The Old Guard: Vikings Aging Secondary Struggles to…
This is not the column I thought I would write post Vikings/Rams game. I was ready to heap superlatives on the magic of Brian Flores and how he mixes his magic elixir to produce a confusing and successful defense every week. Even after the letdown against the Lions, I expected the defense to turn in another highlight performance against the mediocre Rams.
But obviously, I cannot write that column. One thing has become painfully clear as we approach the game against the Indianapolis Colts tonight. The league is starting to exploit the Vikings aging secondary.
The Facts
The average age of the Vikings top five cornerbacks is 29. Add to that mix 35-year-old starting safety Harrison Smith, and it is easy to see why this group is having difficulties covering the speedy and physical receivers they face every week. Stephon Gilmore (35), Shaq Giffin (30), and Smith were ripped up by the Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown and company two weeks ago and by the physical duo of Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp two Thursdays ago.
In all fairness to that group, younger defensive backs like Bryon Murphy, Cam Bynum, and Josh Mettellus also had their share of struggles the past two weeks. And the Vikings are starting to figure out how much they miss inside linebacker Blake Cashman out since the New York Jets game with turf toe. Ivan Pace has played effectively against the run without his partner but has looked lost in pass coverage.
And both the Lions and Rams did an excellent job of picking up Flores’ pass rush schemes and blitzes, turning these moments into big plays for their offenses. It definitely has been an entire unit breakdown, but the older secondary members have looked particularly exposed against these two teams. And it’s not just in pass coverage. The tackling has been atrocious, and their lack of speed has hindered their attack angles.
How Did the Vikings Get Here
The road to this situation is both unfortunate and tragic. Pro Football Focus’ All-Rookie team member Mekhi Blackmon, who had a promising rookie campaign in 2023, tore his ACL in the season’s opening training camp practice and was lost for the entire year. The Vikings had high expectations for their 2024 fourth-round draft choice out of Oregon, Kyree Jackson. But his life was tragically cut short along with two of his high school teammates in a July auto accident in Maryland.
Compound all of that with the disappointing play of Akayleb Evans last season and the complete washout of 2022 second-round draft choice Andrew Booth Jr., and you start to understand how the Vikings find themselves in this predicament. And immediate help is nowhere in sight as young Dwight McGlothern has been judged “not ready for prime time,” and Fabian Moreau is, at best, a career journeyman.
Alternatives
None of this is meant to denigrate the overall careers of these veterans. In particular, Smith is a future Hall of Famer, and Gilmore was one of the premier cornerbacks in the league during his prime. It’s just that their age necessitates that the Vikings bring in reinforcements to bolster their secondary. The New Orleans Saints’ four-time Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore has been mentioned as a possible trade target, and so has the Cleveland Browns’ Greg Newsome. With the NFL November 5 trade deadline rapidly approaching, the question no longer is will the Vikings trade for a cornerback but rather who will be their trade acquisition.
