The Minnesota Vikings’ defensive coordinator, Brian Flores, received plenty of criticism last year. The defense struggled (23rd) and only showed slight improvement from the year before (27th). He, however, restored his reputation in 2024 with a Super Bowl-caliber unit that ranked third in PFSN’s Defense+ metric.
However, repeating the feat this upcoming season could be a tall order for Flores and the Vikings after losing cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore and Shaquill Griffin this offseason. The Vikings did sign two replacements, but both served as backups for their respective teams last season, and one analyst believes adding Rasul Douglas to this room could help Minnesota sustain the previous season’s success.
What Does Rasul Douglas Bring to the Minnesota Vikings?
Gilmore and Griffin were vital parts of the Vikings’ defense last season, with the former racking up 56 tackles while the latter did 41. The Vikings replaced the duo with Jeff Okudah and Isaiah Rodgers, who served as backups with the Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively, last season, racking up a combined tally of 35 tackles.
With a clear need to upgrade, Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder believes Douglas would be a perfect, affordable addition for the Vikings.
“Staying within the NFC North, the Vikings could use some help in their secondary after deciding not to bring Stephon Gilmore back,” Holder wrote.
“Jeff Okudah and Isaiah Rodgers are currently expected to start on the boundary, but those two were backups with the Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively, last season. Adding Douglas would upgrade the cornerback room in Minnesota.”
Douglas had carved out a solid starting role for himself until the rough 2024 campaign. He had 43 receptions on 59 targets for 518 yards and four touchdowns for a passer rating of 122.00 last season for the Buffalo Bills, with no picks and just five pass breakups, which is tied for a personal low and the second-fewest of his career. Adding his age of 30 to the list explains why he is still a free agent.
Rasul Douglas is still available
Should the Bills bring him back for depth? 🤔 #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/sWHBLFIC7a
— SleeperBills (@SleeperBills) June 19, 2025
However, Douglas has also had plenty of strong seasons, and his track record suggests the 2024 struggles were an outlier rather than a permanent decline. He has recorded 19 career interceptions, including two separate five-pick seasons since 2021. If he can replicate that kind of production, he could give the Vikings’ secondary a solid boost.
Additionally, he’ll be cost-friendly for the Vikings. The soon-to-be 31-year-old is coming off a three-year deal worth $21 million, and while Spotrac projects his market value at nearly $36 million over a new three-year contract, he is likely to agree to a deal that could pay him around $5 million annually, given the drop in his production.
If the Vikings do want to spend big money, bringing back Gilmore, who is still available on the open market, might be a better choice.
