Dec 9, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive back Kris Boyd (29) celebrates during the third quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports.
The Cincinnati Bengals signed on for the Irv Smith experience Monday night, trimming the list of Minnesota Vikings unrestricted free agents to nubbins.
Through March 27th, these former Vikings players have trekked elsewhere:
And these players re-signed in Minnesota:
So, there are just three players left who can sign with another team or return to the Vikings.
The Vikings drafted Boyd in the 7th Round of the 2019 NFL Draft, and the defender has been a special teams contributor and fringe defensive personality since. He was at the peak of his powers in 2020, playing 343 defensive snaps when various Vikings fell injured.
Boyd chatted with the New York Giants last week, but no deal has come together. KSTP’s Darren Wolfson tweeted last Wednesday, “Free agent cornerback/special teams ace Kris Boyd is said to be visiting the New York Giants today. He was a Vikings draft pick in 2019, spent last 4 seasons here.”
He played just 37 snaps on defense in Kevin O’Connell’s first year as skipper, so we shall see if Boyd returns. Minnesota needs CB depth, so a Boyd reunion is a reasonable bet.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweeted March 16th, “Former Vikings WR Bisi Johnson is flying in to visit the Patriots today, source said. A young WR with upside, he missed all of last season with an injury.”
And like Boyd with the Giants, Johnson did not leave the conversation with a new contract. The Colorado State alumnus was discovered by the Vikings in the same place and round as Boyd four years ago. He nibbled at WR3 duty in his first two years but tore ACLs in back-to-back seasons in 2021 and 2022.
The Vikings have plenty of WRs at the moment, so a Johnson reunion is a humongous maybe.
Minnesota does not have cornerback depth as mentioned above regarding Boyd’s free agency. But outside of two would-be fumble return touchdowns in 2022, Sullivan wasn’t an upper-echelon performer. That’s likely why the Vikings haven’t prioritized his re-signing.
Still, Brian Flores needs a slot cornerback for his defense, and Sullivan remains a candidate. That will probably be a man not named Chandon Sullivan, but at age 26, he’ll latch on somewhere before the 2023 season kicks off.
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,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.