However, after acquiring Cam Akers and Cam Robinson, there are still indications that another Vikings move could be coming. Although, don’t bet on his first name being Cam too.

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Could Minnesota Vikings trade for Marshon Lattimore?

Earlier in the week, local Minnesota Vikings insider Darren Wolfson (KSTP, SKOR North) indicated that he “would be surprised” if the front office didn’t make another move before Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline. Based on other reports suggesting the Vikings would still be open to landing a younger cornerback who can help the team for years to come.

Now, Marshon Lattimore trade rumors are heating up after a 2-0 start by New Orleans has cratered to 2-6 after Derek Carr’s injury. There’s no guarantee the Saints’ four-time Pro Bowl cornerback will be available, and his status could depend on how New Orleans handles today’s matchup against Carolina. A loss could signal a firesale, and Lattimore may be one of the first to go.

Related: NFL Insider Expects Another Minnesota Vikings Trade Soon

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, teams around the league have already begun calling the Saints about a Lattimore trade. He does not mention whether the Vikings are included in that bunch, but to be fair, he didn’t mention any team, so it’s very possible Minnesota has been engaged in negotiations.

Adding more fuel to the fire, PFT’s Mike Florio also believes Lattimore could be on the move, if New Orleans loses on Sunday. While previous indications have suggested the Vikings would like to add a young cornerback who can contribute for years to come, Lattimore actually fits that bill, in a way.

• Marshon Lattimore stats and PFF grades: 30 tackles, 2 pass deflections – Grading 46th among cornerbacks

He’s still just 28 years old, but he’s also under contract through the 2026 season, giving the Vikings 2.5 seasons to work with a player who was once viewed as one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks. Better yet, he has just a $1.21 salary this season, meaning the Vikings could easily fit him into their budget.

Related: Current and Former Minnesota Vikings Excelling with New Teams

Yet, it’s possible the Vikings want to find another, younger player with more upside instead of one who hasn’t graded as a top-20 cornerback since 2021. Then again, maybe Coach Flores believes Lattimore’s the missing piece. If so, the Saints star could potentially join a defensive backfield led by Stephon Gilmore and Harrison Smith, forming a highly capable trio.

Combine Blackmon’s injury with losing Khyree Jackson and suddenly, the Vikings’ cornerback depth looks shaky, at best. That’s not good for a team that already entered camp with several question marks when it comes to pass coverage. However, it’s not the end of the world for Brian Flores’s defense, as there are still several potential starting cornerbacks available, either via trade or in free agency.

Here are six potential solutions that GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has likely already considered.

Related: Vikings Pay Homage to Khyree Jackson at Training Camp

Vikings could turn to an old friend, Patrick Peterson

If the Vikings want to solve their cornerback depth needs in free agency, then Patrick Peterson may be the perfect solution. Somehow the eight-time Pro Bowl CB remains unsigned despite starting 46 games across the past three seasons, including 30 for the Vikings. While he’s never played for Brian Flores, he’s had to learn enough defensive schemes in his 13-year career that making the necessary adjustments shouldn’t be difficult.

After allowing a respectable passer rating of 80.4 when targeted last season, he’d be a solid addition to an unstable cornerback room. But the questions surrounding whether the 34-year-old can still play at a high level are valid too.

Related: Who Makes the Final Cut in Minnesota Vikings Secondary, Who Doesn’t?

Stephon Gilmore may be just what Vikings need

Another multi-time All-Pro who’s bounced around to several teams over the past few seasons, Stephon Gilmore is still searching for a new role entering his 13th season. He graded much higher than Peterson last season while playing for a Cowboys passing defense that allowed the seventh-fewest yards per reception in 2023. He also allowed a passer rating of 83.3 while intercepting two passes and racking up 68 tackles, starting all 17 games last year.

Like many others on this list, who knows how much gas the 33-year-old former Super Bowl champion has left in the tank? Yet, the Vikings could do a lot worse than Gilmore, and he’s even spent two seasons on a Patriots staff that included Coach Flores.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Fan Favorite Returns

Does James Bradberry still have ‘it’?

Now we get to a player who’s not a free agent, but could very well be on the trade block. For the first time in James Bradberry’s career, he’s working as a safety instead of at cornerback, and he’s not even practicing with the first-team Philadelphia Eagles defense.

This is partially due to the Eagles adding defensive backs with their first two picks in the 2024 NFL Draft but also because of a ‘down’ year that saw him allow a passer rating of 108.6 when targeted last season. That’s not exactly good and a far cry from the 54.2 rating he allowed in 2022 when Bradberry was named a second-team All-Pro.

The question is whether Bradberry simply had a bad season or whether he’s lost a significant step, which, again, could be why he’s being tried as a safety, which typically requires less speed. However, he could benefit from a fresh start, and the Vikings could present the perfect opportunity.

Related: Where Do Minnesota Vikings Stand in Pre-Training Camp Power Rankings?

Former Pro Bowl CB J.C. Jackson fits the mold

Another cornerback with familiarity playing in a Brian Flores system, J.C. Jackson started his career with the New England Patriots, where he won a Super Bowl. The former Pro Bowl CB with a second-team All-Pro honor to his name has struggled since signing a massive five-year, $82M contract with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2022, but he also dealt with ankle injuries from the jump in LA.

Still just 28 years old, it’s a bit of a surprise to see Jackson still available in free agency. He fits the mold as a big cornerback that Flores seems to adore, as a 6-foot-1, 198-pound athlete. But as mentioned, he just hasn’t played well since leaving New England, combining for a passer rating allowed of 127.3 over the past two seasons. However, if we go back to 2021, Jackson was elite, allowing a passer rating of just 47.8. Can the Vikings recapture that form?

Related: ESPN Not Sold on the Minnesota Vikings for Next Three Seasons

Xavien Howard knows Brian Flores’s scheme very well

You won’t find a cornerback who both knows the scheme, while being excellent playing for Coach Flo than Xavien Howard. He enjoyed three very productive seasons under Flores with the Miami Dolphins from 2019-21, where he twice reached the Pro Bowl, was named a first-team All-Pro and even finished third in the Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Yet, somehow the 6-foot-1, 203-lb corner who’s nicknamed “X-Factor” remains unsigned in free agency. He’s 31 these days, but this is a player who’s twice led the league in interceptions. But like others listed here, he’s coming off a poor season, by his standards, allowing a passer rating of 86.7. However, if there’s anyone who’s both comfortable and familiar with Howard’s play, it’s Flores.

Related: Top 10 Minnesota Vikings 1st Round Draft Picks of All-Time

Marshon Lattimore may be best CB out there, but is he available?

One player who’s been mentioned as a potential trade candidate is Marshon Lattimore. But is that wishful thinking? The New Orleans Saints haven’t expressed any indication that they want to trade the four-time Pro Bowl cornerback. But we can certainly see the appeal from the Vikings’ perspective.

Not to mention, the Saints perpetually find themselves in ‘cap hell’ each offseason. Moving off from Lattimore’s $14.6 million cap hit could be valuable for New Orleans, especially before his cap number spikes to $31.4M in 2025. A trade may lead to the Vikings restructuring Lattimore’s contract.

But again, the Saints might prefer to see if they can be competitive in an unpredictable NFC South division before considering a Lattimore trade. Then again, an offer too good to refuse could do the trick if Adofo-Mensah can work his magic.

Related: 6 Vikings Training Camp Battles that Matter in 2024

But arguably the most urgent defensive need they have is at cornerback. As of today, they’re group is mostly the same as the one that struggled in 2023. Byron Murphy is CB1. From there, playing time will be divided out between the newly acquired Shaq Griffin, along with Akayleb Evans, Mekhi Blackmon and Andrew Booth Jr.

No matter what kind of pass rush you are able to get, that is not a secondary that is going to hold up against… well… any wide receiving core in the NFL, especially if injuries were to find their way into that CB room.

Could Minnesota Vikings help Saints ‘unload’ Marshon Lattimore?

But, according to Ryan Fowler (Bleacher Report), they could find CB help in New Orleans. High-end help. The Saints are in cap hell, projected to be $88 million over the cap in 2025. Because of that, trade rumors have been swirling around Saints top cornerback, Marshon Lattimore for months.

Saints CB Marshon Lattimore said he’s committed to the team, he’s not demanding a trade. And above all else he’s eager to remind everyone how elite he is after two injury-plagued seasons.

“I’m No. 1,” he quickly interjected when asked about NFL CB rankings.

— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) June 11, 2024

And if he is made available, Fowler says Vikings brass would be expected “to kick the tires” on Lattimore. To get a trade done, Minnesota sends a 2025 5th rounder and a 2026 3rd rounder. A deal like this only makes sense because New Orleans needs to dump salary. Minnesota has the 8th most cap space in the NFL ($23 million).

Hypotheticals surrounding the future of Marshon Lattimore have circled overhead for months. Recent statements out of New Orleans expect Lattimore to remain in town for 2024, but it was just a few months ago when team GM Mickey Loomis failed to mince words on the immediate future of his superstar corner.

A former first-rounder out of Ohio State, Lattimore has a reasonable cap hit of $14.6 million in 2024, but that figure is set to rise to $31.4 million the following season and $28.6 million in 2026. If the long-time Saint in Lattimore is made available, expect brass in Minnesota to kick the tires.

Ryan Fowler – Bleacher Report

Now 27-years-old, Lattimore was a rookie back in 2017, when the Minneapolis Miracle took place. He wasn’t directly involved in that play, though. More recently, he’s been a target of Vikings fans, given some of the back and forths he has exchanged with Justin Jefferson on the field.

Justin Jefferson vs Marshon Lattimore week 4 2022:

7 Receptions
93 Yards

first WR to catch more than 3 passes on Lattimore since 2021pic.twitter.com/DTnqX4sX7U

— ✰ (@turbshit) July 6, 2024

How good is Marshon Lattimore?

Even though he’s had success against Lattimore, Jefferson named him as one CB who gives him “the most trouble”. And as you saw in the first tweet included in this article, Lattimore still sees himself as that guy, even given the injury issues he has dealt with over the last couple seasons.

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After playing in nearly every Saints game from 2017-2021, Lattimore has played only 17 over the past two seasons. But when on the field, Lattimore is getting better with age. His numbers say he’s been even better lately than when he made three straight pro bowls from 2019-2021.

If he can stay healthy, there is no doubt Lattimore would be the best CB on the Vikings team. In fact, he’d be the no. 1 guy on just about any team he were to join. Let’s pray the Saints decide to unload him.