Vikings Free Agent Frenzy Will Shed Light on Competitive Rebuild
Ted Schwerzler
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With just a few days until free agency opens, the Minnesota Vikings are about to shed some serious light on the looks of their competitive rebuild. Needing to establish multiple positions, who is signed and when, will tip the organization’s hand as to where things may fall.
Vikings Free Agent Frenzy Will Shed Light on Competitive Rebuild
It shouldn’t take long to figure out whether Kirk Cousins will be back under center, and that move (or lack thereof) can set up a cascading effect. If the Vikings go a different direction under center, they will have a plethora of options available to them as well as a substantial amount of money freed up.
Cousins isn’t the only free agent for which the Vikings have significant dollars up in the air. Danielle Hunter is also in line for a sizable payday, and should Minnesota opt against an agreement with him, they will have to re-establish the edge rusher position as a whole. If the organization decides that paying Hunter coming off a career year is a choice they’d like to opt in for, it would send a message about how they intend to build the defense.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has talked for years about his goal of remaining in a competitive rebuild. It stands to reason that the messaging would suggest turnover while looking to avoid the doldrums of the league. The timing seems to line up with this opportunity to turn over the quarterback position, and investing more resources in the defense could also be explored.
The division has taken somewhat of a turn, with Detroit being the cream of the crop and Green Bay not lagging far behind. The Chicago Bears are set up well to turn over a new leaf in the year ahead, and Kevin O’Connell can’t afford to let his squad fall by the wayside. Minnesota should have an opportunity to break in a handful of new faces this season, and many will likely come in critical positions.
With the changes to the salary cap, Minnesota is less restricted than it thought it would be. That is the case for every team across the league, but how the Vikings allocate their funds remains to be seen. Doing so in a way that impacts the roster and fills immediate holes is a must, but they can also build around key players that sustain success for the next handful of years.
NFL free agency is a period unlike almost any other sport, and Minnesota is in a position to make waves we haven’t seen for the franchise in quite some time.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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