Tennessee Titans wide receiver Mason Kinsey (12) evades Minnesota Vikings safety Theo Jackson (25, helmet) during practice in Eagan, Minn., Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. � Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK. The start of Minnesota Vikings training camp is less than three weeks away.
Its been another busy offseason for the front office, with Kwesi Adofo-Mensah blowing the Gjallarhorn to bring in plenty of newcomers to the roster through free agency and the draft.
Reasonably, a few of these acquisitions may have gone under the radar for Vikings fans, but now that we are in the dog days of summer, its the perfect time to begin familiarizing ourselves with some of these new names.
And according to one Vikings analyst, its especially time to get familiar with one Vikings defender.
The New Minnesota Vikings Defender Everyone Should Know
Minnesota Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers shows off a custom helmet on Instagram. Rodgers signed in Minnesota in March 2025 after stints with the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eages. Naturally, the new helmet design turned heads. That new Viking is cornerback Isaiah Rodgers.
Rodgers, who turned 27 back in January, is entering his sixth NFL season (though he did not play in 2023 due to a violation of the league gambling policy), and he has seen an ever-growing role since entering the league.
And according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic, its time for fans to stop sleeping on the new Minnesota corner. Its not just because he brings flair to practice with clean custom helmets; he also brings plenty of talent to the field.
Take a look at what Lewis recently wrote to describe Rodgers:
Maybe the most slept-on Vikings defender. Hes athletic. Hes tough. He has ball skills. Rodgers and Byron Murphy Jr. is an underrated cornerback tandem. The question with the room is the depth behind them.
Nov 1, 2020; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Indianapolis Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers (34) during the second quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports. Rodgers was selected in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts, so in a lot of ways, he has already exceeded plenty of expectations simply by sticking around into his sixth pro season.
But now, the six-year pro is firmly entrenched in a battle to earn a CB2 role for the Vikings in 2025, and its a well-earned opportunity based on Rodgers NFL play to this point.
Prior to things going off track a bit due to the suspension in 2023, Rodgers made nine starts for a 2022 Colts team that was itching for any type of production on the defensive side of the ball. Given the circumstances, he performed admirably, grading out as the sixth-best CB in coverage that year, per PFF.
Indianapolis Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers (34) celebrates after Colts cornerback Anthony Chesley (47) recovered a fumble during the first half of the game Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, at Levis Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. Indianapolis Colts Visit The San Francisco 49ers For Nfl Week 7 At Levi S Stadium. � Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK. Following his suspension, Rodgers earned his first Super Bowl ring with the Philadelphia Eagles last season, playing 15 games during the regular season and making three starts.
Rodgers also played in all four playoff games on the way to that Super Bowl win, including 57 snaps in a hard-fought Divisional win against the Los Angeles Rams. He broke up a pair of passes during that win.
Now in Minnesota, Rodgers is hoping to build off that Super Bowl experience to raise the level of play for a Vikings defense that allowed the fifth-most passing yards in the league last season. It was the one major blemish on what was otherwise an elite defensive unit.
From being a two-star recruit who ultimately committed to the University of Massachusetts, to being a sixth-round draft pick, to now becoming a Super Bowl champion, Rodgers has consistently exceeded expectations throughout his career.
Its time for Vikings fans to familiarize themselves with this underdog.
Editors Note: Information from Pro Football Focus and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
