PurplePTSD: FA Fits: Carlton Davis Would Be A Home Run Swing

Press release from the PurplePTSD:

K. Joudry

2022-03-05

If the Vikings make a move for Carlton Davis, it would indeed be a home run swing. He’d immediately step in as Minnesota’s #1 corner, instantly giving the defense a shot of climbing back into respectability. The risks, though, are multiple. Should the Vikings make a move?

The Fit Between Carlton Davis and The Vikings

First, the risk. The issue with Davis isn’t his ability, or lack thereof. Rather, it’s his availability. The 25-year-old corner has been in league for four seasons. He has missed time in all four. In fact, the 2021 season saw him miss seven games.

Folks, it’s tough to justify paying top-tier money for someone who is commonly nursing wounds.

On the other end of things is the obvious appeal of addressing a massive need. There’s no debating that the Vikings have a huge need at corner, and Carlton Davis may be among the best candidates to fill this need.

At 25, Davis still has several years of strong play ahead of him. He’s long and strong – he is 6’1, 206 – which are particularly notable details given the position he plays. On defense, it really helps to have long and strong corners and edge rushers.

He ran a 4.53 forty at the combine, so he isn’t burner. Nevertheless, the former second-round selection has solidified himself as one of the league’s better corners. Last season, he finished at 28th overall in the PFF rankings. It’s also notable that he has had 19, 18, and then 11 passes defended in the 2019, 2020, and then 2021 seasons. Last season, QBs only completed 57.1% of their passes in his coverage.

Now, it’s entirely plausible that he doesn’t reach the open market. The Bucs may look to franchise their young corner, thereby giving themselves the opportunity to continue working with him. If he does reach the open market, Davis will command a pretty decent amount of money. Per PFF, the franchise tag number would be around $17 million. A normal deal may have to average somewhere between $15-$18 million a year for him. The Vikings can find this money, but it’s still a fair bit. Signing Davis would mean saying no to other players.

The problem that teams get into often rests in giving elite money to good players. It’s foolish to pay top-level money to a player who is good-but-not-great and often on the bench due to an injury. For this reason, I have some hesitation with Davis. Moreover, PFF notes that he struggles more in man coverage, a concerning reality given Ed Donatell’s self-professed desire for corners who can excel in man-to-man.

Closing Statement

If given the choice, I’d say the Vikings ought to pursue J.C. Jackson rather than Carlton Davis. The former stays healthy and is great in man coverage; the latter struggles a little more in these two areas. So, even if it costs a few extra bucks, I’d lean Jackson.

Alas, I’m not in charge of the purple personnel, and that’s a good thing. Perhaps Kwesi and the coaching staff will see a player who can thrive in their new defense. After all, we haven’t yet seen what a Donatell defense will look like in Minnesota, so Davis may end up being a solid option.

Even still, I’d proceed with caution here. Several teams are going to make expensive free agency mistakes, and I’m thinking that Davis could be one for the Vikings.

This press release was produced by the PurplePTSD. The views expressed here are the author’s own.