Getty Cornerback Xavien Howard of the Miami Dolphins.
The NFL draft is over and late-stage free agency has begun, leaving teams like the Minnesota Vikings looking to fill positions of need they didn’t address via rookie additions.
The Vikings’ defense improved under new defensive coordinator Brian Flores during his first year with the team in 2023, but defending the pass was still an issue. Minnesota finished 24th in the NFL after allowing 3,986 yards through the air last season.
David Kenyon of Bleacher Report on Sunday, April 28 named the Vikings as a top potential landing spot for cornerback Xavien Howard, who the Miami Dolphins released earlier in the offseason in the interest of saving $18.5 million toward their salary cap.
Howard was fully cleared for football activities on the Wednesday before the draft, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. With the draft now over, teams will likely begin reaching out to him soon.
Similar to Nelson, the Texans and Colts are worth mentioning as possible landing spots for Howard. The same goes for the Minnesota Vikings, whose defensive coordinator is former Miami head coach Brian Flores. Howard yielded 6.8 yards per target last season and only one touchdown on 62 targets.
Vikings Have Selected Cornerbacks in Top Half of Last 2 Drafts
GettyCornerback Khyree Jackson, formerly of the Oregon Ducks.
Howard dealt with a foot injury that cost him four games during the regular season. But while 2023 was a down year for Howard, he earned Pro Bowl honors in each of the previous three campaigns and four times total over his eight-year NFL career.
Howard signed a five-year deal worth $90 million with Miami in April 2022, though will presumably sign a considerably smaller contract elsewhere this offseason. Minnesota is in need of more help in the secondary, as evidenced by their decisions in the last couple of drafts.
The Vikings added cornerback Mekhi Blackmon out of USC in the third round in 2023 (their second overall pick of that draft), before selecting Khyree Jackson out of Oregon in the fourth round this year (their third overall pick).
After having no picks in the second and third rounds, the Vikings used their first selection on Day 3 to address their need for physical corners who can play man coverage,” the Star Tribune wrote on Saturday. “Jackson is a 6-foot-4 corner who ran a 4.5-second [40-yard dash] and has shown he isn’t afraid to challenge receivers. … He had three interceptions and seven pass breakups last season for the Ducks along with two sacks and five tackles for a loss.”
Xavien Howard Could Replicate Value Vikings Got From CB Patrick Peterson
GettyFormer Minnesota Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson.
Blackmon played in 15 games during his rookie season, though he started only three. Minnesota’s regular starters in 2023 were Byron Murphy Jr. and Akayleb Evans, who Pro Football Focus ranked as the 87th and 99th best cornerbacks in the NFL last year, respectively, out of 127 players who saw enough snaps to qualify at the position. Blackmon was 32nd, per PFF, though he saw fewer snaps against presumably easier matchups more regularly than either Murphy or Evans.
Murphy is under contract for only one more season, while Evans — a fourth-round pick in 2022 — has two years remaining on his deal. Minnesota also added veteran CB Shaq Griffin on a one-year deal this offseason.
Howard, who will play in 2024 at the age of 31, probably isn’t a long-term solution for the Vikings. However, if Minnesota were to sign him, his career track could resemble that of former Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson.
Peterson, an eight-time Pro Bowler, arrived in Minneapolis in 2021 as a 31-year-old veteran. He played two good years for the Vikings on a cost-effective deal. His play/pay added value to the defense, as Peterson started 30 games and accounted for 20 pass breakups and 6 INTs over that span.