Vikings sign versatile defender to help after Mekhi Blackmon injury

Following injuries to cornerbacks Mekhi Blackmon and Shaq Griffin during the last few days, the Minnesota Vikings announced on Monday that they have signed veteran defensive back Bobby McCain.

McCain has appeared in 131 games since 2015, and he was a member of the New York Giants last season. The signing reunites him with Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, as the veteran defender was with the Miami Dolphins in 2019 and 2020 when Flores was the team's head coach.

How much can Bobby McCain help the Minnesota Vikings in 2024?

We'll have to wait and see what Minnesota's plans are for McCain before determining how much of an impact he could potentially have on the team during the upcoming season.

During his career, the 5-foot-9, 196-pound defensive back has spent time as both a cornerback and a safety. Over the last few seasons with the Giants and Washington Commanders, McCain has lined up primarily as a safety.

So, while the Vikings are currently in need of better cornerback depth, the veteran defensive back has the ability to step in as a safety if the team ends up needing help in this area of their roster as well. In McCain's two years with Flores in Miami, the majority of his time on the field was spent lined up as a safety.

Given his smaller size, however, it's possible that Minnesota might attempt to utilize him as its slot corner and shift Byron Murphy to the outside. The Vikings wanted Murphy to spend more time in the slot during the upcoming season, but Blackmon no longer being available for the 2024 campaign might prevent that from happening.

Back in 2017 with the Dolphins, McCain spent most of his snaps lined up as a slot corner, and he ended up putting together arguably the best season of his NFL career when he finished with a 76.4 defensive grade from PFF and his passer rating allowed ranked (79.8) 10th among qualifying slot cornerbacks.

At the very least, Minnesota signed a defensive back on Monday who has a ton of experience, and can help some of the team's younger players learn Flores's defensive scheme.

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