The Vikings have enough options at the nickel corner spot that they’re not beholden to Mackensie Alexander in his third season. Terence Newman returns at age 40, after playing 55.8 percent of the Vikings’ defensive snaps last year to Alexander’s 32.5. And though the Vikings would likely prefer to bring Mike Hughes along slowly, the first-round pick does give them another option in the slot should they need one.
But even though they have a number of ways they could go, the Vikings certainly seem to be proceeding as though the nickel corner job is Alexander’s to lose.