Getty The elder cornerback gave the second-year corner some advice on how to handle his lack of playing opportunities.
The elder statesman of the Minnesota Vikings cornerbacks room has spoken.
After a series of cryptic tweets from a disgruntled Cameron Dantzler surfaced, calling his relationship with the team into question, Patrick Peterson spoke his piece on the situation.
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‘Stay Ready’
Dantzler’s grievances have come due to his lack of playing time on defense after he started 10 games as a rookie last year. The second-year corner has played just 16 snaps in one game this season on the defensive side of the ball.
Dantzler tweeted, “I’m tired of biting my tongue about this whole situation (for real)” following last Sunday’s win over the Seattle Seahawks. It was concerning after a game where everything seemed to be clicking for the Vikings.
Peterson offered some words of wisdom to the younger cornerback on the All Things Covered podcast:
You just want to be able to communicate with your guys and be able to see what made them come to that point. To put that out on social media. Coming into talk to one of the boys, or whatever the case may be.
I’m not a head coach. So I can’t say it was “selfish” or whatever the case may be. But as far as me trying to keep a young guy like Cam (Dantzler) in the game, at the end of the day, like I always tell him and Kris (Boyd)…
“Stay ready. You never know when that opportunity
is going to come and you don’t want to piss away that
opportunity when it come.”
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Dantzler’s Chance May Come Soon
Despite Dantzler not playing a week ago and his standing with the coaching staff on ice, the Vikings may have no choice but to play the second-year corner.
Starting corners Bashaud Breeland (illness) and Mackensie Alexander (personal) did not practice on Thursday. Alexander has been absent from practice the past two days due to an undisclosed personal matter, while Breeland’s illness designation surfaced on Thursday.
Dantzler would likely replace Breeland in the starting lineup on the outside. Breeland has been graded as the worst cornerback in the NFL through three weeks, ranking 108th of 108 players graded at his position.
Breeland has allowed 18 receptions on 21 targets for 257 yards and four touchdowns to the tune of a nearly perfect 157.2 passer rating allowed in coverage. He’s trending downwards in the past two weeks, allowing all 13 pass attempts thrown his way to be caught for 150 yards and two TDs, per PFF.
Dantzler performed considerably better across 16 snaps against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2. He allowed two catches for 23 yards on four targets and a 54.6 passer rating and had a pass breakup in the end zone intended for A.J. Green.
Friday’s injury report could offer more insight into the Vikings’ cornerback depth approaching a pivotal matchup with the Cleveland Browns.