Aug 23, 2019; Tampa, FL, USA; Cleveland Browns cornerback Greedy Williams (26) during the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports.
The Minnesota Vikings front office appeared to listen.
To fans, that is, who called for a Dalton Risner free-agent relationship, and that agreement reportedly culminated on Monday with a one-year deal expandable to $4 million.
And if general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah isn’t done adding more free-agent talent — he’ll have about $8 million in cap space after the Risner deal is finalized — these are four free agents for the Vikings to pursue, listed in alphabetical order.
Hicks joined the Buccaneers last year, his fourth NFL team, previously spending time with the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, and Bears. The notable Viking killer from his Chicago days is a free agent and can sign on any team’s dotted line.
The one-time Pro Bowler fetched a 61.9 Pro Football Focus grade last season with Tampa Bay, starting and playing 11 games. It is unclear where Hicks would fit on the Vikings defensive line, but it would possibly entail a demotion for Jonathan Bullard or Dean Lowry.
Hicks is an adept run-stuffer, and the Vikings were gashed on the ground in Week 2 at Philadelphia.
He’ll turn 34 in November.
Hunt spent the last four seasons in Cleveland primarily as a backup to Nick Chubb. Before that, he took the league by storm in Kansas City, even winning the 2017 rushing title as a rookie. He was released in 2018 after a heavily-publicized assault incident that never resulted in formal criminal charges.
The veteran tailback could be scooped as early as Tuesday by the Browns after Chubb’s season-ending knee injury suffered on Monday Night Football.
If they do not scoop, though, the Vikings met with Hunt in August and should have his file ready to pull.
Minnesota has struggled to run the ball in its first two games and hasn’t even really tried, tallying just 26 rushing attempts so far in 2023. That’s the third-fewest in NFL history for any team ever through two games of a season.
The Vikings were interwoven in the Suh rumor mill one year ago, but he declined to sign anywhere until midseason, landing with the Philadelphia Eagles amid a push to the Super Bowl. Philadelphia came up short in the championship, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs. But at least Suh got there, eh?
At the moment, the 36-year-old is a free agent and isn’t retiring but also wanted nothing to do with any team’s training camp in the summer — the perks for a veteran in the NFL. Suh told NFL Total Access in May, “I have no desire to be in a training camp. I will come in and watch and look and give some advice, but when Week 1 happens, I’ll be ready.”
A five-time Pro Bowler and three-time First-Team All-Pro, Suh is likely headed for Hall of Fame induction when he calls it quits, recording 71.5 sacks in his career.
Like Hicks, Suh would likely take a starting job from Jonathan Bullard or Dean Lowry if signed by the Vikings.
Williams spent four seasons in Cleveland — well, three per playing time because of injury — leaving the Browns when his rookie contract expired this offseason. He joined the Philadelphia Eagles in May, stayed for about three months, and was released last week.
He also overlapped with Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in Cleveland.
This is Williams’ Pro Football Focus resume to date:
If the Vikings took the plunge with Williams, he’d serve as depth in a somewhat skinny CB room. Williams was a college teammate of Justin Jefferson at LSU. He’s logged 99 total tackles and 2 interceptions in 39 career games.
It’s worth noting that Minnesota’s cornerbacks have performed somewhat well so far this season, but they’re an injury away from the panic button.
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 Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.