Vikings Corners

About a decade ago the Minnesota Vikings trotted out cornerbacks the likes of Waswa Serwanga and converted receiver Robert Tate. It was quite sad. The current corners have a lot to prove. They were mostly disappointing last year. I was thinking about the state of the Vikings corners after watching the New York Jets fall apart at the position in the span of a training camp week. Their top three corners are on the sideline. If the Vikings of the early 2000s had lost their top three corners there would be no obvious drop off because none of them should have been on the field for a regular season NFL game. It was so sad. Fortunately the Vikings cornerback situation has improved despite the difficulties of a season ago.

Second-year Xavier Rhodes has the talent and the size to be one of the best. He was learning the life of an NFL corner through much of the season. It was very typical for a rookie, especially for a rookie corner. By the end of the season, it was clear that his future should be a bright one. Free agent addition Captain Munnerlyn might bring back some fond memories of Antoine Winfield. Tough and undersized. A playmaker. Derek Cox is the wildcard. He was great in Jacsonville and earned a big free agent payday with the San Diego Chargers last season. He was on top of the world but he never fit in the Chargers defense. He was terrible and eventually benched. Big money free agent one year. One-year, prove-it contract the next. Cox could be a nice find for Mike Zimmer's press coverage defense. Third-year Josh Robinson has speed to spare. That can't be taught. The ability to use it can and Robinson is learning. He had a nice rookie year in 2012. The Vikings made the unfortunate decision to force him into covering the slot last year. It was a disaster. He was also replacing Winfield at the spot. The drop in play was immediate and obvious. If Robinson can regain his confidence and stay on the outside, he could be be a solid corner. But, he needs to get on the field and stay on the field. He's spent too much time in the trainer's room this training camp. Scrappy, little Marcus Sherels was once considered a marginal NFL football player. As an NFL athlete, he still might be. Especially when it comes to corners. The former training camp-invite has turned himself into an NFL football player. He's one of the best punt returners in the game. If he offered only that, it might be enough to stick on the roster for a nice career. He's become a reliable defensive football player. His NFL story is a very good story. Shaun Prater made some memorable plays at the end of the forgettable 2013 season. He's maintained that solid play through training camp. Seventh-round pick Jabari Price is one of the very pleasant surprises of training camp. He's played so well that he might be the top back-up to Munnerlyn in the slot. If so, he's on the 2014 roster. Sixth-round pick Kendall James, Julian Posey and Robert Steeples would have been the starting corners on those Vikings teams of the early 2000s. They are fighting to make this roster. Here's my guess as to the Vikings corners this year:

Xavier Rhodes
Captain Munnerlyn
Derek Cox
Josh Robinson
Marcus Sherels
Jabari Price

Shaun Prater could make 7. You can never have enough corners.

The Vikings 2014 corners and the secondary will be much improved over 2013. As important to the improved talent at the position is the addition of head coach Mike Zimmer and his coaching staff. Zimmer is a teacher and "a fixer." His addition in January improved the defense and the secondary immediately. His teaching will improve it even more. Secondary coach Jerry Gray was a terrific cornerback in his playing career and has been a successful defensive coach since. The players are better. The coaching is better. The play at corner will be better. Few teams can lose their top three corners and skip along as if nothing had happened. Top to bottom, the Vikings corners can all play if called upon.