The Minnesota Vikings and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have a lot to think about this offseason as it pertains to the offseason. The Vikings currently have 25 impending free agents that they’ll need to make a decision on sooner rather than later.
On Tuesday, Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus identified Duke Shelley as one player the Vikings can’t let get away this offseason.
“The Vikings made Shelley the starter at left cornerback in Week 15, and over the last four regular-season games plus the wild-card round against the New York Giants, his 90.4 coverage grade ranked fourth among cornerbacks,” wrote Spielberger. “Because of Shelley’s lack of size, his drafting team — the Chicago Bears — put him in the slot, but that was never his game in college. He’s a scrappy player who makes up for his 5-foot-9, 180-pound frame on the outside with good instincts and a knack for timing his jumps well to battle at the catch point.
Shelley was waived by the Chicago Bears prior to the NFL regular season. The Vikings then picked him up but didn’t play him until Week 10. From that point forward, Shelley started turning heads. Shelley finished the season as Pro Football Focus’ eighth-best cornerback with 10 pass breakups and one interception.
Unfortunately, the Vikings now need to ensure they don’t let him get away. As the Vikings head into next season, they only have Andrew Booth Jr., Akayleb Evans, and Cam Dantzler under contract. The Vikings may look to see if they can retain Shelley at an affordable cost. Meanwhile, Shelley will likely test the open market after a stellar finish to the season to try and maximize his worth. This is just one of many storylines to watch throughout the offseason.
