Vikings Sign CB Dylan Mabin Off Raiders' Practice Squad

The Vikings add some additional depth at cornerback, which is needed right now because of their injuries.

Extremely thin at cornerback due to a wave of injuries, the Vikings have added some additional depth by poaching Dylan Mabin off of the Raiders' practice squad, according to Mabin's agency. He becomes the latest defensive back acquired from outside of the organization by the Vikings over the past couple weeks, joining CB Chris Jones and S Curtis Riley.

Mabin has decent size at 6'1", 195 pounds. He's a 2019 UDFA from Fordham University who signed with the Raiders and showed enough to stick around on the practice squad for the past two seasons. He made his NFL debut a couple weeks ago, playing eight snaps on special teams after being elevated to the active roster. He hasn't played a defensive snap in the NFL.

He won't be available this week while going through the COVID-19 protocols, but Mabin could compete for playing time on special teams or at cornerback going forward. The Vikings currently only have three fully healthy players at the position heading into their game against the Lions on Sunday. 

Here's a rundown of the status of all of the team's cornerbacks:

• Jeff Gladney: healthy
• Cameron Dantzler: concussion/neck, hasn't practiced this week
• Mike Hughes: neck, injured reserve – season might be over
• Holton Hill: foot, hasn't practiced in over a month, IR candidate
• Kris Boyd: healthy
• Harrison Hand: hamstring, limited this week
• Mark Fields II: punctured lung, out several weeks
• Chris Jones: healthy
• Daryl Mabin: just acquired, not yet official
• Practice squad: Marcus Sayles, Luther Kirk

If Hand can't go this week, the Vikings would have Gladney, Boyd, and Jones as their top three corners against the Lions. Sayles and Kirk would presumably be elevated to the active roster as well.

Quite simply, Mabin is another healthy body in case the injury woes continue for the Vikings going forward. There's a real chance they could end up needing him.

The Vikings currently have 52 players on the active roster, so no corresponding move will be needed when the Mabin signing is official. However, Pat Elflein is due to be activated from IR soon, so a move will need to be made there. Holton Hill could be a candidate for IR depending on whether or not his foot injury is improving.

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