Vikings Proposal Sends Disruptive $23 Million Defender to Minnesota

Getty The Minnesota Vikings were deemed an ideal fit for free agent cornerback Eli Apple.

The Minnesota Vikings stripped its secondary of all three starters from last season in hopes of improving by getting younger.

However, the current cornerback room is lacking in experience with second-year corners Andrew Booth Jr., Akayleb Evans and third-round rookie Mekhi Blackmon poised to start alongside veteran  Byron Murphy Jr.

Adding another veteran to the mix would significantly improve the secondary’s floor this season after the unit allowed the second-most yards in the NFL last season.

Bleacher Report suggested that Minnesota would be an ideal fit for former 2016 first-round pick Eli Apple.

“Between 2021 and 2022, Apple took on a prominent role with a playoff-caliber Cincinnati Bengals squad, recording 18 pass breakups and two interceptions. Last year, he allowed a 57 percent completion rate but gave up one too many big plays over the top, surrendering 14.6 yards per completion,” Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton wrote, noting Apple turned his career around during a two-year stint with the Bengals.

“To get the best out of Apple, a team may need to provide deep-safety help to prevent wideouts from racking up yards on deep receptions toward the boundary. Nonetheless, the veteran cornerback can be a serviceable asset if he keeps the action in front of him,” Moton wrote. “Aside from the Cardinals, who have needs all over their roster, the Vikings are an ideal fit for Apple. Minnesota has safety Harrison Smith, who still has sideline-to-sideline range in coverage. Assuming Byron Murphy Jr. primarily mans the slot, Minnesota needs an experienced boundary defender following the loss of Patrick Peterson in free agency.”

Eli Apple is an Affordable Playmaker for Vikings

Despite seven years of playing experience and over 5,000 career snaps, Apple is 28 years old and still has some tread on the tires. He’s proven best with a supporting cast that will allow him to make high-risk, high-reward plays and pass breakups.

Apple has made $22.9 million across his career and has carried an average cap hit of just $2 million since the New York Giants traded him to the New Orleans Saints in 2018, according to Over the Cap.

Apple has shown to get beat on deeper, more developed routes but could be an affordable veteran flyer to get a look at in training camp and see if his man coverage traits would translate in Brian Flores’ system — which looks to disrupt quarterbacks and receivers and restrict plays from developing versus sitting back in coverage.

“For the NFL, Apple would be best as a press-man corner. He can play zone and off man, but he looks more comfortable playing press man,” WalterFootball wrote in 2016. Apple is good at jamming receivers and turning and running with them downfield. He has the height to defend big receivers and the speed to run with quick receivers.”

 Vikings Training Camp Dates

The cornerback battle at training camp will be the spectacle of this summer at TCO Performance Center in Eagan, Minnesota.

The Vikings have scheduled 14 public practices starting on July 29, including night practices on Thursday, August 3 and Tuesday, August 8.

Here’s the full list of practices open to the public, per Vikings.com: