Vikings Sign Ex-Bills Defender Star in Free Agency Splash

March 29, 2025 | By ESPN Staff

The Minnesota Vikings have added a veteran jolt to their secondary, signing former Buffalo Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas to a one-year, $10 million deal with $7 million guaranteed, sources told ESPN Saturday. After securing Byron Murphy Jr. with a three-year extension, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah pounced on the ex-Bills standout—once pegged at $26.5 million over two years by PFF—post-draft to dodge the NFL’s compensatory pick deadline (Spotrac). With Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah already in the fold, Douglas brings turnover flair to a Vikings defense eyeing a playoff leap, a move Adofo-Mensah dubbed “a calculated grab.”

Douglas’ 2024 with Buffalo was a mixed bag—3 interceptions and 8 pass breakups in 17 games, but a 108.5 passer rating allowed showed cracks (NFL.com). The 30-year-old’s knack for picks shines through an eight-year career: 23 interceptions, 70 pass breakups, including four seasons with at least 3 INTs. His 2021 peak with Green Bay—5 INTs, 2 TDs—earned a $21 million pact, though big plays over the top have dogged him since (ESPN Stats & Info). At 6’2, 209 lbs, his size and instincts could stabilize Minnesota’s boundary.

For the Vikings, Douglas fortifies a secondary ranked 15th in pass defense (218.6 yards/game) in 2024, syncing with Murphy and Mekhi Blackmon to counter NFC North firepower (ESPN). Bills fans winced as their $3.9 million cap crunch forced his exit (Spotrac), leaving Christian Benford and Asante Samuel Jr. to carry the load post-Von Miller. Vikings faithful buzzed on X: “Douglas snagging picks in purple? Let’s go!” If he rediscovers his turnover magic, Minnesota’s gamble could tilt the division; if not, those coverage lapses might sting. Either way, the AFC East-to-NFC North pipeline just heated up.