Former Chiefs and Washington Cornerback Bashaud Breeland Visits Vikings
Former Chiefs cornerback Bashaud Breeland visited the Vikings on Thursday, according to The Athletic's Nate Taylor. Breeland spent the day at the Vikings' TCO Performance Center facility "to get an idea of what his role could be for a defense led by coach Mike Zimmer," Taylor wrote.
This would be a big addition for the Vikings if they can convince him to sign. Breeland is headed into his eighth NFL season and has the talent, physicality, and versatility to provide a major boost in depth for Minnesota's secondary. After trading Mike Hughes and with Jeff Gladney's legal situation still a question mark, the Vikings are thin at corner behind projected starters Cameron Dantzler, Patrick Peterson, and Mackensie Alexander.
The Chiefs also have interest in bringing Breeland back for a third season. The Vikings have the cap space to sign him, but it may come down to where he thinks he'll have the best shot at significant playing time.
Breeland, 29, was drafted by Washington in the fourth round out of Clemson in 2014. He stuffed the stat sheet over the course of his rookie contract, finishing with eight interceptions, seven forced fumbles, 60 passes defended, and 270 tackles during his time in Washington. He earned strong grades from PFF in the 2015 and 2017 seasons.
Hitting free agency in 2018, Breeland initially signed a three-year, $24 million deal with the Panthers, but he failed his physical because of an infection from a cut. Breeland then signed a one-year deal with the Packers. He only played in seven games that year but managed to record two picks and allowed just a 59.8 passer rating on throws in his coverage.
Breeland spent the last two seasons with the Chiefs after signing one-year deals. He's been a bargain for them as a reliable outside corner who can tackle fairly well. Breeland's biggest moment came when he intercepted Jimmy Garoppolo in the Super Bowl. After being suspended for the first four games of the 2020 season, Breeland put together another quality season.
For his career, Breeland has 14 interceptions, 81 passes defended, and three touchdowns in seven years.
There's no question that Breeland would be a big pickup for the Vikings. He's primarily an outside corner but has nearly 700 career snaps in the slot, giving him some valuable versatility. Breeland's experience and all-around game would make him an important addition for a team that needs more depth at corner. He shouldn't cost a ton either — probably in the range of $2 or 3 million on a one-year deal.
The question is if Breeland thinks the opportunity in Minnesota is there. Taylor wrote in his story that Breeland views himself as a starter and expects to be one this year. The Vikings having Dantzler, Peterson, and Alexander might complicate things. However, there's little doubt that Breeland would see playing time even if he was the team's No. 4 corner, simply because of how frequently corners get dinged up. He might even be able to push for a starting spot (Alexander's spot seems the least secure) because of how talented he is.
Stay tuned to see if Breeland's visit to Minnesota turns into a contract. The Vikings functionally have 87 players on their roster right now with tryout cornerback Amari Henderson expected to sign soon.
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