Vikings Free Agent Moves Earn Worrisome Grade from Critics
A week and a half ago, Za’Darius Smith injected excitement into the Minnesota Vikings offseason, signing on the dotted line with the ballclub for a three-year contract.
It was a splashy move indeed, designed to bolster the Vikings 2022 pash rush under the pretense Smith will remain healthy — he missed most of 2021 with a back injury — alongside Danielle Hunter, who has injury concerns, too. Vikings fans rejoiced, both at the addition of a star-studded pass rusher and the turncoat nature of Smith’s bolt from the Green Bay Packers.
But not everyone was dazzled by the Vikings free-agent offseason, a period of weeks when Kirk Cousins was extended, Adam Thielen and Harrison Smith were restructured, and new men like Jordan Hicks and Harrison Phillips were added to the roster. In particular, Bleacher Report granted the Vikings a worrisome grade, adjudicating Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s transactions to date with a C+ grade.
Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report, in an article about all teams’ free-agent grades, explained the C+:
“The Vikings appear to have delusions of grandeur. Somehow, Cousins managed to Jedi mind-trick the Vikes into handing him a one-year, $35 million extension. They also gave Smith $14 million per season despite having a ton of cap space locked into Danielle Hunter. Meanwhile, their 28th-ranked pass defense from last year may actually be worse on paper. The Vikings have spent like they are a player or two from making a legitimate Super Bowl run. But in reality, they look a lot like the squad that went 8-9 in 2021.”
– Gary Davenport | Bleacher Report
Truth be told, this is the attitude held by some Vikings fans, as well. When a new general manager and head coach touched down in Minnesota, some were adamant the team would trade Cousins, Hunter, Eric Kendricks, Dalvin Cook, etc., to start over.
In no way, shape, or form did that happen.
Instead, the Vikings did the opposite. They recommitted to the nucleus of star players, betting on the idea a new coaching staff could make the enterprise march to the 2022 playoffs. And according to Davenport’s assessment, he emphatically disagrees.
Thankfully for Minnesota, in Bleacher Report‘s estimation, the primary foes, Packers and Bears, had even worse decisions. Those organizations received D+ grades, while the Lions led the way with a B-.
All of these NFC North teams can still improve. Several good free agents are unplucked. Stephen Gilmore, Tyrann Mathieu, Jadeveon Clowney, Duane Brown, Akiem Hicks, Odell Beckham, and Rob Gronkowski are still available on the open market.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
Vikings Territory: 13 Snap Reactions after Vikings-Packers
You must be logged in to post a comment.