. However, he may be exiting his prime.
Duke Shelley (26): A 5’9” fireball the Chicago Bears probably regret releasing, Shelley came on late in the season. Still, he’s not a surefire CB1 entering next season.
Chandon Sullivan (26): The former Green Bay Packers corner played in all 17 games but left something to be desired.
Cameron Dantzler (24): Limited to 10 games (nine starts) due to injury, Dantzler continues to flash talent. However, Shelley surpassed him on the depth chart. Dantzler remains one of Minnesota’s most perplexing and inconsistent players.
Kris Boyd (26): Minnesota’s seventh-round pick in the 2019 draft, Boyd is hardly a shutdown corner. However, he’s become an effective special teams player.
Andrew Booth Jr. (22): The Vikings got Booth, a talented corner out of Clemson, in the second round because of his injury history. Unfortunately, he only played in six games (one start) and had knee surgery after the New England Patriots game in Week 12.
The Vikings don’t have a ton of depth at corner, despite all the draft capital they used on the position. There’s no guarantee Peterson is back, and his days as a bona fide CB1 may be coming to an end. Shelley deserves to be part of Minnesota’s plans, but they shouldn’t try to overextend him. And Dantzler probably will keep getting a shot because he continues to show promise, but he hasn’t proven to be a reliable corner yet. After that? They’ve got some work to do.
Purple Insider's Paul Hodowanic - The future of the Vikings, Part 7: Cornerbacks
Pass defense was at the forefront of the Minnesota Vikings’ issues all season long. It didn’t matter if it was Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts or Mac Jones and Mike White, the team struggled against nearly every opponent and every quarterback.
The stats bore it out. The Vikings ranked 30th in yards per pass allowed, 22nd in opponent passer rating, 25th in success rate and 26th in Football Outsiders’ pass defense DVOA.
Those numbers reflect poorly on all three levels of the defense. The blame doesn’t solely reflect on the cornerbacks, the secondary at large or the defensive scheme. Just as consistent success takes a village of people contributing – so does consistent failure.
The cornerback position and the secondary at large was a priority last season – the Vikings spent three draft picks in the first four rounds in the area, but after a lack of first-year results and a bevy of expired contracts, the unit again figures prominently on Minnesota’s offseason to-do list.
The contracts (sorted by snap count)
Patrick Peterson – free agent
Chandon Sullivan – free agent
Cam Dantzler – in the final year of his rookie contract, a $3 million cap hit
Duke Shelley – free agent
Akayleb Evans – second year of his four-year rookie contract, a $1 million cap hit
Andrew Booth Jr. – second year of his four-year rookie contract, $1.89 million cap hit
Kris Boyd – free agent
> Will the Vikings bet on Patrick Peterson again?
> Can they rely on the young guys?
> Is Cam Dantzler part of the future?
> Issues in the slot
(more discussion and analysis about these four sections at link ^)
The free-agent market
Per PFF, these are the top six cornerbacks in free agency.
Jamel Dean
James Bradberry
Cam Sutton
Patrick Peterson
Jonathan Jones
Marcus Peters
The top names on that list will likely be re-signed or receive contracts that the Vikings just can’t match given their cap restraints. That will likely leave them bargain-hunting once again.
Conclusions
Minnesota’s current cornerback situation is a product of repeated misses at drafting and developing. Since 2018, the Vikings have drafted Mike Hughes, Kris Boyd, Jeff Gladney, Dantzler, Harrison Hand, Cam Bynum, Cine, Booth Jr. and Evans. Many of those players are no longer on the roster and none of them are guaranteed starters for 2023. The Vikings haven’t given out a notable second contract to a cornerback since Xavier Rhodes in 2017.
And while they’ve invested plenty of draft capital, the same can’t be said about financial resources. Minnesota spent just $10.7 million on its cornerback room in 2022, the sixth-lowest in the NFL. That doesn’t necessarily need to be an issue if you draft well. The Seahawks and Chiefs ranked 29th and 31st respectively, but both hit on multiple draft picks in the secondary. The Vikings aren’t spending well and they aren’t drafting well.
That’s forced the team into the situation they found themselves in last year – relying on the trio of Peterson, Shelley and Sullivan.
Without a change in fortune or strategy, they’ll enter 2023 with the same passing defense vice that plagued them all season long.
The stats bore it out. The Vikings ranked 30th in yards per pass allowed, 22nd in opponent passer rating, 25th in success rate and 26th in Football Outsiders’ pass defense DVOA.
Those numbers reflect poorly on all three levels of the defense. The blame doesn’t solely reflect on the cornerbacks, the secondary at large or the defensive scheme. Just as consistent success takes a village of people contributing – so does consistent failure.
The cornerback position and the secondary at large was a priority last season – the Vikings spent three draft picks in the first four rounds in the area, but after a lack of first-year results and a bevy of expired contracts, the unit again figures prominently on Minnesota’s offseason to-do list.
The contracts (sorted by snap count)
Patrick Peterson – free agent
Chandon Sullivan – free agent
Cam Dantzler – in the final year of his rookie contract, a $3 million cap hit
Duke Shelley – free agent
Akayleb Evans – second year of his four-year rookie contract, a $1 million cap hit
Andrew Booth Jr. – second year of his four-year rookie contract, $1.89 million cap hit
Kris Boyd – free agent
> Will the Vikings bet on Patrick Peterson again?
> Can they rely on the young guys?
> Is Cam Dantzler part of the future?
> Issues in the slot
(more discussion and analysis about these four sections at link ^)
The free-agent market
Per PFF, these are the top six cornerbacks in free agency.
Jamel Dean
James Bradberry
Cam Sutton
Patrick Peterson
Jonathan Jones
Marcus Peters
The top names on that list will likely be re-signed or receive contracts that the Vikings just can’t match given their cap restraints. That will likely leave them bargain-hunting once again.
Conclusions
Minnesota’s current cornerback situation is a product of repeated misses at drafting and developing. Since 2018, the Vikings have drafted Mike Hughes, Kris Boyd, Jeff Gladney, Dantzler, Harrison Hand, Cam Bynum, Cine, Booth Jr. and Evans. Many of those players are no longer on the roster and none of them are guaranteed starters for 2023. The Vikings haven’t given out a notable second contract to a cornerback since Xavier Rhodes in 2017.
And while they’ve invested plenty of draft capital, the same can’t be said about financial resources. Minnesota spent just $10.7 million on its cornerback room in 2022, the sixth-lowest in the NFL. That doesn’t necessarily need to be an issue if you draft well. The Seahawks and Chiefs ranked 29th and 31st respectively, but both hit on multiple draft picks in the secondary. The Vikings aren’t spending well and they aren’t drafting well.
That’s forced the team into the situation they found themselves in last year – relying on the trio of Peterson, Shelley and Sullivan.
Without a change in fortune or strategy, they’ll enter 2023 with the same passing defense vice that plagued them all season long.
... and neither is this Chris guy.
