Minnesota has reportedly lost several contributors at cornerback, but is that a bad thing?
Trae Waynes and Xavier Rhodes, the two mainstay starters out wide in 2019-20, reportedly signed elsewhere. Rhodes will go to the Colts, and Waynes is going to the Bengals.
Mackensie Alexander, the team’s nickel corner, also is reportedly going to the Bengals.
That’s a lot of players to replace for next season, but the team might be able to do it with some talent it already has on the roster.
Holton Hill started in just one game in 2019-20. He also played in eight. The season before that, he started three and played in all 16.
The reason for less playing time came because of two separate suspensions that added up to him missing eight games. He was initially suspended for breaking a performance-enhancing drug policy. Then, he received an additional four-game suspension for substances of abuse, per NFL.com.
Hills’ presence would have been nice to have more of in 2019-20. Rhodes continued to struggle as a starter, having no interceptions and just six pass deflections in 2019, allowing 66 receptions on 81 targets.
Waynes was better than Rhodes, but wasn’t exactly dominating. Waynes had eight pass deflections, and one interception. And with the reported deal the Bengals are giving Waynes, it makes sense to move on.
The Vikings have moved on at cornerback, but someone currently on the roster might have to fill the void that Rhodes and Waynes left.
Hill finished last season with one pass deflection and no picks, but he had limited playing time, due to the suspensions. The season before that, he had one interception and seven pass deflections. If he could repeat that production in 2020-21, then Hill could be an adequate nickel corner for the team.
There’s also Mike Hughes. Hughes has been good when he plays. He had nine pass deflections and an interception in 2019-20. Those are good numbers, but Hughes has also been injury prone in his time with the Vikings. And even if Hughes steps up and becomes a starter, there are still openings at the starting cornerback opposite to him, and at nickel corner.
It’d be great if Hill could start for Minnesota and end up an All-Pro, but maybe that’s unrealistic. What isn’t out of the question, however, is Hill playing a solid role for the team, maybe even starting five or six games. The Vikings have 12 draft picks, so they can fill at least one of those cornerback spots with a rookie if the team desires. However, with all the veteran talent leaving Minnesota in the offseason, it seems as though some players who have been reserves will have to step up. One of those players could be Hill.