2 Intriguing Players Linked to Vikings in Free Agency
Dustin Baker
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The Minnesota Vikings must still clear cap space to the tune of $24 million+, but after that, the franchise is expected to sign a handful of new free agents this month.
NFL free agency begins the week of March 13th with “legal tampering,” and players can formally sign on March 15th.
2 Intriguing Players Linked to Vikings in Free Agency
Minnesota’s defense ranked 30th in points allowed and 31st in yards allowed last year, so an influx of defensive newcomers is expected. Too, Vikings center Garrett Bradbury is a free agent and might sign with a new team for 2023. If Bradbury walks, Minnesota would need a replacement center from free agency, the NFL draft, or promotion from within.
Accordingly, the Vikings were linked to a big-name off-ball linebacker this week, as well as a center. Those men are Tremaine Edmunds from the Buffalo Bills and Connor McGovern of the New York Jets.
KSTP’s Darren Wolfson mentioned the players on SKOR North’s Mackey & Judd show this week. Wolfson name-dropped Edmunds and McGovern and said, “Maybe I’ll be able to advance a little more in-depth, intel-wise, next week, but those are two names I think you can have on your radar.”
Edmunds, although expensive, would be a massive homerun addition to the Vikings 2023 defense. The man entered the NFL in 2018 as a 20-year-old and will turn 25 this season. Whichever team lands Edmund’s services — if he departs Buffalo in the first place — will almost onboard an old rookie via age but with five years of NFL experience.
In five seasons, Edmunds played [and started] 74 games, registering 565 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and 18 quarterback hits. He’s also contributed 71 tackles in the playoffs. Here’s the Pro Football Focus tale of the tape:
- 2018 = 57.0
- 2019 = 60.6
- 2020 = 47.9
- 2021 = 50.4
- 2022 = 79.0
The two-time Pro Bowler is known for athleticism and ran a 4.5 forty-yard dash at the 2018 NFL Combine. The “concern” for Edmunds and the Vikings is price. The Virginia Tech alumnus is expected to fetch between $17 and $18 million per season with this next contract — money the Vikings don’t have as of March 1st.
On offense, McGovern is fascinating, too. Drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2016 as a 5th-Rounder, he transferred to the Jets in 2019 and proved himself as a reliable center since. He’ll be 30 in April.
Here’s McGovern’s PFF resume:
- 2016 = DNP
- 2017 = 48.9
- 2018 = 60.2
- 2019 = 72.0
- 2020 = 62.2
- 2021 = 75.9
- 2022 = 69.6
Like Edmunds, he’ll be spendy, too, and will likely command around $10 per year from his next team.
If the Vikings don’t address the off-ball linebacker and center spots in free agency and Bradbury departs, Adofo-Mensah must seek other free agents or use April’s draft for roster replenishments.
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.
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