The Minnesota Vikings reportedly met with free-agent cornerback Nate Hairston and free-agent offensive lineman Jesse Davis on Monday.
If you’re someone who has never heard of cornerback Nate Hairston or offensive lineman Jesse Davis before Monday, you’re certainly not alone. But, apparently, at least one of these two players could be the next free agent to sign with the Minnesota Vikings this offseason.
According to KSTP’s Darren Wolfson, the Vikings conducted visits with Hairston and Davis on Monday to see if they would be interested in joining their 2022 roster.
Minnesota is clearly looking to bolster their depth with these potential signings, and they don’t really have the money to do much else in free agency at this point as they currently have around $10.5 million in cap space.
Minnesota Vikings reportedly meet with Nate Hairston and Jesse Davis on Monday
So who exactly are Hairston and Davis and what can they potentially offer to the Vikings during the 2022 season?
Well, Hairston entered the league in 2017 when the Indianapolis Colts drafted him with a fifth-round selection. During his time in the league, the 27-year-old cornerback has had stints with the Colts, New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, and Denver Broncos.
Hairston spent the last two seasons with the Broncos, where Ed Donatell was his defensive coordinator. Donatell is now, of course, the defensive coordinator for the Vikings.
With Donatell in Denver for the last two years, Hairston appeared in 19 games and he accumulated a total of nine tackles and four pass breakups. The majority of his time on the field was spent on special teams.
As for Davis, he’s been in the NFL since he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Seattle Seahawks in 2015. He eventually made his way to the Miami Dolphins in 2017, a place where he has spent the last five seasons.
During his time with the Dolphins, Davis has started 72 games. In these 72 matchups, the 6-foot-6, 318-pound blocker has lined up as both a guard and a tackle.
Unfortunately, his play on the field hasn’t really been that impressive. This was evident last season when PFF graded Davis as the 79th-best tackle in the league (out of 83).
With Minnesota needing to add more depth to their 2022 roster, it wouldn’t be surprising if they signed at least one of these two players after their meeting on Monday. Luckily, there is absolutely no reason to believe that Hairston or Davis are going to cost the Vikings very much to sign.
*(Update: The Vikings signed both Nate Hairston and Jesse Davis on Monday)