3 Free Agents the Vikings Should Pursue in September
NFL roster cuts are in the books, as all teams trimmed their roster to 53 players on Tuesday. The regular season begins on Thursday, with the Kansas City Chiefs welcoming the Baltimore Ravens to Arrowhead Stadium.
3 Free Agents the Vikings Should Pursue in September
The Minnesota Vikings’ finances are a bit skimpy right now, but if they free up some funds, about 700 free agents are available on the open market.
And the club should look at these three free agents, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = best free agent to pursue).
3. Mason Cole (C)
Cole lived on the Vikings’ roster in 2021 and is actually a dependable reservist center — or could be for Minnesota. He’s started 34 games in the last two seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but Mike Tomlin and friends had other plans in 2024, drafting Zach Frazier in April.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah should explore Cole’s free agency because Garrett Bradbury has encountered injury issues in the last two years. Cole is a better football player than Bradbury’s current backup, Dan Feeney.
Plus, any veteran still on the open market would be affordable. Some team will sign Cole in the next month or so. He’s only 28.
2. Matt Breida (RB)
These are the Vikings running backs at the moment:
- Aaron Jones
- Ty Chandler
- Myles Gaskin (Practice Squad)
- DeWayne McBride (Practice Squad)
Gaskin is probably dependable in a pinch, and accordingly, Minnesota may add no more running backs. Remember, last year, though, Chandler was hurt to start the season, and Alexander Mattison struggled. Running back operations can change … really fast.
Breida is 29 and hasn’t fired up a season with 500+ rushing yards since 2019. He won’t be utilized as an RB1 solution. An RB3 job, however, would look good on him.
1. Lawrence Guy (DT)
Guy, 34, is six-foot-five and 315 pounds with 13 years of NFL experience. Here’s his career resume to date:
- Green Bay Packers (2011–2012)
- Indianapolis Colts (2012–2013)
- San Diego Chargers (2013–2014)
- Baltimore Ravens (2014–2016)
- New England Patriots (2017–2023)
If the Vikings want more of a veteran presence on the defensive line’s interior, Guy would be the perfect choice. He’s also fascinating because he crossed paths with Brian Flores in New England from 2017 to 2018.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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