No need to worry about the future of Jeff Gladney in Minnesota
By Adam Patrick
With the recent additions to their secondary, some wonder what the Minnesota Vikings are going to do with cornerback Jeff Gladney next season.
Since the 2021 free agency period began earlier this month, the Minnesota Vikings have been placing a heavy emphasis on adding players to improve their defense, especially in the defensive backfield.
So far this year, the Vikings have signed two corners in Patrick Peterson and Mackensie Alexander while also signing a veteran safety in Xavier Woods. Minnesota’s cornerback room is now overflowing and the team has to figure out which guys they’re going to keep around for the 2021 season.
With the addition of Alexander, several people have begun to wonder about what the Vikings’ plans are for Jeff Gladney in 2021.
Are the Minnesota Vikings concerned with the future of Jeff Gladney?
As a rookie last season, Gladney finished with 81 tackles (seven for a loss), three pass breakups, and one forced fumble. He also had 20 missed tackles, he gave up six touchdowns in coverage, and opposing quarterbacks had a 118.1 rating when targeting players that Gladney covered.
These numbers are nothing to get excited about, but it’s also the type of production that should be expected from a rookie cornerback. This position is arguably the hardest to adjust to when making the transition from college to the pros.
So it’s not the time to worry about Gladney being a bust or anything like that just yet. He was evaluated by many as a first-round prospect in 2020 for multiple reasons and he still has the talent to live up to his high expectations.
Even if Gladney doesn’t make a giant leap next season, the worry level about his NFL future should remain pretty low.
It’s possible that he could be taking more of a backseat in 2021 with Minnesota adding Peterson and Alexander to the fold, but this is completely fine.
During Mike Zimmer’s tenure as the team’s head coach, the Vikings have brought along several young corners rather slowly until giving them a significant role in the defense. Guys like Alexander and Trae Waynes went through a bunch of growing pains earlier in their careers with Minnesota before Zimmer felt confident enough to give them larger roles.
This is something that could be in store for Gladney, and if this how things end up playing out, his opportunity to sit back and learn about what it takes to succeed in the NFL could result in his career turning out even better than some had previously anticipated.