Vikings Get Cuts Rolling by Saying Goodbye to a Newcomer at Corner

At no point did Tre Hawkins III appear to be somebody who was going to challenge for a spot on the 53-man roster. What appeared likely has now become real.

The update of the Vikings getting into roster cuts arrives courtesy of KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. He sent along the word on social media, explaining, “#Vikings are releasing former #Giants corner Tre Hawkins III, per a league source. Experienced player with some upside.”

Vikings Get Cuts Going with CB Subtraction

Part of what made Hawkins notable is who he was replacing: Dwight “Nudie” McGlothern.

McGlothern was working through a tough roster battle but was notable due to his youth and presence on the roster over these past two years. The long-and-strong corner was a UDFA gem from the 2024 haul who offered hope of developing into a matchup CB3 if his upward trajectory continued.

Instead, McGlothern never took the step Minnesota was hoping for, leading to an odd scenario where he was retained but with the coaching staff seemingly always bypassing him when there was a need for corner coverage.

The Vikings moved on from McGlothern last week. Hawkins got added as a replacement.

In some ways, Tre Hawkins didn’t get a fair shot. Being added with the majority of training camp and the preseason done means having very little time to acclimate, much less shine.

The 26-year-old defender was drafted at No. 209 in the 2023 NFL Draft. At 6’3″ and 195 pounds, Hawkins will probably continue getting looks since DCs love tall corners. Whoever signs him will be getting somebody who may yet have some upside.

Expect the Vikings to devote four or five spots from within the roster real estate to the corner position. All of Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, James Pierre, and Chuck Demmings look like a sure bet.

The deadline to be down to a maximum of 53 players is tomorrow evening.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

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