The Minnesota Vikings had the cap space. They had the need. They even had the perfect excuse — two starting cornerbacks gone in free agency, and a secondary full of question marks. Everything pointed to one bold move that could’ve changed the game.
But when the Miami Dolphins shockingly shipped All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey — a $72 million shutdown specialist — to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a blockbuster deal, Minnesota stayed silent. No offer. No reported interest. Nothing.
Now, Vikings fans are left wondering: What’s the plan?
Ramsey, a six-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion, is still one of the most feared cornerbacks in the NFL. Even at age 30, his ability to lock down top receivers and bring swagger to a defense is unmatched. Pittsburgh saw the value. They gave up safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and swapped late-round picks in 2027 to make it happen. Simple. Aggressive. Championship-minded.
Meanwhile, the Vikings — with over $23.5 million in available cap space — chose a different path.
After losing Stephon Gilmore and Shaquill Griffin in free agency, Minnesota did bring back Pro Bowl corner Byron Murphy Jr. on a three-year, $54 million deal. But behind him? It’s shaky at best. They signed Isaiah Rodgers, a former Colts and Eagles defensive back who has started just 13 games in four years — and who missed the entire 2023 season due to a gambling suspension. Then there’s Mekhi Blackmon, a promising young corner coming off an ACL tear that ended his 2024 season before it even began.
This is what the Vikings are banking on.
To their credit, Minnesota has had a productive offseason in other areas. They fortified both lines by signing Will Fries and Ryan Kelly on offense, and Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave on defense. They also used a first-round pick on Ohio State guard Donovan Jackson. But when it came to the secondary — an area that has haunted the team in past playoff pushes — they passed on the splash and played it safe.
And now? The splash is gone. Jalen Ramsey is headed to a Steelers defense that just got a whole lot scarier. And Vikings fans are stuck asking themselves the same question over and over again:
Why didn’t we at least try?
Maybe the front office believes in Rodgers. Maybe they’re banking on Blackmon’s bounce back. Maybe they still have a move up their sleeve. But if this gamble doesn’t pay off — if the secondary gets shredded again in 2025 — this will be the moment everyone looks back on.
And yes, they’ll regret it.
