5 Landing Spots for Eric Kendricks
Dustin Baker
|
The Minnesota Vikings released linebacker Eric Kendricks on Monday after eight seasons with the franchise. Kendricks, 31, is now a free agent for the first time in his career.
And if he adheres to the standard of his predecessors, he likely has about three to four years left in the tank. Kendricks should fetch free-agent interest as early as now and can sign anywhere in the league.
5 Landing Spots for Eric Kendricks
These are the five likeliest Kendricks landings spots ranked in ascending order of likelihood.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay, perhaps undergoing a transformational year after Tom Brady’s retirement, might lose Devin White and Lavonte David in the same offseason. And that’s on top of probably starting Kyle Trask in September, a player of which nobody knows if he’s any good.
Somebody has to play off-ball linebacker for the Buccaneers in 2023, and that might just be Kendricks, who has ties to George Edwards, a defensive coach on Tampa Bay’s staff. Edwards and Kendricks were coworkers for five years in Minnesota.
The Vikings host the Buccaneers in 2023.
4. Carolina Panthers
Dom Capers, now a senior defensive assistant for the Panthers, held the same job with the Vikings in 2020, one of Kendricks’ best seasons. Carolina linebacker Cory Littleton is a free agent, and if he boots, Kendricks could reasonably sign with the Panthers as a replacement.
Kendricks would reunite with former Vikings safety Xavier Woods and play against the Vikings in Charlotte next season.
3. Los Angeles Chargers
A man named Jeff Howard is the Chargers linebackers coach, and he was a Vikings defensive assistant from 2013 to 2019, overlapping five seasons with Kendricks in Minnesota. He should have some degree of input on who the Chargers sign in free agency this offseason.
Los Angeles off-ball linebacker Drue Tranquill is a free agent, like Kendricks, so Brandon Staley and friends may be in the market for a Tranquill replacement if he walks next week.
The Chargers play the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium this autumn or winter.
2. Denver Broncos
George Paton was a part of the Vikings organization for the first six years of Kendricks’ career — which just so happened to be Kendricks’ best seasons. Paton likely has fond memories of the UCLA alumnus.
Then, Greg Manusky coached Kendricks last season for the Vikings, was let go during the change from Ed Donatell to Brian Flores — and wouldn’t you know it? — became the Broncos off-ball linebackers coach for 2023.
Incumbent Denver linebacker Alex Singelton is a free agent. Keep an eye on Kendricks to the Broncos. And like the first three teams on the list, the Vikings play the Broncos next season, too.
1. Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals new coaching staff, led by Jonathan Gannon, is a total who’s-who of former Vikings defensive coaches. It’s actually a little weird.
Here’s the list of ex-Vikings coaches working in Arizona at the moment:
HC = Jonathan Gannon
DC = Nick Rallis
OC = Drew Petzing
DL = Robert Rodriguez
LBs = Sam Seifkes
They know Kendricks, and he knows them. The Cardinals should be considered the frontrunner, based on relationships, for Kendricks’ next team.
Kendricks could actually replace another former Viking in the desert — Nick Vigil, who is a free agent.
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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.