Vikings envision role for cornerback Jeff Okudah, the ex-Lions top pick trying to resurrect his NFL career

Vikings cornerback Jeff Okudah was playing last year for the Houston Texans — the former Lions top pick’s third NFL team in three years — when he first noticed what defensive coordinator Brian Flores was doing in Minnesota.

“Seeing some of the articles they were writing about the defense and how versatile it was,” Okudah said, “I think it caught my eye. … He makes it tough for the quarterbacks, and he gets players that can contribute in different ways.”

Like Okudah, whom Flores has also been eyeing since he was the top cornerback in the 2020 NFL draft out of Ohio State. The Lions picked Okudah No. 3 overall, but injuries and inconsistency have plagued him from Detroit to Atlanta to Houston, where he missed 10 games last year because of a hip issue.

That wasn’t a big deal to Flores, who told Okudah during a free-agent visit in March at Vikings headquarters that he can find a place for his size and aggressiveness. Before leaving his free-agent visit, the 26-year-old Okudah signed a one-year, $2.35 million fully guaranteed deal.

He’s since taken about every rep as the No. 3 cornerback, playing the boundary — meaning along the sideline — when Flores goes to his three-corner (or nickel) defense that also includes Byron Murphy Jr. in the slot and Isaiah Rodgers on the other sideline.

Okudah’s physicality in camp practices has caught onlookers such as coach Kevin O’Connell.

“You don’t see him lose very much when he gets his hands on people,” O’Connell said. “I see a clear role for him. Not all corners in our defense play the same spots, play the same roles. To think that we’re going to have him in a role we feel pretty strongly about; it’s great to see him taking a run with it early on, because I think he’s had a phenomenal camp.”

“In this league, you get guys that are soft-shoed; they press, but not really,” Hockenson said. “He’s going to go up there and jam you. He wants to get his hands on you and play within his bubble, which can be hard for some receivers.”

Okudah’s issues have been health and coverage, where he’s been poorly graded by Pro Football Focus through his 22 starts in Detroit and nine starts in Atlanta in 2023, when he last started an NFL game.

“In his time here, he’s been as diligent from on the field, off the field, training room, weight room,” Flores said. “He’s always looking to do extra film work. I don’t know what happened in other buildings. I know that since he’s been here, it’s been great to coach him.”

“I think he’s getting better,” Flores added. “He’s getting more comfortable with the defense and what we’re gonna ask him to do. And he’s shown up positively, really in every way. I’m excited to watch him continue to improve. I think he’s got a lot of skill.”

Vikings defenders have danced and celebrated their takeaways and stops through two weeks of training camp.

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy had a more productive day, completing big plays to receiver Jordan Addison during full-field and red-zone periods. He also shoved rookie defensive end Tyler Batty when practice got a little heated later in the afternoon.

Batty was the second defender to drill running back Aaron Jones on back-to-back plays in ways the offense objected. First, guard Will Fries rammed into linebacker Brian Asamoah, who threw a jab at the guard, after Asamoah hit Jones downfield during a long run. On the next play, Batty broke through the line and hit Jones, prompting McCarthy to shove him back.

O’Connell paused practice and huddled up the team to presumably cool tempers.

“That was sick,” approving right tackle Brian O’Neill said of the scrums.

Rookie guard Donovan Jackson, the 24th-overall pick, showed some fire after a big run play, screaming to the sky upon shoving defensive lineman Jonathan Harris about 10 yards downfield.

“I’ll be alright,” Hockenson said as he walked off the field.

Receiver Justin Jefferson missed a seventh consecutive practice because of a left hamstring strain. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw (knee) did not participate in the second consecutive day of a padded practice.

Safety Jay Ward missed a second practice because of an undisclosed issue.