Top 5 Free Agents the Vikings Must Pursue
Mitchel Massman
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Free agency is looming closer and closer every day. The Vikings have significant holes to fill on their roster, and to no one’s surprise, most of these holes are on the defensive side of the ball.
The Vikings defense was one of the worst in the league in 2022. It is still surprising how poorly they played after changing schemes and getting rid of Mike Zimmer. Most thought that the change would be good overall. Well — wrong. They ranked as follows:
- 31st in yards given up per game
- 31st in pass yards given up per game
- 20th in rushing yards per game
- 30th in points allowed per game
But I digress. It is time to look to the future. The future looks bleak now as the Vikings only have three cornerbacks on the roster and some contract decisions to make on clearing cap space. One of those decisions will likely include a conversation revolving around Captain Kirk.
We won’t get into restructuring contracts quite yet, but I will say this. If you are worried about cap space, stop. The Vikings can and will clear enough cap space to make some moves in free agency. There is always a plan.
Top 5 Free Agents the Vikings Must Pursue
When looking at this free agency, there are several quality players that could be great additions to the Vikings’ defense with Flores at the helm.
Top 5 Free Agents That Fit the Vikings
There are many potential options here, and of course, there will be salary cap issues to contend with. However, if the contract can be constructed in a manner to make the deals work, these are the best players that fit the Vikings.
- Jamel Dean – Ok, this one is a bit of a stretch. Dean will command a significant-sized contract of about $17 million per year. Although, he would probably thrive in an aggressive Flores scheme. He is 6’2″ and weighs over 200 pounds. He is a bit of a greedy player who will jump routes. However, his size allows him to be aggressive at the line of scrimmage, which is exactly what the Vikings were missing in 2022.
- Dalvin Tomlinson – Many fans want Daron Payne — me, too — but let’s be honest, Kwesi isn’t going to spend $20 million per year on Payne when he desperately needs cornerbacks. Bringing back Tomlinson is still a huge win. He will command somewhere around $11 to $12 million per year. That is very doable and worth it for a guy who dominated for us in 2022.
- Germaine Pratt – The Bengals have a number of decisions to make this offseason including extensions for Burrow and Higgins, not to mention next year with Chase. There is a chance that they let Pratt walk out of the building. The Vikings should absolutely pursue him if they choose to release Kendricks and Hicks to bring in more youth. He is a bigger linebacker than Asamoah but is still rangy. His speed and power would help tremendously.
- Garrett Bradbury – This one is controversial, to say the least. Bradbury was public enemy number 1 for a few years. However, he played much better in KOC’s offense as he was not asked to do as much. He would likely command a contract of about $6 million per year which is pretty cheap in the current cap environment at about 2.6% of the cap. Continuity on the offensive line could be beneficial.
- Byron Murphy Jr. – The reality is that cap space in 2023 will play a part in some of these decisions. If it does, Murphy Jr. could be an excellent option. He is capable of playing both outside and in the slot, which makes him a welcomed addition to a team that consists of three cornerbacks. He would likely command a contract of about $9 million per year. This for a cornerback is cheap in the current cap environment.
While this list is by no means exhaustive, it is a good starting point to address serious needs for the Vikings in 2023. It would not surprise me, or anyone for that matter, if the Vikings signed two cornerbacks in free agency and then went on to draft two more cornerbacks in April. They need bodies in the room.
Mitch Massman is a lifelong Vikings fan. His first heartbreak was the 1998 NFC championship game. His full-time job is as an economic development professional in rural Minnesota. He fantasizes about the Vikings winning a Super Bowl one day, but until then he will write about the Vikings. Follow him on Twitter @skol_vikings3
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