2025 NFL Free Agency and Draft: CB

I'd be thrilled landing Morrison that late. If he had been healthy all year he would have been a top 10-12 pick.

As much as I'm scarred from drafting corner after corner over the years, the need is still there unfortunately. We need to get better and younger at that position. I'd have a hard time imagining our first round pick being anything other than corner or defensive tackle

supafreak84 wrote:
I'd be thrilled landing Morrison that late. If he had been healthy all year he would have been a top 10-12 pick.

As much as I'm scarred from drafting corner after corner over the years, the need is still there unfortunately. We need to get better and younger at that position. I'd have a hard time imagining our first round pick being anything other than corner or defensive tackle

You can't let past errors influence what you do the next time around. But I agree that with the depth at RB in this class, unless Jeanty somehow falls, our first round pick is likely to be CB or DT. Of course free agency will have a lot to say about that.

Morrison officially declared for the draft. He'd look damn good in Viking purple

Morrison is 6' 190#, but hes only 20, so while he may not get any taller/longer, he most certainly should be able to add 15 to 20 pounds over the next couple years.

StickierBuns wrote:

I don't want my corners at 210 lbs.....rangy, quick and sticky on coverage is the name of the game.

you can still get that at 205- 210,  what I dont want are 190# CBs that get rolled in the run game and miss extended amounts of time.  Morrison has a long frame,  he can easily carry another 15 without likely losing much dexterity and  mobility if its added correctly.

JimmyinSD wrote:

you can still get that at 205- 210,  what I dont want are 190# CBs that get rolled in the run game and miss extended amounts of time.  Morrison has a long frame,  he can easily carry another 15 without likely losing much dexterity and  mobility if its added correctly.

I think it's kind of a trade off. The bigger guys are probably stronger, stouter against the run, but it doesn't mean they know how to play the run or even how to tackle. Mekhi Blackmon is 5-11, 178. That's a little smallish, but he was outstanding in run defense. He was the only rookie defender that season with at least 400 snaps to not miss a single tackle. His PFF run tackling grade ranked #1 in the NFL among all rookie defenders.

Yes, please. 

Should the #Vikings target #Jets CB DJ Reed in free agency? Reed, who is 28 years old, is arguably the best CB on the market.

According to @spotrac, they predict him to sign a 4 year, 58M deal this offseason ($14.5M per year)

🎥: @nyjetsfansonly pic.twitter.com/GJGai78tUA

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) February 3, 2025

No doubt Reed would be an upgrade and a "big get."

Even though guys like Gilmore played into their 30's, 28 years old makes me a little gun shy.

MaroonBells wrote:
Yes, please. 

Should the #Vikings target #Jets CB DJ Reed in free agency? Reed, who is 28 years old, is arguably the best CB on the market.

According to @spotrac, they predict him to sign a 4 year, 58M deal this offseason ($14.5M per year)

🎥: @nyjetsfansonly pic.twitter.com/GJGai78tUA

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) February 3, 2025

I think our free agent cornerback dollars are going to be put back into an extension for Byron Murphy, as they should. I would love to see Murphy and Cam Bynum signed on extensions prior to free agency. That gives us Bynum, Blackmon, and options heading into the draft. Worst case scenario is the board falls a different direction for us on draft day and we bring back Gilmore or someone of that caliber after the draft. It's going to be very interesting to see how we attack free agency and what holes that leaves for us to fill heading into the draft

supafreak84 wrote:

I think our free agent cornerback dollars are going to be put back into an extension for Byron Murphy, as they should. I would love to see Murphy and Cam Bynum signed on extensions prior to free agency. That gives us Bynum, Blackmon, and options heading into the draft. Worst case scenario is the board falls a different direction for us on draft day and we bring back Gilmore or someone of that caliber after the draft. It's going to be very interesting to see how we attack free agency and what holes that leaves for us to fill heading into the draft

I think the minimum we'll do at CB is adding two starters. That can be an outside free agent like Reed, and Murphy, or it can be a 1st round pick and Murphy, but I don't think we solve anything by just adding back Murphy. 

We may consider extending 29 year old Griffin, but I think Gilmore is done. He'll be 35 in September. Even if he doesn't choose to retire, I don't see us going down that road again.

MaroonBells wrote:

I think the minimum we'll do at CB is adding two starters. That can be an outside free agent like Reed, and Murphy, or it can be a 1st round pick and Murphy, but I don't think we solve anything by just adding back Murphy. 

We may consider extending 29 year old Griffin, but I think Gilmore is done. He'll be 35 in September. Even if he doesn't choose to retire, I don't see us going down that road again.

I agree, we need to add a couple corners even with bringing Murphy back, but I'd bet the Vikings look more at a bargain type signing in free agency at corner because they are going to prioritize offensive line. I have a hard time seeing our first round pick this year being anything other then a corner or defensive tackle. I'd certainly consider a running back but don't think KOC utilizes the running game enough to make that pick worth while and that's probably more of a mid round likelihood.

Really liking Charvarius Ward as a CB target in free agency. 6-0, 200 lbs, 28 years old, had a terrible year after suffering from PTSD due to the death of his baby daughter. But in 2022 and 2023 his PFF grades were in the 80s and 90s. He was 2nd team All Pro in 2023. AND...he reportedly does not want to return to San Francisco. 

OTC estimated market values: 
Ward $15M per
Reed $14M per
Murphy $22M per

Murphy's a good corner, but something's outta whack there. I think his post-season awards and interceptions (mostly due to Flores) have way over-inflated his value.

There’s also several S who spent their college careers with a ton of snaps at nickel. What would BFlo do with Emmanwori? 6-3, 227. Would almost make up for passing on Kyle Hamilton.

JustInTime wrote:
There’s also several S who spent their college careers with a ton of snaps at nickel. What would BFlo do with Emmanwori? 6-3, 227. Would almost make up for passing on Kyle Hamilton.

Hey, you seem familiar…  :cool: :angel:

Strike a bell…?  :P

Oh, indeed.

Emmanwori will likely be an immediate impact player at the next level, particularly for defensive coordinators creative enough to maximize his unique skill set. His rare blend of size and speed screams modern NFL safety, capable of matching up with tight ends, supporting the run, and roaming the deep middle. Think a more explosive version of Kam Chancellor with better man coverage skills.

Any team running a heavy-quarters coverage scheme should have Emmanwori circled in red on their draft board. His ability to play in the box, handle man coverage responsibilities, and deliver bone-crushing hits makes him an ideal fit for defenses that ask their safeties to wear multiple hats. While he'll need some technical refinement in zone coverage, his athletic traits and football intelligence suggest a high ceiling as he develops.

The NFL is trending toward hybrid defenders who can counter modern offensive attacks, and Emmanwori fits that mold perfectly. His combination of size, speed, and physicality should make him an early contributor, with Pro Bowl potential if he lands with a defensive staff willing to move him around the formation.

I would expect Kwesi will have Revel and Morrison higher than most on his board. He definitely has no fear of taking a guy coming off injury.

FA will be a less likely solution in my opinion. With the emphasis on building both lines, FA dollars aren’t quite as plentiful as they appear. We’ve got 30 something guys under contract which is going to take that now $50 something million cap and stretch it pretty thin pretty quickly. Brez will have to get creative but he’s done more with less over the last 5+ years.

Ask yourself this: Who had Greenard, Ginks, Cashman, Jones, Darnold, Griffin, Gilmore and the like on their FA wishlist? You did? GTFO. And still we haven’t had a FA class like this in team history.

 I think the most likely outcome is later in FA types again like Griffin and Gilmore. The guy from the Eagles who got displaced by their two rookies (Mitchell and DeJean, both of whom I mocked endlessly last year) might get a look. I think Nudie gets a long look and Blackmon probably nails down one CB.

Kentis wrote:

Strike a bell…?  :P

Thanks. I’m blind now.

Dorian Strong out of Virginia Tech is a CB I think is highly underrated. He has the ability to be a strong outside starter in the NFL. If we can trade down and get a pick around 60, we can go CB, DT, CB with our first 3 picks. Probably won't happen, but I wouldn't mind it. Denzel Burke as well I really like.