Switch to Safety Precipitates 2 Picks by Kahlef Hailassie; Gabriel Murphy Makes Most of Opportunity

Hailassie’s pair of picks, combined with one by cornerback Ambry Thomas, helped the Vikings defeat the Texans 20-10 in the teams’ first preseason contest.

Just this past week, Vikings coaches moved Hailassie from cornerback to safety — a transition he embraced.

He’s played safety before, but Hailassie said it’s been “five or six years” since he was asked to do so. The California native played the position at Elk Grove High School and then to start his collegiate career at Oregon, but the Ducks shifted him to corner due a slew of injuries. Hailassie capitalized on the move and stayed at cornerback through his transfer to Western Kentucky, where he played for two seasons.

The Chiefs signed Hailassie as an undrafted rookie in 2023, but he was released during final roster cuts and joined the Browns. He signed a reserve/futures contract with Minnesota in January and has since been taking advantage of any opportunity that comes his way.

“For my whole NFL career I’ve been playing corner, so the switch is pretty new for me, but it’s definitely a comfortable spot that I’m in right now,” he said. “The more versatile you are, the more valuable you are, and I feel like I’m very versatile.

“I can play safety, inside [corner], outside,” Hailassie added. “I think they see that, too, and that was the reason they made that move.”