Just because it's the dead of summer doesn't mean there isn't football news to be had. The free agency frenzy might be over but there are plenty of available names teams will be picking up to fill up their rosters.
One of those names is cornerback Rasul Douglas. He didn't have the strongest 2024 campaign, allowing a 123.7 passer rating when targeted and logging a sub-par 58.9 coverage grade by Pro Football Focus while with the Buffalo Bills. That being said, he's still a valuable depth piece for any team with a young secondary.
Bleacher Report's Matt Holder connected Douglas to the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers as the best landing spots for the veteran cornerback. The 30-year-old saw his career revived at Lambeau field in 2021, so a reunion there could make sense. But he could also give them some headaches if he were to somehow land in Minneapolis.
Rasul Douglas isn’t fast (4.59 40) but in this system where he can play off then play downhill to the ball, he’s got plenty of burst to stick his foot in the ground and go pic.twitter.com/wLRaMnsPap
— Peter Bukowski (@Peter_Bukowski) December 1, 2021
Vikings could give Packers a headache with late free agent swipe
The Vikings have Jeff Okudah and Isaiah Rodgers. who are expected to start the 2025 campaign on the boundary, but both were backups with the Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively, last year. Douglas would provide some much needed depth and an alternative option at CB if one or the other just isn't up to snuff or gets injured at some point.
Green Bay, on the other hand, may be less needy for Douglas' services but strategically should take him off the table so their division rivals cannot benefit. Without Jaire Alexander around to mentor the youngsters of the team, presumed starters Nate Hobbs and Keisean Nixon will be entering the year in a trial by fire scenario. Bringing back Douglas would fill that veteran mentor role while providing a backup plan at CB whereas Hobbs and Nixon are more natural nickelbacks.
Douglas only has 19 picks and 79 pass breakups across his eight years in the NFL but he recorded 5 of those interceptions in 2023 alone. Despite not recording one last year, he's still got a lot to offer that the NFC North could benefit from, especially with how tight the division race is projected to be.
If the Vikings were to sign Douglas, he could play a role in the Packers dropping a game or two in their head-to-head matchups in 2025.