Vikings roster preview: The case for keeping Fabian Moreau

As we head toward a new season, Inside the Vikings is looking at each member of the 53-man roster to recap their 2023-24 season and look ahead to the upcoming campaign. Today, we focus on cornerback Fabian Moreau. Check out our past stories on each member of the offense , the punter competition , kicker Will Reichard , the interior defensive linemen , the edges , inside linebackers , safeties and cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore , Byron Murphy Jr. , Shaquill Griffin and Akayleb Evans .

With the roster cutdown deadline now just a couple days away, the decision at cornerback may be some of the toughest for the Minnesota Vikings.

While the team’s top three corners are set, their depth will be needed throughout the upcoming season, and the competition for those final two or three spots is tight. We’ve already looked at Akayleb Evans, which leaves the top contenders as journeyman veteran Fabian Moreau and undrafted rookie Dwight McGlothern. Here’s Moreau’s case.

The 30-year-old didn’t join the Vikings until the second week of training camp, giving him a big uphill battle to make the team, which would be his fifth in the past five years. Accordingly, he’s been farther down on the depth chart and still is likely on the outside looking in, but he does have a case for making the team.

Last year, Pro Football Focus gave him a 62.4 overall grade (73rd out of 127 qualifying corners),a 54.6 pass-rush grade (75th), 62.9 coverage grade (71st), 55.5 run defense grade (87th) and a 64.6 tackling grade (39th).

While those numbers may not be amazing, for a fourth of fifth corner, they’re pretty strong. And while he’s been mostly an outside corner the past few years, he does have prior experience in the slot, as well as on special teams, although he’s not an ace there, either. Looking more closely at his numbers, though, his case gets stronger.

His missed tackle rate last season (9.8%) was the 32nd-lowest among corners who played at least 300 snaps; his catch and target totals were both outside the top 60 and his reception rate allowed (66.7%) was tied for 48th-highest with Byron Murphy Jr.; his 87.3 passer rating allowed as 52nd-lowest at his position and he also had one interception and five pass breakups (T-56th-most among corners).

Not only did Moreau not allow a touchdown, but he also held his own in both man and zone coverage, although he was better at zone.

Per PFF, Moreau played 127 snaps of man coverage last season — more than anyone on the 2023 Vikings roster — and generated the 44th-best man coverage grade. While that may not sound great, that’s four spots behind the Saints’ Marshon Lattimore and two spots ahead of 49er Charvarius Ward.

In zone, Moreau posted the 34th-best grade among corners who played at least 300 snaps, tying the Raiders’ Marcus Peters and ranking five spots better than the Broncos’ Patrick Surtain II. In fact, according to PFF, Moreau hasn’t allowed a touchdown in zone coverage over the past five seasons. Outside of a rough 2022, he’s also consistently ranked in the top-50 zone coverage grades and the top-40 passer ratings allowed in zone coverage since the start of 2019.

That production, particularly if he’s able to hold up in man coverage like last season, would be a huge addition for Brian Flores, who is hoping to play more mixed coverages this season.

Moreau has also been durable, averaging over 15 games per season over his seven-year NFL career, which is also important considering Minnesota’s other corners all have dealt with some concerning injuries over the past few years.

The veteran has played pretty well over the preseason, although he hasn’t played a ton, suggesting he’s still likely a long shot to make the team. Still, there isn’t much comparison between his and Evans’ career production, so their age and upside may be a determining factor.

A 30-year-old journeyman may not be an exciting addition and someone fans are watching closely, but Moreau’s track record suggests he could still be a valuable piece if the Vikings give him a shot. The answer to that part will come next week.