Zemaiah Vaughn

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Vikings secured solid value with Zemaiah Vaughn's two-year, $1.8M deal, earning a C+ CVI that reflects a fair market transaction for a developmental cornerback. At just $900K annually, Minnesota is paying bottom-tier starter money for a player who projects as a capable depth piece with potential upside in their secondary rotation. The modest financial commitment creates an ideal low-risk, high-reward scenario where Vaughn can compete for snaps without burdening the salary cap if he doesn't develop as hoped. The two-year structure gives both sides flexibility — the Vikings can evaluate his growth trajectory while Vaughn gets a legitimate opportunity to establish himself in the NFL. This represents smart roster building by Minnesota, adding affordable depth at a premium position where even replacement-level contributors command respect in today's pass-heavy league.

Performance Analysis

Zemaiah Vaughn arrives in Minnesota as an unproven commodity, an undrafted or late-round addition entering the NFL without the benefit of a single regular-season snap to his name. At 24 years old, he represents the kind of developmental cornerback project that every roster carries, a player whose professional biography is essentially a blank page at this stage. Availability is the foundational currency for cornerbacks, where trust is built one game at a time, and Vaughn has yet to make his first deposit — his zero appearances placing him firmly outside any meaningful durability conversation at the professional level. The Vikings will need to see him survive the rigors of a full NFL campaign before assigning him any real roster equity, and right now that development arc remains entirely theoretical. His current grade of D+ reflects not a condemnation of his raw ability, but rather the unavoidable reality that untested players carry maximum uncertainty in a position that demands proven consistency against elite competition. The coaching staff will be watching closely to see whether Vaughn can carve out special teams reps or emergency depth value before earning consideration for a more defined defensive role. If he can stay healthy and demonstrate the technique and ball awareness required to compete in the NFC North, there is runway ahead — but the work of proving himself begins now.

Current Sentiment

Zemaiah Vaughn enters the 2026 season as one of the more intriguing developmental stories on the Minnesota Vikings' roster, having navigated the practice squad-to-active-roster pipeline that typically signals genuine organizational belief in a young player's upside. His physical profile — notably his rare size for the cornerback position — has drawn favorable attention from both local and national media, with outlets highlighting his length as a potential differentiator in a division that features elite receiving talent. The 'fan-favorite' designation attached to his name ahead of a high-profile Packers matchup suggests he has cultivated genuine goodwill within the Vikings' fanbase despite limited on-field exposure at the professional level. From a media perception standpoint, Vaughn occupies the optimistic fringe of the depth-chart conversation — not yet a household name, but consistently framed in a positive light rather than as a roster afterthought. Heading into 2026, the prevailing narrative around Vaughn is one of quiet promise, and any meaningful playing time this season will be closely watched by a fanbase and front office that appears to have already invested emotionally and institutionally in his development.