The Minnesota Vikings have a bunch of questions to answer during NFL free agency and one of those questions is whether or not they bring in a veteran cornerback to help shore up the secondary.

Well, Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores was just handed some amazing news on Friday in the form of the Miami Dolphins’ plan to release four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro cornerback, Xavien Howard, when the new league year starts on March 13. He was set to count nearly $26 million against the cap and his release will save close to $2.8 million, according to Spotrac.

All of a sudden, the Vikings have a solid answer to fixing the cornerback spot opposite Byron Murphy Jr.

Howard’s connection with two Vikings coaches will help bring him to Minnesota
Howard has played with the Dolphins ever since he entered the league in 2016. As we all know, Flores was the Dolphins head coach from 2019-2021, so he has three seasons of experience directly coaching Howard.

There’s also Daronte Jones, who is the Vikings defensive pass game coordinator. As it turns out, he was the Dolphins assistant defensive backs coach from 2016-2017 – Howard’s first two seasons in the NFL.

Those two guys know Howard’s game, well, and could certainly get the best out of him.

Flores’ new scheme is perfect for Howard at this point in his career
There’s one more key as well: Flores’ decision to move to a heavy zone scheme in 2023. He ran a ton of man coverage in Miami, as that was his primary defensive scheme, at the time. However, that all changed in 2023.

By Week 13, the Vikings were running the most zone coverage out of any team in the NFL, per ESPN Stats & Information.

In his first season with the Vikings, Flores has achieved a rare feat: concocting a new NFL scheme with almost no one noticing. Flores revealed in a recent ESPN interview that he incorporated a version of the defense popularized at the college level by Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi, one that combines a six-man front with versions of zone coverage behind it.

The Vikings lead the NFL in frequency of zone coverage (69 percent), according to ESPN Stats & Information. They have also used their six-man front in ways rarely seen at the NFL level. Flores’ defense has the league’s highest rates — by a wide margin — in two philosophical opposites: blitzes and three-man rushes. – Kevin Seifert, ESPN

Why is this key? Because Howard’s game isn’t quite what it used to be. He can’t mirror guys like he once did and his trademark speed has naturally declined, as he turns 31 in July. But, he can still be very, very effective in a zone scheme.

His speed and suddenness to catch up was only evident in flashes. He would fit best in a zone scheme where he can play off technique and use his above-average ball skills and reactions to make plays.

I would rate him as the ninth-best cornerback and 87th overall on our list of the top 150 free agents. – Randy Mueller, The Athletic

NFL’s salary cap increase can help make this happen, too
The Vikings aren’t in terrible cap shape, but with key players like Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter requiring big deals if they stay – Minnesota has to be smart with its decisions. If the Vikings can work deals out with either player before March 13, then they’ll receive over $28 million extra in cap relief for Cousins and more than $14 million in cap relief for Hunter.

The NFL’s recent salary cap news helps this, too. The league announced friday that an extra $13.4 million was added to the initial projection of $242 million for 2024. The Vikings have a little more than $35.8 million in cap room after the raise.

That, on top of moves like extending Justin Jefferson, makes signing Howard completely feasible. Especially when considering how teams can manipulate the first-year cap hit.

Final word
Ultimately, it makes too much sense for this to happen. Sure, Howard is on the back end of his career, but he fits what the Vikings are doing on defense and he has a lot of familiarity with not one, but two members of the staff. He’s the perfect vet situation to come in and help the Vikings regain the dominant form we saw during the middle of the year.

I’d totally make it an expectation to see Howard donning purple and gold in 2024.