Vikings Add 3 More, Including Pair of Corners, in Free Agency

EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings on Monday announced the signings of three more players, including a pair of cornerbacks and a versatile offensive lineman. Minnesota announced the signings of cornerbacks Tye Smith and Nate Hairston, as well as Jesse Davis, who has played guard and tackle for the Dolphins for the past five seasons. Smith will return to the Vikings after spending 2021 on the team’s practice squad. He appeared in five games after elevations by Minnesota last season, contributing with 40 snaps on special teams and 17 on defense. Originally a fifth-round draft pick by Seattle in 2015, Smith spent the 2016 season on Washington’s practice squad and then played for the Titans from 2017-20. He signed with the Vikings last spring and landed on the practice squad.Smith has started seven of 45 career games. He’s totaled 68 tackles, one interception, two passes defensed and two forced fumbles.Hairston entered the NFL as a fifth-round pick by the Colts in the 2017 NFL Draft and spent his first two seasons in Indianapolis. He was traded in August 2019 to the Jets, where he spent that campaign and the beginning of the 2020 season. Hairston was released by the Jets in October 2020 and joined the Broncos, where he played all of last season. Hairston played all 16 games for Denver in 2021. In addition to contributing heavily on special teams, he totaled nine tackles and deflected four passes on defense while playing for new Vikings Defensive Coordinator Ed Donatell, who held the same position with the Broncos from 2019-21.While Hairston shares an alma mater with fellow Vikings cornerback Harrison Hand, the two did not overlap at Temple, as Hand transferred just for the 2019 season. The Hairston and Smith signings were announced three days after Minnesota added free agent cornerback Chandon Sullivan, who previously played for division-rival Green Bay. Davis has played in 80 games and started 72 of them for the Dolphins since 2017. He initially joined the NFL with Seattle as an undrafted free agent out of Idaho. Davis also spent time with the New York Jets in 2016 before joining Miami’s practice squad in November of that year. The 30-year-old played all along the line with Miami, but mostly spent time on the right side. He played 1,863 snaps at right guard and 2,212 snaps at right tackle with the Dolphins.Davis started the first 26 games of his career at right guard before moving outside to right tackle. The native of Asotin, Washington, then spent time on the left side of the line at both guard and tackle before eventually going back to right tackle. In 2021, Davis started 14 games at right tackle and two at left guard.Davis joins a Vikings offensive line that is returning starting tackles Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw. Ezra Cleveland, another Washington native who played tackle in college at Boise State, settled in at left guard in 2021. The Vikings are returning Garrett Bradbury, who has started 45 games at center. Olisaemeka Udoh started 14 games at right guard and two at left tackle in 2021 after moving inside from tackle to open training camp. Davis is the second offensive lineman the Vikings have added through free agency, joining G/C Austin Schlottmann.

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