Aug 24, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Latavius Murray (25) in the huddle in the first quarter against Seattle Seahawks at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.
With a 5-0 record exiting their bye, the Minnesota Vikings don’t have too many roster shortcomings, which is an advantageous and unforeseen outcome.
However, Minnesota has learned firsthand that injuries are all too frequent, so adding an extra free agent or swinging a low-risk trade is feasible.
And if general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah looks to Vikings of yesteryear, these four former players could reasonably rejoin the 2024 team. They’re ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = most likely to reunite with Vikings this season).
Cole lived on the Vikings’ roster in 2021 and is actually a dependable backup center — or could be for Minnesota. He’s started 34 games in 2022 and 2023 for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but Mike Tomlin and Co. had other plans in 2024, drafting Zach Frazier in April. Not for nothing, Fraizer is already a total stud.
Adofo-Mensah should explore Cole’s free agency because Garrett Bradbury has encountered injury issues in the last three 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 probably sign Cole before too long. He’s only 28.
Murray signed with the Vikings in 2017 to kick off the post-Adrian Peterson era, a few weeks before the team selected Dalvin Cook in the draft. Once Cook suffered a knee injury, Murray became the team’s top rusher, forming a solid tandem with Jerick McKinnon (also a current free agent). In two seasons with the Vikings, he recorded 1,460 rushing yards, 244 receiving yards, and 14 touchdowns.
The 34-year-old is now a free agent after multiple stops since 2019 and has an ageless, Frank Gore-like talent in his bag. If Aaron Jones’ hip injury stubbornly took too long to heal — or if he encountered another injury — Murray could tote the rock about 10-12 games for Minnesota.
Patrick Peterson wants to play for the Vikings. Source? Him.
He joined The Zach Gelb Show last week and opined on his playing future: “I’m still leaving the book open, Zach. I’m still training. I’m still working out because, you know, my mind is still in it. It’s not like I cannot physically play, or I feel like I can’t physically give my best. I feel like I still have, you know, enough in the tank to help a team win. But, you know, that decision is out of my hands, so for the most part doing everything that I need to do just in case the phone do ring.”
The eight-time Pro Bowler last played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and is curiously unsigned at the moment. Peterson turned 34 in July — the same age as current Vikings CB1 Stephon Gilmore.
Gelb then pressed Peterson on destinations, asking if the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, and Vikings would move the needle for his prospective employment.
Peterson replied, “Exactly,” and specifically said about Minnesota, “Oh yeah, I would like to be there too, man. I love the coaching staff there. Me and Coach Kevin O’Connell] had the opportunity to build a solid relationship over the nine months that I was with him. And it’s just a great feel and a great organization to be around, great guys to be around and show up to go to work with every day.”
Minnesota is one injury to Stephon Gilmore, Byron Murphy, or Shaquill to Griffin from perhaps giving Peterson a jingle.
Thielen injured his hamstring a couple of weeks ago and is currently mending. When he returns in a few weeks — conveniently around the trade deadline — his team could be in full selling mode.
Minnesota could acquire Thielen for a 7th-Rounder and fold him into the offense as the WR3. Then, Thielen could be a part of the impending playoff push. It kind of feels like he deserves it.
Current WR3 Jalen Nailor has performed really well in spots, but Thielen would be a more dependable, consistent WR3 during a playoff push, for example. And let’s face it — at age 34, on probably the worst team in football, why would Thielen want to stick around Carolina when the team he loves is 5-0 and arguably needs veteran WR depth?
If Adofo-Mensah wants Thielen, he has exactly three weeks to swing the trade.
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 MIN 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.