The Minnesota Vikings’ offseason plans have largely focused on their quarterback situation, but their secondary also needs significant attention. According to Pro Football Talk’s Ben Rolfe, the Vikings are expected to pursue free-agent cornerback Carlton Davis III, currently with the Detroit Lions. Minnesota faces the potential loss of its top three corners in free agency, which makes cornerback a priority.
Davis, 28, was a second-round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and played six years in Tampa before being traded to Detroit in 2024. Rolfe predicts Davis, with a projected contract under $14 million annually, could be a more affordable option compared to retaining Byron Murphy, whose deal could exceed $22 million per year. This would allow the Vikings to bring in more than one veteran cornerback.
Davis is coming off his best career season, with a notable reduction in the QB rating allowed. However, the key concern is his durability, as Davis has missed games in every season of his career, including 13 games over the last three years. Despite this, he recorded 56 tackles, 11 pass deflections, 2 interceptions, and 2 fumble recoveries in 2024, showing strong play when healthy. Davis allowed a 55.3% completion rate on 42 targets, ranking 18th among defenders who faced a similar volume of targets.
The Vikings are projected to have $63.3 million in cap space for the offseason, giving them room to fill multiple needs. Their secondary could see a major overhaul as several cornerbacks, including Murphy, Shaquill Griffin, and Stephon Gilmore, are set to hit free agency. The team does have some young talent, such as Mekhi Blackmon, who missed the 2024 season due to an ACL injury, and players like Dwight McGlothern and Reddy Steward. However, with no cornerback under contract for 2025 who played in 2024, the Vikings will likely need to make significant moves.
Additionally, changes could be coming in the safety positions, as Camryn Bynum is a free agent, Harrison Smith may retire, and Josh Metellus could be in line for a contract extension. With a potential overhaul of both the secondary and other key positions like quarterback and running back, the Vikings could be positioning themselves to sign Davis.
