The Vikings Signed Mr. Feeney.
Dustin Baker
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Heading into the offseason, the Minnesota Vikings had about 28 in-house free agents, over half of whom played on the offensive and defensive lines.
The Vikings Signed Mr. Feeney.
So, the trenches were destined for prioritization when free agency kicked off, and by late last week, the Vikings signed plenty. In fact, a Mr. Feeney was among the newcomers: Dan Feeney from the Chicago Bears.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert tweeted Friday, “Earlier today the Vikings bid farewell to G/C Austin Schlottmann, who signed with the Giants. Tonight: they agreed to terms with veteran OL Dan Feeney.”
The Vikings later made the transaction official, and Feeney will compete for a roster spot this summer. The move arrived as many Vikings wondered about the team’s plans for offensive guard. Why? Well, Dalton Risner, a fan favorite, has yet to be re-signed, and it feels like he’s trending toward a new NFL address in 2024. Moreover, the franchise re-upped with long-time depth guard Blake Brandel for a contract that seemed like borderline starter money. Brandel grabbed a three-year deal for $9.5 million.
While Feeney probably won’t start, he’ll be a factor in the Vikings’ summer OG decisions, mainly because the plan is mysterious as of March 19th. There’s also the NFL draft in five weeks, and in theory, Minnesota could scoop a starting guard from the event like it did two years ago with Ed Ingram from LSU.
Here’s Feeney’s NFL resume to date:
- Los Angeles Chargers (2017–2020)
- New York Jets (2021–2022)
- Miami Dolphins (2023)
- Chicago Bears (2023)
- Minnesota Vikings (2024–present)
It’s worth noting that Feeney didn’t play for the 2023 Dolphins, a roster-cut casualty who later landed with Chicago. He later played 16 games for the Bears, mostly special teams, with 91 snaps on offense. This is his Pro Football Focus resume to date:
- 2023 = 44.8
- 2022 = 51.8
- 2021 = 75.9
- 2020 = 48.2
- 2019 = 51.7
- 2018 = 49.2
- 2017 = 60.8
On the aforementioned Risner, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was asked on KFAN about him on Monday, and the young executive made it sound like that ship had sailed. “Where we’ve wanted to be is best available. That’s where we’ve tried to set ourselves up both in a draft and acquisition standpoint. So every option is on the table. That’s all I can say about that,” Adofo-Mensah told KFAN’s Paul Allen.
We shall see if Feeney competes for a starter’s job with Blake Brandel or, the more realistic option, fills a role like Chris Reed in 2022 and 2023.
A former 3rd-Round pick by the Chargers, Feeney will turn 30 in May.
It’s a Sweet New Defender for Vikings
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,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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