4 ways the Vikings can best prepare for the future this offseason
By Dean Jones
Draft a shutdown cornerback
The Vikings have wasted a ton of high-end draft capital on cornerbacks over the years. Some have worked out, but the majority failed to meet expectations, and with Patrick Peterson and Mackensie Alexander out of contract this spring, it could become one of the team’s most pressing needs once again.
There is hope Cameron Dantzler can continue progressing in the same encouraging fashion heading into the third year of his professional career. If the Vikings can land a true shutdown cornerback via the draft in 2022, the better their long-term chances will be.
Should Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner be available when Minnesota is on the clock, one suspects they would have a hard time passing him up. The former Cincinnati stud has the length, speed, and athleticism to make a significant impact right out of the gate in a similar fashion to what we saw Patrick Surtain II achieve with the Denver Broncos during his rookie campaign.
Others that warrant consideration are Andrew Booth Jr. and Derek Stingley Jr. So there are multiple avenues the Vikings could explore if Gardner is taken before they get the chance.
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Solidifying the cornerback unit with a college recruit and Dantzler is only going to help Minnesota move forward. It also doesn’t shut the door on selecting a promising signal-caller in 2023 if Kirk Cousins isn’t around.