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The Minnesota Vikings defense was among the worst in the NFL against the pass last season and the cornerback position is a primary reason why.
Minnesota mortgaged a good deal of draft capital to move up twice in the first round, securing quarterback J.J. McCarthy and edge rusher Dallas Turner. Those two figure to be the long-term replacement solutions at two premier positions following the departures of Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter, but the cost of their acquisition will make improving the secondary through the draft more difficult next offseason.
Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report on Monday, June 3 suggested a solution in which the Vikings trade former fourth-round pick and 2023 starting cornerback Akayleb Evans to acquire some assets in return.
In today’s pass-heavy NFL, even marginally competent corners are considerably valuable. And that may be the best way to describe third-year pro Akayleb Evans of the Minnesota Vikings — marginally competent.
In 15 starts last season, Evans wasn’t exactly Darrelle Revis — he allowed over 70 percent of the passes thrown in his direction to be completed, missed a whopping 16 tackles and posted a robust passer rating against of 120.4.
Evans’ physical attributes are a reason to keep the soon-to-be 25-year-old around. So is the fact Evans has two years left on his rookie deal. But with Shaquill Griffin in Minnesota, Evans likely enters camp as Minnesota’s fourth or even fifth corner. And with the Vikings in possession of just three picks in 2025 (and just one before Round 5), the same things that make Evans worth keeping could help recoup some badly-needed draft capital.
Minnesota Continues to Search for Viable Cornerbacks in Brian Flores’ System
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GettyDefensive coordinator Brian Flores of the Minnesota Vikings.
Evans is 6-feet-2 and weighs 200 pounds, dimensions that garnered the favor of Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores after he took over the unit ahead of last season.
However, not only did Minnesota add Griffin, the team also drafted Khyree Jackson in the fourth round. Jackson has the requisite size to matchup with bigger and stronger receivers, and could add an element to the position group that further mitigates the need for Evans.
Byron Murphy Jr. has one more year remaining on his contract, and while the Vikings didn’t get the play out of Murphy they had hoped for after paying him $17.5 million last offseason, he figures to remain a fixture on the defense in 2024 — at least in part because his contract size/recent play combine to reduce his trade value.
Meanwhile, 2023 third-round pick Mekhi Blackmon showed promise last season and doesn’t read like a player from whom the Vikings want to move on. Former second-round pick Andrew Booth Jr. (2022) has been a bust and could find himself cut this summer, rendering a trade with any meaningful return unlikely.
Akayleb Evans is Vikings Most Tradable Cornerback
GettyCornerback Akayleb Evans of the Minnesota Vikings.
Evans’ recent history as a starter and his relatively cheap contract probably afford him something in the Day-3 range of trade value, even despite Pro Football Focus (PFF) raking him the worst among the four Vikings cornerbacks who saw enough snaps to qualify at the position last year (99th out of 127 players).
It’s likely that the other cornerbacks Minnesota would like to trade don’t offer enough return, and that the ones who do are the secondary members the Vikings would prefer to keep — leaving a deal centered on Evans as the sole viable solution.
