The Vikings added another former Green Bay Packers defender on Friday.
Vikings take another piece of Packers defense, signing cornerback Chandon Sullivan
A slot corner, Sullivan will likely replace Mackensie Alexander in a scheme that often deploys five defensive backs.
March 25, 2022 at 11:07PM
Cornerback Chandon Sullivan agreed to sign with the Vikings following a free-agent visit Friday to TCO Performance Center in Eagan. Terms of the deal were not immediately available.
Sullivan, 25, becomes the Vikings' most experienced cornerback currently rostered at a thin position. He has started 21 NFL games, including 20 over the past two seasons as Green Bay's slot corner, where he took over for longtime corner Tramon Williams. Sullivan is coming off a career-high three interceptions last season.
Sullivan spent three seasons in Green Bay. He was originally an undrafted signing by the Eagles in 2018 out of Georgia State. He reunites with Vikings assistant head coach Mike Pettine, who was the Packers' defensive coordinator during Sullivan's first two seasons in Green Bay. He also reunites with former Packers edge rusher Za'Darius Smith, who signed with the Vikings on Tuesday after a free-agent visit.
Sullivan's arrival may close the door on a return for cornerback Mackensie Alexander, the slot corner who remains a free agent after his fifth season in Minnesota. The Vikings have had discussions with free-agent cornerback Patrick Peterson, according to general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, but no deal has been reached.
Slot cornerback may be a more utilized position in the Vikings defense under coordinator Ed Donatell, who comes from a Broncos unit that deployed five defensive backs — or nickel defense — at a higher rate than Mike Zimmer's defense last season, according to Pro Football Focus. Sullivan may have to shore up his tackling, as PFF pegged him with 15 missed tackles over the past two seasons, the most among Packers defensive backs.
The Vikings likely aren't done adding cornerbacks. They have Sullivan, Cameron Dantzler, Kris Boyd, Harrison Hand and Parry Nickerson on the roster, making another veteran addition possible in the latter waves of free agency. The team may even select a corner with the No. 12 overall pick in next month's NFL draft, or use a couple of picks in later rounds to shore up the position.
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
