State of the Vikings: Cornerbacks

[allday1991]

I almost want to ask if the OP watched some of the games? Rhodes a liability? What?

The biggest question at CB is whether Waynes takes the next step. This is a position of strength for the team. The bigger concern in the secondary is Safety opposite #22.

I never said Rhodes was a liability? I did mention he had a bumpy season as far as yards given up and that he is a flag magnet which I think is pretty obvious for anyone who watched viking games last year.

[mondry]

I never said Rhodes was a liability? I did mention he had a bumpy season as far as yards given up and that he is a flag magnet which I think is pretty obvious for anyone who watched viking games last year.

Rhodes had a very mixed season, it was very common in the draft kings scene to hear people talking about how they love to target #1 WRs against the Vikings and Xavier Rhodes.

week 2 - Calvin Johnson - 10 catches 83 yards 1 TD
week 4 - Demarius Thomas - 9 catches 93 yards
week 7 - Calvin Johnson - 5 catches 86 yards 1 TD
week 8 - Alshon Jeffery - 10 catches 116 yards 1 TD
week 9 - Kenny Britt - 3 catches 86 yards
week 10 - Amari Cooper - 5 catches 79 yards
week 11 - James Jones - 6 catches 109 yards 1 TD
week 12 - Julio Jones - 5 catches 56 yards - this was his best game as far as shutting down one of the best in the business goes
week 13 - Doug Baldwin - 5 catches 94 yards, 2 TD
week 14 - John Brown - 4 catches 78 yards 1 TD / Michael Floyd 5 catches 102 yards 1 TD.
week 15 - Alshon Jeffery - 1 catch 10 yards 1 TD (Jeffery may have gotten hurt this game, I can't remember)
week 16 - Rueban Randle - 2 catches 80 yards 1 TD
week 17 - James Jones - 4 catches 102 yards

The stats are a bit misleading because we only shadow Rhodes on big #1 WR's so Megatron, Jeffery, Julio, Thomas, etc. John Brown and Michael Floyd for example didn't get all of that against Rhodes, same for Doug Baldwin, James Jones, etc.

Week 12 was a bit of a turning point, he shut down Julio Jones and after that his play was routinely pretty solid.

[autobon7]

[

Not to mention that Xavier Rhodes can hit and tackle. He generally does really well taking away bubble screens to his side and supporting against the run. He could wrap those long arms around Godzilla or even Eddie Lacy. I think Xavier is awesome. He's on the cusp of being a great player. I hope he can improve a little more this year.[/quote]


"or even Eddie Lacy" Lol

[allday1991]

http://vikingsjournal.com/_/minnesota-v ... rback-r988

This article basically sums up what I think of our CB core. It's in a very decent spot compared to a few years ago, but much like the DL you can never have enough good CBs.

[S197]

I don't see it as a weakness. Waynes is the big unknown but if he can play at the level expected from his draft position, Waynes/Rhodes/Captain is a solid nickel lineup with Newman possibly moving to safety. Plenty of competition for the dime spot/depth.

[CbusVikesFan]

This core as a group has done a not so bad a job. Newman being the guy may have lead to Rhodes seeing more action last year and well he is not yet a top 10 CB. Has all the tools, just depends if he wants to turn it up another notch.
Robinson is not working out here for some reason, he has talent. Highly questionable so far. Waynes has not seen the field too much yet, should see more snaps this year. He needs to work out for sure.
Another year under Zim will be a positive moving forward.

[saint33]

with Rhodes and Waynes likely to start on the outside and Captain in the slot, I don't see this as a weakness. Unproven, but not a position of great need to address in the off season. Despite Rhodes rocky start last year, he rebounded nicely and while not the season we all maybe hoped, all around he had a positive season. Captain, as you said, proved himself as one of the better nickel corners in the league when he sticks to that role, great season from him. Waynes flashed a little in his few reps this past season, and with another off season I would be shocked if he's not a day one starter next year. Might go through some bumps, but I was excited about him when we drafted him and nothing has changed on that front.

Depth is the only real issue. Sherels is a special teamer only and currently a free agent. Newman will be 38 and would likely have to come back as a veteran backup/emergency type player if he chooses to return. Robinson is a free agent and will not be brought back. I like Jabari Price as a 4th/5th type of guy, there's definite upside there. Depending what happens with Sherels and Newman in free agency, I could see us maybe signing a low level free agent, and either way I would not be surprised if we draft a CB at some point mid-late draft. But I don't expect us to spend on a top level free agent, nor do I see us using a high draft pick at the position.

[PurpleMustReign]

Is Robinson a free agent?

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[Mothman]

Is Robinson a free agent?

Yes, Robinson is an unrestricted free agent.

[PurpleKoolaid]

I like Newman, but i wonder why they dont talk about Price playing some safety (especially if we have Sendejo playing). Its not the natural position of either.

Im really glad Sherels has done as well as he has. He is a top notch Special teams guy, and, he can play some CB if need be. Better then Robinson ever did I thought. Sherels is one of those home grown feel good stories.

[allday1991]

with Rhodes and Waynes likely to start on the outside and Captain in the slot, I don't see this as a weakness. Unproven, but not a position of great need to address in the off season. Despite Rhodes rocky start last year, he rebounded nicely and while not the season we all maybe hoped, all around he had a positive season. Captain, as you said, proved himself as one of the better nickel corners in the league when he sticks to that role, great season from him. Waynes flashed a little in his few reps this past season, and with another off season I would be shocked if he's not a day one starter next year. Might go through some bumps, but I was excited about him when we drafted him and nothing has changed on that front.

Depth is the only real issue. Sherels is a special teamer only and currently a free agent. Newman will be 38 and would likely have to come back as a veteran backup/emergency type player if he chooses to return. Robinson is a free agent and will not be brought back. I like Jabari Price as a 4th/5th type of guy, there's definite upside there. Depending what happens with Sherels and Newman in free agency, I could see us maybe signing a low level free agent, and either way I would not be surprised if we draft a CB at some point mid-late draft. But I don't expect us to spend on a top level free agent, nor do I see us using a high draft pick at the position.

Agreed. I really like Sherels, I hope we get him back. Probably one of the most dependable special team players in the league, I think very highly of him.

[kurtkeoki]

I don't think the stats of a team's #1 WR come close to telling the tale of how Rhodes is playing. He isn't always covering their #1 guy. Offensive coordinators often move their #1 guy around to avoid the other team's #1cb. Almost no CB will have sustained success when they are constantly asked to cover 1v1 against great WRs. That's the price a team pays for being as aggressive on D as the Vikings are. I thought he played really well. The penalties are a concern, but hopefully he'll clean them up a bit.

[J. Kapp 11]

Rhodes had a very mixed season, it was very common in the draft kings scene to hear people talking about how they love to target #1 WRs against the Vikings and Xavier Rhodes.

week 2 - Calvin Johnson - 10 catches 83 yards 1 TD
week 4 - Demarius Thomas - 9 catches 93 yards
week 7 - Calvin Johnson - 5 catches 86 yards 1 TD
week 8 - Alshon Jeffery - 10 catches 116 yards 1 TD
week 9 - Kenny Britt - 3 catches 86 yards
week 10 - Amari Cooper - 5 catches 79 yards
week 11 - James Jones - 6 catches 109 yards 1 TD
week 12 - Julio Jones - 5 catches 56 yards - this was his best game as far as shutting down one of the best in the business goes
week 13 - Doug Baldwin - 5 catches 94 yards, 2 TD
week 14 - John Brown - 4 catches 78 yards 1 TD / Michael Floyd 5 catches 102 yards 1 TD.
week 15 - Alshon Jeffery - 1 catch 10 yards 1 TD (Jeffery may have gotten hurt this game, I can't remember)
week 16 - Rueban Randle - 2 catches 80 yards 1 TD
week 17 - James Jones - 4 catches 102 yards

The stats are a bit misleading because we only shadow Rhodes on big #1 WR's so Megatron, Jeffery, Julio, Thomas, etc. John Brown and Michael Floyd for example didn't get all of that against Rhodes, same for Doug Baldwin, James Jones, etc.

Week 12 was a bit of a turning point, he shut down Julio Jones and after that his play was routinely pretty solid.

I just don't think you can use "totals" stats to judge a corner's play.

Again, I go back to the Week 7 game against Megatron. For any random game, if Rhodes gave up 4 catches for 40 yards to Megatron, would you consider that a solid game? Of course you would!

Well, that's exactly what he gave up in Week 7. Johnson had a 46-yard reception in the first quarter -- but Captain Munnerlyn was covering him on that play, not Rhodes. The Lions ran the play with Megatron in the slot. Watch the video. You can't just take the leading receiver for the other team each game and assume Rhodes gave up all the yards and catches.

And I think you'd also need the coach's film to make a determination because it depends on what the Vikings are doing on defense. Base or nickel? Man or zone? Blitz or 4-man rush? Was the right defense called for the play that unfolded? What was Rhodes' assignment on a given play? I mean, let's say a receiver gets a reception on a bubble screen against Rhodes in Cover 2 and no blitz. Rhodes can't stop that reception. Now let's say he gets 20 yards of YAC. Is that Rhodes fault? Well, it could be, but it also could be because Rhodes took on a blocker and Sendejo missed the tackle.

And that situation is totally different than if the Vikings are blitzing and Rhodes is covering the receiver 1-on-1 in press-man.

[mondry]

I don't think the stats of a team's #1 WR come close to telling the tale of how Rhodes is playing. He isn't always covering their #1 guy. Offensive coordinators often move their #1 guy around to avoid the other team's #1cb. Almost no CB will have sustained success when they are constantly asked to cover 1v1 against great WRs. That's the price a team pays for being as aggressive on D as the Vikings are. I thought he played really well. The penalties are a concern, but hopefully he'll clean them up a bit.

They didn't have to move them, Rhodes was the one you wanted to target lol. Munnerlyn and Newman had extremely strong seasons, especially in the first 12 games (where rhodes struggled and WAS targeted)

PFF had Munnerlyn and Newman in the top 10 for a while there, Rhodes was in the bottom half as another source data of "rhodes struggling".

[halfgiz]

Gee and we didn't sign Blanton to a contract...OMG what a writeup
http://nfldraftreport.sportsblog.com/po ... -east.html