Nickel back hopefuls might be an upgrade

Talented rookie Marcus McCauley and third-year pro Dovonte Edwards are battling to replace the departed Fred Smoot.

By Mark Craig, Star Tribune

Last update: July 29, 2007 - 8:44 PM

MANKATO - The logical assumption is the Vikings are catching a break because the Atlanta Falcons probably won't have troubled quarterback Michael Vick on Sept. 9 when they open the regular season at the Metrodome.

But isn't it possible that Vick's replacement -- currently Joey Harrington -- might also be getting a breather? After all, the Vikings' pass defense was last in the league in 2006. The team has a recent history of a poor pass rush. And, oh yeah, there's that big, fat target on the forehead of whichever young, inexperienced cornerback wins the nickel back position vacated when veteran Fred Smoot returned to Washington this past offseason.

"[Offenses targeting inexperienced players] is going to happen in our league," said Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, himself a former NFL cornerback. "There are going to be some growing pains, but you hope they are at a minimum. So you live with that."

And you devise game plans for that. For instance, whether the nickel back is rookie third-round draft pick Marcus McCauley or 24-year-old Dovonte Edwards, who missed all of last season because of a broken arm, it's unlikely Frazier is going to expose either of them early in the season by matching them one-on-one with a Joe Horn from Atlanta or a certain Dallas receiver with the initials T.O.

Like Tampa Bay's Ronde Barber, the Vikings' Antoine Winfield is one of the few No. 1 cornerbacks who routinely covers the slot receiver when opponents use three receivers. While that puts the best cornerback in the toughest coverage position, it also can match the nickel back against a No. 1 or a No. 2 receiver on the outside.

"Like last year, when we played St. Louis, I took Kevin Curtis in the slot and Fred and Cedric [Griffin] covered Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce," Winfield said. "This year, if we're playing a Marvin Harrison type, or Terrell Owens, I might stay on the outside and do more matching up. We'll see how it goes, but I have confidence in Marcus and Dovonte."

There is a quiet confidence in Mankato that the team actually upgraded its nickel back position. Although Smoot was a high-priced veteran who once was considered a prized free-agent signing, even he has admitted his two seasons in Minnesota were unsuccessful.

McCauley is a big corner (6-1, 203) with even longer arms. The smaller Edwards (6-0, 182) has played only 12 NFL games, but might be remembered from his interception and 51-yard touchdown return of a Brett Favre pass on a Monday night in 2005.

Frazier began training camp with Edwards at left corner in the No. 1 nickel defense. McCauley was No. 2. They flip-flopped on Sunday, the third day of training camp.

Edwards stood out early in training camp two years ago. This year, McCauley has turned heads early on, despite coming off a poor senior season at Fresno State.

The Vikings chalked up McCauley's 2006 performance to extenuating circumstances. McCauley, meanwhile, says the big plays he gave up were the result of simply putting too much pressure on himself to compensate for a supporting cast that wasn't as strong as it was during his standout junior season.

"When I got to know Marcus ... I just sensed that with that athletic ability and that size and speed, and the fact that he is a good person, now if we can coach him in a proper way, we can get the most out of him," Frazier said. "So far, everything we've talked about we are seeing. We haven't played a game yet, but we really feel like we got a steal in the round that we got him."

Mark Craig • mcraig@startribune.com