The Minnesota Vikings are taking on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4, and they could get some additional insight from newcomer Natrone Brooks.
“The #Vikings have signed CB Natrone Brooks to the practice squad,” the Vikings posted on X on October 1, the second work day of Week 4 ahead of their showdown against their rivals from the NFC South.
Brooks — who turns 27 in December — is a former undrafted free agent.
The 5-foot-1, 175-pound defensive back spent time with the Detroit Lions to begin this season. He has 15 total tackles in 26 career games played, including one start, all with the Falcons.
Vikings Sign Ex-Falcons CB Natrone Brooks
Brooks joins the Vikings under defensive coordinator Brian Flores still looking to shake the project profile that he entered the NFL with as a college free agent in 2023.
“Brooks has good size and impressive explosiveness as a leaper, but sports poor functional speed to recover when beaten down the field,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote in a profile ahead of the 2023 draft. “The size, ball skills and anticipation give him enough cache to find a camp as a priority free agent.
“Inability to turn and run and his history of allowing long touchdowns is impossible to overlook. Teams could ask him to add weight and transition to safety where he will have a better chance for success in the league.”
The Vikings likely also wanted Brooks for his contributions on special teams.
Natrone Brooks Has Special Teams Value for Vikings
Including his return duties on kickoffs, Brooks has logged 357 snaps in the third phase, compared to 115 on defense, per Pro Football Reference.
The Vikings have been one of the surprises of the early season, starting 3-0 despite injuries at running back and wide receiver and turmoil and turnover at quarterback. Adding Brooks to the group only bolsters their efforts ahead of facing the Buccaneers.
Notably, the Buccaneers will not have starter Baker Mayfield for that contest.
That just means an opportunity for the Vikings’ aggressive defense to get after rookie fill-in Jaelon Daniels and for Brooks and the special teams to be on the field.
Vikings Add 5-Foot-11 Former Lions Cornerback Before Buccaneers Game