Andrew Buller-Russ
Despite firing their full-time general manager and operating with interim GM Rob Brzezinski, the Minnesota Vikings managed to make several bargain free agency signings.
None may be more impactful than adding likely starting quarterback Kyler Murray for just $1.3 million. Yet, the recent signing of Jauan Jennings could be a fair replacement for Jalen Nailor to help boost the rushing attack and give QBs another reliable weapon, not named Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, or T.J. Hockenson.
Yet, one of the first moves the Vikings made was signing nickelback James Pierre to a two-year, $8.5 million contract. Clearly, this was a cornerback that the Vikings and defensive coordinator Brian Flores prioritized.
Recently, The Athletic‘s Robert Mays called Pierre’s signing “savvy.”
“From Week 10 on, which is exactly when James Pierre started playing at a high clip, the Steelers were playing Cover 2 about 20 percent of the time, which was the fifth-highest rate in the league. He’s going to Minnesota, where they’re doing it 26, 27 percent. If you go back and think about the best moments from Pierre’s second half of last season, a lot of it is where he’s playing that Cover 2 corner in the flat, sinking underneath, making stuff happen. He was very adept at doing that stuff. And now he’s going to a place where they’re going to be asking their corners to do more of that than almost any other team.”
The Athletic’s Robert Hays on James Pierre
Pierre’s role is clearly defined in Minnesota. Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers are the starting cornerbacks in Minnesota, but Pierre will play a key role covering the slot as the Vikings’ third corner.
Plus, without the addition of Pierre, the Vikings likely would have prioritized drafting a cornerback much earlier on, possibly taking prospects like Caleb Banks, Jake Golday, or Domonique Orange out of the picture, but each is likely to have a unique role in coach Flores’ defense as a rookie.
Related: Minnesota Vikings Loosely Linked to Unique Football Prospect
