5 questions left for the Vikings after the 2020 NFL Draft
By Chris Schad
How will the cornerback position shake out?
Coming into this year’s NFL Draft, one of the biggest questions on the Vikings was what they were going to do at cornerback. Minnesota added three new cornerbacks to the roster during the draft after Xavier Rhodes was released and both Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander signed with the Cincinnati Bengals earlier this offseason.
With six corners now on the team, the biggest question is how the Vikings will use them in 2020 and which guy will be the odd man out.
A safe bet will be that both Jeff Gladney and Cameron Dantzler will step into major roles for Minnesota’s defense next season. Gladney has been deemed a “Mike Zimmer-type” of cornerback with his physical play and toughness and Dantzler also has the physical stature at 6-foot-2.
That leaves the incumbents of Mike Hughes, Holton Hill, and Kris Boyd wondering what roles, if any, they’ll play for the Vikings defense in 2020.
Hughes’ future is a little up in the air after injuring his neck prior to Minnesota’s playoff matchup against the New Orleans Saints and Hill has been walking the tight rope after being slapped with two four-game suspensions prior to the 2019 season.
With Boyd being more of a developmental prospect, it will be interesting to see how this group is used. Perhaps more importantly, one of these corners will have to play in the slot, a position that was used 72 percent of the time last season according to Sharp Football Stats.