The Vikings have waived cornerback Cameron Dantzler Sr., a third-round pick out of Mississippi State in 2020, the team announced on Friday.
Dantzler played in 35 games with the Vikings, starting 26 of them. He showed flashes of big-time potential but struggled with inconsistency and injuries. Now, in an offseason where the Vikings have already released Eric Kendricks and Adam Thielen, they're going in a different direction at corner.
This move frees up $2.74 million in cap space with only $223K in dead money. Dantzler was set to enter the final year of his rookie contract. He'll become a free agent if he clears waivers.
Dantzler put together some impressive tape at Mississippi State, but fell to the third round after running a 4.64 40 with just a 34.5-inch vertical jump at the 2020 combine. Nicknamed "The Needle" for his slender frame, Dantzler impressed as a rookie. He started ten games and recorded two interceptions and three tackles for loss.
In 2021, Dantzler was beaten out for a starting job in training camp by Bashaud Breeland, but wound up starting seven games and mostly played well. He had another pick, eight passes defended, and a promising 73.8 PFF grade, particularly shining in run support. However, Dantzler also found himself on the bad end of numerous big plays, including the winless Lions' game-winning touchdown in the final seconds in Week 13.
Dantzler started nine games in 2022, but lost his starting job halfway through the season to Duke Shelley, who didn't relinquish it the rest of the way.
With Dantzler gone and all three starters from the end of last season — Patrick Peterson, Chandon Sullivan, and Shelley — free agents, the Vikings are extremely thin at cornerback heading into free agency and the draft. Young players Andrew Booth Jr., Akayleb Evans, Kalon Barnes, and Tay Gowan are the only four corners on the roster at this moment, and Booth is still recovering from knee surgery.
That'll be a major area of focus over the coming weeks and months.
More must-reads: