5 defensive sleepers the Vikings should target in 2021 free agency
By Dean Jones
Ahkello Witherspoon – CB
2020 Team: San Francisco 49ers
The Vikings got some solid production from their rookie cornerback duo of Jeff Gladney and Cameron Dantzler during the 2020 season. The pair demonstrated tremendous promise that was coupled with the obvious growing pains that are associated with incoming college players adjusting to the position.
Mike Hughes cannot be relied upon to stay healthy and could be moved on ahead of time. Chris Jones didn’t exactly show enough last season to get a new commitment from the Vikings, so bringing in a veteran with high upside is essential.
Ahkello Witherspoon has some solid starting experience under his belt from his first four years with the San Francisco 49ers and he earned an impressive 80.1 grade from Pro Football Focus from just 32 percent of the team’s defensive snaps last season.
It’s hard not to envision a situation where Witherspoon wouldn’t be an upgrade over Hughes or Jones at this juncture. He can be dependable in coverage and he uses his impressive size and length to good effect on the field. So when it’s time for the Vikings to come up with a potential shortlist, he should be on it.
The Niners are in a better position to offer Witherspoon a more enticing financial package than the Vikings. But the promise of more reps in a possible starting role could be all the player needs to take his chances elsewhere.