Vikings Target Former Patriots Cornerbacks Amidst Davis Injury
Two familiar faces from Foxborough are running drills in Minnesota just as the Patriots lose their starting outside corner.
The turf in Minnesota is wet, the air thick with the smell of cut grass and anticipation. On the sideline, coaches watch four defensive backs sprint through gaits that test lung capacity and hip flexibility. Among them are two men who know the Patriots' defensive scheme intimately. Their presence is not a coincidence; it is a direct reaction to a crisis unfolding in New England.
The Minnesota Vikings have invited Kobee Minor and Alex Austin for workouts, according to a report from Yahoo Sports. These are not random tryouts. They are targeted moves. The Patriots are about to take the field against the Pittsburgh Steelers without Carlton Davis III, their premier outside corner, leaving a hole in the secondary that former players are now circling.
Draft Day Oddity Becomes Free Agent
Kobee Minor’s journey to this moment is a study in NFL fragility. He entered the league as the 257th pick in the 2025 draft, a distinction known as Mr. Irrelevant. That label felt heavy in Memphis, but in Foxborough, it was just a starting point. He spent the majority of his rookie year on the practice squad, a shadow on the field, watching from the sideline. He earned three elevations, a brief taste of the active roster, before being signed for real on Jan. 1.
His playing time was a trickle. Four regular-season games. His first defensive snaps came against the New York Jets in December, a moment of validation for a player who had been invisible for months. He recorded one tackle in that game. It was a small mark, but it was his. Then came August 30. The roster cutdowns were a blade. New England waived Minor, trimming the team to 53 players. He was out. Now, he is in the Vikings’ gym, proving he still has the tools.
Veteran Depth Falls Away
Alex Austin’s story is one of steady accumulation. He arrived in the league as a seventh-round pick for Buffalo in 2023. He moved to Houston, then found his footing with New England. Over three seasons, he played in 29 games, starting six. He was part of the Patriots’ 2025 postseason run, a reliable body in the defensive shell. His tenure ended not with a waiver but with a contract decision. The Patriots did not tender him as a restricted free agent.
He signed with the Miami Dolphins in March, a fresh start. It lasted less than six months. On Aug. 29, Miami waived him during final cuts. The open market swallowed him whole. Now, he is in Minnesota, a 6-foot-1 corner with system knowledge that is rare in the wild. The Vikings are looking for exactly that: a player who can slot into a scheme without a month of learning curves.
Patriots Face Immediate Secondary Gap
In New England, the focus is on the neck. Carlton Davis III missed all three practices this week. He had played 49 of the team’s 50 defensive snaps in their opening loss to Seattle. The injury was flagged as questionable, then out. The decision was final. Davis is not playing Sunday. The Patriots must fill the void opposite Christian Gonzalez. Charles Woods is the primary option, a veteran who has been waiting in the wings. Rookies Karon Prunty and Channing Canada are also in the mix for additional snaps.
The situation is a stark reminder of how quickly depth can evaporate. Minor and Austin were part of this team last year. They wore the logo, ran the routes, and breathed the air of Gillette Stadium. Now, they are elsewhere, and the Patriots are scrambling. The irony is not lost on anyone. The players who know the system best are no longer in the building. The workout in Minnesota is a testament to the NFL’s fluidity. Talents move. Injuries happen. And the game goes on, indifferent to the chaos it leaves behind.
