The Minnesota Vikings were quite active this offseason. They signed several players in free agency and even made a trade in an attempt to bolster their roster. They also traded away cornerback Mike Hughes to the Chiefs, and he became a hero for them in Week 1.
Recently, there were reports that a team was interested in making a trade for second-year defensive back Cameron Dantzler. The Athletic shared an article revealing that the San Francisco 49ers were looking to acquire his services.
The 49ers learned Jason Verrett tore his ACL on Sunday against the Detroit Lions and were looking for a replacement in their defense.
Dre Kirkpatrick, interest in Richard Sherman and the 49ers’ post-Jason Verrett plan at CB…
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) September 14, 2021
SF also inquired about a trade for Minnesota CB Cameron Dantzler as they look to patch it all together: https://t.co/TwEFGdMq53
Why this Vikings trade with the 49ers would have made sense
A trade between the Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers for Cameron Dantzler makes some sense. Dantzler found himself in the doghouse of the team’s coaching staff after a disappointing training camp and preseason that saw other cornerbacks pass him on their depth chart.
Dantzler has tumbled down the depth chart so badly in Minnesota that he was a healthy scratch for Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
That’s not to say that Dantzler doesn’t have the potential to be a good defensive back in the NFL. In fact, he played well at times during the 2020 NFL season and was expected to be a starter before Minnesota acquired Patrick Peterson and Bashaud Breeland.
It sounds as though this is a trade that won’t happen. The Athletic shared that San Francisco is close to signing former first-round draft pick Dre Kirkpatrick, who was with the Bengals for eight seasons before spending 2020 in Arizona.
Minnesota Vikings vs. Cincinnati Bengals – Week 1 live game highlights
The Minnesota Vikings are kicking off their 2021 regular season with an intriguing matchup against a potentially dangerous Cincinnati Bengals team.
The Minnesota Vikings didn’t end up dealing Cameron Dantzler to the 49ers, so he will likely be left with an opportunity to redeem himself through hard work at practice. Hopefully, he can get back in the good graces of the team’s coaching staff and develop into a young corner who can contribute for many years to come.