An already thin Minnesota Vikings cornerback room became more translucent on the eve of the NFL's 53-man roster deadline. The team traded its 2023 third-round pick, Mekhi Blackmon, to the Indianapolis Colts for a 2026 sixth-rounder. He was set to start alongside Pro Bowler Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers, which was a concerning development in and of itself.
The league-wide trim-down should present the Vikings with options to not only replace Blackmon but possibly upgrade. However, there's one name Minnesota has been connected to since March that remains available and makes for an intriguing low-risk, high-reward flier: Asante Samuel Jr.