The Minnesota Vikings are in the middle of a cornerback crisis, and there’s a bad man – who goes by the name of Davante Adams – waiting over the horizon.
Who is going to cover the Green Bay Packers’ three-time Pro Bowl receiver at Lambeau Field on Sunday?
The Vikings are facing desperate times at cornerback. Mike Hughes (neck) and Holton Hill (foot) both haven’t practiced this week, rookie Cameron Dantzler is on the COVID-reserve list and Krys Boyd has been limited by hamstring and back injuries.
That’s four of the Vikings’ top five cornerbacks. The lone man standing is rookie Jeff Gladney, who will likely get a big dose of Adams on Sunday. In Week 1, Adams torched the Vikings for 14 catches, 156 yards and two scores during the Packers’ 43-34 win. Gladney played nine snaps.
Through six games, Gladney has allowed 23 completions on 32 attempts into his coverage, per Pro Football Focus. Opposing quarterbacks have thrown three touchdown passes and have a passer rating of 143.8 when targeting Gladney this season.
Now the rookie gets to take on maybe the hottest receiver in football.
Adams is healthy after dealing with a hamstring injury and flying high after producing a career-high 196 receiving yards and two scores against the Houston Texans on Sunday. Aaron Rodgers hit Adams for seven third-down conversions. Entering Week 8, Adams leads the NFL in receiving yards per game (112)
If Gladney can’t cut it, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer doesn’t have many other options. The rest of the cornerback depth chart: Harrison Hand, Mark Fields II and Chris Jones.
Zimmer can’t bank on his pass-rush, either. The Vikings traded away Yannick Ngaukoe during the bye and Pro Bowler Danielle Hunter is out for the season after having corrective neck surgery.
Inexperienced cornerbacks and a shaky pass-rush is no way to combat Adams and Rodgers. It’s a personnel nightmare Zimmer and the Vikings must navigate or risk getting blown out on Sunday.
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