Expectations are high for Vikings cornerback Mackensie Alexander in 2019
By Adam Carlson
After an excellent 2018 season, Pro Football Focus believes cornerback Mackensie Alexander will have a breakout year with the Minnesota Vikings.
It could be argued that Mackensie Alexander had his breakout season with the Minnesota Vikings in 2018. However, Pro Football Focus feels as though there is still a lot of growth the defensive back can show.
Last year was a great one for Alexander, who PFF graded out at 78.1 overall with a run defense grade of 86.4 and coverage grade of 72.5. Each of those was a significant improvement from his previous season, seeing increases of 24.0, 9.1, and 19.8 respectively.
In 2018, Alexander saw his first NFL start since Trae Waynes and Xavier Rhodes missed two games each. The cornerback stepped up in a big way, making some key plays in a Vikings defense which was tested early and often thanks to a struggling offense.
Statistically, Mackensie enjoyed career highs last year, breaking up ten passes, recording four sacks, and notching 43 combined tackles. Those numbers are likely to fall again if he sees the field more often. Of course, with two established starters at cornerback, Mike Hughes (former first-round pick) and other young faces on the team, that could be a challenge.
The emergence of Alexander is likely a reason why the Vikings feel comfortable enough at cornerback to possibly let Waynes walk at the end of the year. This gives the young defensive back another season to grow and develop before stepping into what could be a much larger role for him in the future.
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The problem is that Alexander is set to be a free agent after this season, much like Trae Waynes. With the team’s problems with regard to the salary cap and other players on the team who could step into a role like Hughes or Holton Hill, the Minnesota Vikings may have to give up two promising cornerbacks following the 2019 NFL season.