Vikings sign former Broncos cornerback Moreau
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Kevin Seifert, ESPN Staff Writer
The Minnesota Vikings signed free agent Fabian Moreau on Wednesday, the fourth defensive back they have acquired in the past eight days as they have worked to maintain depth in the position group.
Moreau, 30, has played 16 games and started 11 at cornerback last season for the Denver Broncos. He has also played for the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons and Washington.
The Vikings lost cornerback Mekhi Blackmon to a torn ACL on the first day of training camp. The next day, starter Shaq Griffin went down with a hamstring injury, from which he has not yet recovered, and third-year safety Lewis Cine has missed three consecutive days of practice because of a lower leg strain. Earlier this month, rookie cornerback Khyree Jackson was killed in a car accident.
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As a result, the Vikings have signed veteran cornerbacks Duke Shelley, Cobi Francis and now Moreau. They also acquired veteran safety Bobby McCain. Shelley has worked with Byron Murphy Jr. and Akayleb Evans when the team has been in its nickel defense during practice.
Save for a few late-season bobbles, Moreau was a steadying influence for the Broncos opposite Pat Surtain II in the secondary last season. He finished with 46 tackles, knocked down seven passes and had an interception as he ended up playing the third-most snaps (740) among the team’s defensive backs during the 2023 season.
Moreau had been a late addition to the Broncos. He was signed to a one-year, $1.3 million deal during training camp after rookie Riley Moss suffered a core muscle injury that eventually required surgery.
ESPN’s Jeff Legwold contributed to this report.
