Vikings Face Criticism for Free Agent Class
Janik Eckardt
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The Vikings entered free agency with little money to spend, and the team still got a few deals done. Tight end Josh Oliver, edge rusher Marcus Davenport, and cornerback Byron Murphy were the big item additions of second-year general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
In addition to the external signings, the Vikings kept many of their own free agents on the team. Center Garrett Bradbury will be back just like backup running back Alexander Mattison, Nick Mullens, who is Kirk Cousins’ backup, and the special teams duo Greg Joseph and Andrew DePaola but not everyone liked the class.
Vikings Face Criticism for Free Agent Class
Everything gets “graded” nowadays, and the free agency classes are no different. CBSSports’ Garrett Podell graded every team’s free agent class, and he is not a fan of the latest activities of Vikings GM Adofo-Mensah, as he gave the class a D+.
The Vikings currently have the least amount of cap space in the entire NFL, so there’s not a whole lot they can do. However, giving former New Orleans Saint Marcus Davenport $13 million on a one-year deal even though he’s coming off what may be the worst season of his career at 26 years old in 2022 is a whiff.
Garrett Podell, CBSSports
Indeed, the Vikings don’t have much cap space, so they must make the right moves. Davenport was the most expensive signing on a per-year average. His $13 million seems like a lot, but in today’s edge-rushing market, that ranks him outside of the top 20. The defender struggled with injuries throughout his career, and the sack numbers have been up and down, while his 2022 season was a down year in that category with only 0.5 sacks.
However, playing on the edge is much more than racking up sacks. Unlike sacks, he collected quarterback pressures. Davenport ranked 16th among edge rushers in pass rush win percentage with 18.8%, just below Vikings defender Danielle Hunter who ranked 15th with 19%, according to PFF. He is also a good run defender, an underrated aspect of defensive players.
If Davenport can stay healthy, there is a good chance that the addition will be viewed as a steal and can help the defensive, but that health is a question mark. He missed 19 games in the first five seasons of his career and never played a full campaign.
Davenport wasn’t the only move that Podell didn’t like:
The signing of former Baltimore Ravens tight end Josh Oliver to a three-year, $21 million contract with a career stat line of 26 catches for 230 receiving yards and two touchdowns at 25 years old is insanity. Unless Minnesota plans to make an out-of-nowhere run at Lamar Jackson, this signing makes even less sense than the Davenport money.
First, it is doubtful that the Vikings are part of the Lamar Jackson sweepstakes.
On the surface level, Podell is right. Many fans and pundits were confused at first. Oliver missed almost all of his first two seasons in the league because of injury and was traded from Jacksonville to Baltimore, where he was used primarily as a blocker.
Regardless, there’s much more to the signing than just the stats of his first four seasons. Oliver came into the league as a pass-catching tight end with excellent athleticism. There’s an upside as a receiver, and the Vikings bet on that potential.
In addition, Oliver’s signing could indicate a higher usage of 12 personnel, which means two tight ends on the field simultaneously. The Vikings also employ Pro Bowler T.J. Hockenson, who can be moved around more with the presence of Oliver, which could even increase Hockenson’s impact in the passing game as a virtual WR2. Oliver will also have a big impact on the running game, an area where the Vikings heavily struggled last season.
Another wrinkle is that Oliver’s contract is structured in a team-friendly way. He is relatively cheap in his first year, and the Vikings can get out of the contract after the second season in the 2025 off-season if he doesn’t live up to his deal.
Podell seems to like the signing of Byron Murphy:
Signing former Arizona Cardinals cornerback Byron Murphy to a two-year, $22 million contract is upgrade to what was the NFL’s second-worst total defense a year ago (388.7 total yards per game allowed) behind only the Lions.
The Vikings’ defense was a disaster, especially in the passing game. Underwhelming opposing quarterbacks regularly looked like Pro Bowl-caliber players. Starting cornerbacks Patrick Peterson, Chandon Sullivan, Duke Shelley, and Cameron Dantzler all departed from the team. There’s still a chance for a Sullivan or a Shelley return, but Dantzler and Peterson found new teams.
Cornerback was the most significant need of the Vikings leading up to free agency, and the team had to add some talent there. Byron Murphy was one of the best available players at the position. He can play inside and outside and is a physical CB with good movement skills. Arizona often used him against the top opposing receiver. He will instantly slide into the number one cornerback role in Minnesota’s new defense coordinated by Brian Flores.
The Vikings should still be in the market for another cornerback, a new defensive tackle, and Adam Thielen’s successor. Those new faces can join the team in free agency or the draft in April.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and Classic rock is his music genre of choice. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt
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