7 free-agent cornerbacks the Vikings could sign in 2023
By Chris Schad
James Bradbury
2022 Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Set to turn 30 in August, James Bradberry isn’t a cornerback that has loads of upside. But he does provide stability to a cornerback room that desperately needs it.
According to PFF, Bradberry ranked 27th among qualifying cornerbacks last season with a 71.7 overall grade and 11th with 0.42 wins above replacement.
Although he took a step back in 2021, he was one of the top cornerbacks in the league, ranking seventh with a 79.8 overall grade and fourth with 0.58 wins above replacement. Bradberry was also excellent in man coverage, allowing a 46.9 passer rating and 0.73 yards per coverage snap last season.
A knock on Bradberry’s potential fit is that he only played man in 27 percent of his snaps last season. During his final season with the Miami Dolphins in 2021, Flores had all four qualifying corners play a minimum of 45 percent of their coverage snaps in man coverage, but Bradberry could make up for that, being one of the most durable corners in the league over the past three seasons.
PFF currently projects Bradbury to command $12 million a year on the open market, which might price him out of the Vikings range. But the Vikings could be looking for an effective veteran to allow some of their younger players to develop, and Bradberry could be worth the money on a short-term deal.