4 free agents the Minnesota Vikings should bring in for tryouts
By Dean Jones
Ross Cockrell – CB
Things look far different at cornerback for the Minnesota Vikings in 2020. The franchise decided not to bring back established veterans such as Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes, and Mackensie Alexander. And it has left them with a revamped unit that is relatively devoid of any starting experience.
Mike Hughes will be tasked with covering the opposition’s best receiving threat for the first time. But the former first-round pick has not been the most dependable staying on the field during his career so far.
The Vikings drafted Jeff Gladney and Cameron Dantzler, who both come with tremendous upside. However, rookie players at the position tend to go through their fair share of growing pains. And there are still question marks regarding Holton Hill’s potential in a more prominent role.
One avenue Minnesota could go down is bringing in another experienced free agent that would not cost the earth. Ross Cockrell falls into this category. And the corner is still without a team after a move to the New York Giants in recent days fell through at the last minute.
Cockrell spent the last two seasons with the Carolina Panthers and performed well on a defense that struggled overall. He finished the campaign with 62 combined tackles, 48 solo tackles, two interceptions, three tackles for loss, eight pass deflections, and a 57.5 grade from Pro Football Focus.
The player has acquired four years of starting experience in the NFL. And he is well worth a look if the Vikings want to bring a cornerback in to work out in the coming weeks.