Where do Vikings go after missing out on Asante Samuel Jr.?

The list of available free agent CBs is pretty thin, with Asante Samuel signing with the Steelers.

Dec 23, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. (26) enters the field before the game against the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Vikings missed out on free agent cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., who reportedly signed with the Steelers' practice squad on Tuesday, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. So, where does Minnesota go after missing out on an in-season CB addition?

For starters, the Vikings announced they signed free agent corner Shemar Bartholomew to their practice squad. The 25-year-old appeared in five games for the Panthers in 2024, recording three total tackles and two defended passes on 17 defensive snaps. Bartholomew was an undrafted free agent out of Georgia Southern in 2024, signing with the Jets following the draft.

The list of available free agent corners that would add something to the Vikings' current secondary room is pretty small at this point in the season. That's not all that surprising, considering that if you're good enough to play, an NFL team has likely already signed you. Samuel Jr. was the exception because of the injury that was preventing him from playing.

In hosting the 26-year-old corner for a visit last week, the Vikings signaled they were one of a number of teams not entirely content with their current crop of corners. Let's take a look at who is still out there if the Vikings decide they still need help at the position going into the back stretch of the season.

Stephon Gilmore

Gilmore still has yet to sign with a team after spending last season in Minnesota. He indicated this summer that he still wanted to play, telling the Money Down podcast that he wants to play, but it's "got to be the right situation."

At 35, there isn't a lot of time left in Gilmore's career. He's conceivably looking to join a contender late in the season. The Vikings, at 4-5, are likely not that team as their season teeters on the edge of playoff irrelevance.

Gilmore registered nine pass breakups last season with Minnesota. However, his 59.2 PFF coverage grade was the third-lowest of his career, while his 62.2 defensive grade was the fourth-lowest. The thing the former Defensive Player of the Year has going for him at this point is that he knows Minnesota's system.

Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (17) makes a catch against Minnesota Vikings cornerback Stephon Gilmore (2) during the second half in an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Emmanuel Moseley

Moseley would be another injury swing by the Vikings, following their offseason swing on Jeff Okudah, who landed on injured reserve last week due to a concussion.

Moseley, 29, spent the last two seasons with the Lions but only appeared in three games after tearing his ACL in 2023, followed by a pectoral injury that limited him in 2024. He spent the first five years of his career with the 49ers, where he registered 162 total tackles and four interceptions before an ACL injury in 2022 ended his time in San Francisco.

CB Emmanuel Moseley walks off the field at the end of the Detroit Lions training camp at the Lions practice facility in Allen Park, Mich. on Monday, July 29, 2024. | Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK

Other veteran options

Tony Brown and Tre Herndon both represent experienced veteran corner options still on the market. Brown, 30, has bounced around the league after signing with the Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He has had stints with Green Bay, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Cleveland during his career. Herndon, 29, spent the first six years of his career with Jacksonville. He appeared in just one game for the Saints in 2024 and was cut by the Bills during training camp in August.

Former Vikings

At this point, the options become exceedingly limited. Former Vikings like Duke Shelley, Cam Dantzler, and Andrew Booth Jr. are still available. But there were various reasons those guys were cut by Minnesota over the past several seasons, bringing them back would represent more of a need for a body to fill out the numbers over a bringing in a guy who could help.

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