Dating all the way back to the beginning of the offseason, the Minnesota Vikings maintained a slim cornerback room compared to the rest of the NFL, and midway through the regular season, the club still may want to add one more CB for depth reasons. Consider the following players the top options as the league embarks on Week 10.
The Minnesota Vikings did not acquire a cornerback at the NFL trade deadline, leaving some to wonder who the club might sign from the open market.
The Vikings have Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers handling most of the cornerback work, with safeties taking care of other CB-related duties. But with Jeff Okudah navigating a second concussion and the coaching staff apparently skittish about using second-year defender Dwight McGlothern, more depth is arguably required.
Top CB Options for Vikings after Trade Deadline
The players are ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = top CB option).
5. Cameron Sutton
Sutton, 30, hasn’t played as a full-time starter since the 2023 campaign, and Vikings fans might remember him from his team affiliation that season — the Detroit Lions.
He played 256 snaps with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season, but hasn’t taken the plunge anywhere in 2025. If Minnesota wanted an affordable veteran option, Sutton is perfect. He’d slide into Okudah’s role and perhaps fare a bit better.
At the peak of his powers in 2022, Sutton fired up a 65.3 passer-rating-against as a full-time starter. Sutton also crossed paths with Brian Flores in Pittsburgh three years ago when Flores coached the Steelers’ linebackers.
4. Shaquill Griffin (Seahawks Practice Squad)
Griffin played for the Vikings in 2024 and actually performed well. Many fans considered him a fallback option for the whole offseason, but Minnesota never signed him.
He eventually joined the Seahawks, the team that drafted him in 2017, and he currently lives on the practice squad. If Minnesota were in the mood, it could steal Griffin from the Seahawks’ practice squad today with no repercussions.
Griffin has played 77 defensive snaps this season when called up from the practice squad. He scored a 63.7 Pro Football Focus grade in Minnesota last year.
3. Stephon Gilmore
Griffin’s running mate in 2024? Stephon Gilmore.
He’s 35 and hasn’t signed anywhere in the NFL this season, though he has not expressly retired. He’s a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro. Like Griffin, Gilmore played admirably for the 2024 Vikings, and similar to Griffin yet again, fans thought he could be an easy offseason solution if Minnesota wanted more CB depth.
Gilmore is presumably waiting for a call from an NFL team, and with Minnesota defeating Detroit last week, the playoff stakes have been renewed. The veteran cornerback might answer Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s phone call.
2. Beanie Bishop
An undrafted rookie last year, purple fans might know Bishop because he spent some time at the University of Minnesota (2022). He also compiled an impressive first season in the pros, logging 4 interceptions and a 59.5 passer-rating-against on 63 targets.
The Steelers released him the week under mysterious circumstances, and the 5’9″ 180-pounder is now looking for work. Needing a cornerback for depth, some Vikings faithful wonder, “Why not Bishop?”
Bishop also has speed in his toolkit, running a 4.39 forty leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft.
Steelers Depot‘s Alex Korzoa on Bishop’s release: “It’s unlikely the true reason will be made known, though Bishop has dabbled in content creation and may one day share his side of the story. The reality is the answer is probably less interesting than any speculation could conjure up.”
“Bishop was a practice squader without a clear path to the 53-man roster, and his career had been sliding since being replaced midway through last season. Teams are always evaluating their own rosters and what’s available in free agency and Pittsburgh thought there was an upgrade to be had. That’s the life of players in Bishop’s position. Here today, gone tomorrow. He’ll continue that next step by getting on the tryout circuit and finding a new place to call home.”
1. Asante Samuel Jr.
Samuel Jr. nursed a spine injury back to health for nearly a year. As of early November, he’s ready to go again.
Bleacher Report‘s Scott Polacek wrote this week, “NFL teams in need of cornerback depth ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline will reportedly have the chance to add a defensive playmaker without giving anything up like they would in a trade.”
“ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Monday that Asante Samuel Jr., who is a free agent, was cleared for football activities and plans on visiting teams as early as this week. Samuel underwent spinal fusion surgery in April after he was limited to just four games last season.”
Not for nothing, Samuel Jr. has been sideways attached to the Vikings’ rumor mill since March. If any of those theories hold weight, now is the time for them to materialize. Samuel Jr. is healthy and gettable.
During his last full season of duty in 2023, the 26-year-old banked a 73.9 PFF grade. Not bad.
