Vikings add veteran defensive back Bobby McCain, cut kicker John Parker Romo

The Vikings continued to add to their defensive backfield on Monday by bringing one of Brian Flores’ former players to Minnesota. To make room on their roster, they let go of their second kicker.

The team signed defensive back Bobby McCain, who started 23 games at safety for the Dolphins between 2019-20 while Flores was the head coach there.

McCain, who’s entering his 10th NFL season, had played cornerback through his first four seasons with the Dolphins until Flores became their head coach in 2019. He moved to safety, and Flores said the 30-year-old will begin his time with the Vikings there.

But he said McCain could play in the slot, where he’d spent most of his time as a corner, “or you may see him matched up on certain guys.” Flores praised McCain’s energy, intellect and versatility — three of the traits the defensive coordinator prizes the most.

“Even on Day 1, with a vet guy like that, there’s just a conceptual understanding of things any defense does, or can do,” Flores said. “He’s already got a pretty good feel, and we’ll see some of that today.”

McCain took the roster spot of kicker John Parker Romo, who had been battling sixth-round pick Will Reichard for the kicking job. Hours after signing with the Vikings, McCain was on the field for the team’s first padded practice.

“Some of the guys were asking, like, ‘Man, they didn’t give you no ramp-up?’ But that’s what I wanted,” McCain said. “I wanted to just get right to it. Year 10, it’s a blessing, just playing football.”

Article 21, Section 2(c)(iii) of the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement permits cornerbacks to contact receivers and simulate press coverage during organized team activities each spring, “provided the defensive player does not impede the receiver or alter his route and no live contact occurs.”

Flores knows the statute down to its precise wording. When the NFL sends reminders about the spring rules each year, he analyzes them with a lawyer’s diligence.

“I read these memos, and I go over them with a fine-toothed comb. You can put hands on [receivers]; you can’t impede — or impede a lot, essentially,” he said with a grin. “For us, we just try to work the technique. And we talk about, ‘Hey, when we put the pads on, we can do a little bit more here, get a little bit more of a jam or a chuck there.’ We try to stay within the parameters, for sure.”

Flores looks forward to the day each July when players put on pads for the first time and his defenders can cover receivers like they would in a game. “That’s the real football,” he said. “What we evaluate today is as close as you can get to what we’re doing Sundays in the fall. And that’s what we tell them.”

McCain’s first day at practice came as Lewis Cine was out again. The 2022 first-round pick watched from the sideline, but was not in uniform. Cornerback Shaq Griffin, who sustained a left leg soft tissue injury on Thursday, also did not practice, and wide receiver Malik Knowles was also out.