Oct 6, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; Indianapolis Colts cornerback Stephon Gilmore (5) reacts after an interception in the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports.
The Minnesota Vikings embark on training camp in six weeks and are less than three months away from the start of the regular season.
The team finished 7-10 in 2023 and will hope to improve on that mark with some combination of Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy at quarterback.
Meanwhile, the roster could still use some tweaks, and these are six free agents the team should explore. Of course, Adofo-Mensah won’t add all six, but these are the best options, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = best option).
Minnesota allegedly pursued Suh two summers ago, but no deal materialized. He later joined the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022.
And last season, Suh didn’t play for anybody, nor did he expressly retire. The Vikings might encounter a hurdle when exploring his free agency because they’re not a true-blue contender, but at the right price, Suh could be gettable.
Suh, for one last hurrah, would help solve the longstanding DT questions, at least for a single season.
Yes, The Big Goon is up there in age — he’ll be 36 in October — but the man has latched onto a couple of teams in back-to-back seasons, including the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022 and Buffalo Bills in 2023. Joseph wouldn’t necessarily have to start for the 2024 Vikings, but he’d provide nose tackle depth, which Minnesota lacks entering May.
Joseph spent six seasons in Minnesota, so he knows the destination quite well.
In March, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert tweeted about lessening Harrison Phillips’ snap count in 2024, “Vikings also hope that added depth will help them manage DT Harrison Phillips’ playing time as well, per Kevin O’Connell. Phillips played a career-high 839 snaps last season.”
We’re not sure where that added depth might be. The team has several DTs but few NTs.
A four-time Pro Bowler, Gilmore awaits his 2024 marching orders. He played for the New England Patriots from 2017 to 2020, crossing paths with Brian Flores in 2017 and 2018. Gilmore started all 17 games for last year’s Dallas Cowboys, registering a wonderful 74.4 Pro Football Focus grade for his troubles. If he signed with the Vikings — or almost any other team — it would represent five teams in five seasons for the 33-year-old.
He was also responsible for a commendable 82.7 passer-rating-against in 2023, which would’ve been wonderful by Vikings cornerbacks’ standards. For now, Minnesota has playable CBs in Byron Murphy, Mekhi Blackmon, Akayleb Evans, Andrew Booth, Shaquill Griffin, and rookie Khyree Jackson on the roster. Adding Gilmore could enhance the group.
Before an injury in 2023 — against the Vikings — Thomas tabulated about 44 receiving yards per game for the Saints. And that’s just about what Minnesota needs until T.J. Hockenson returns this season. Thomas has not lived up to this otherworldly shine since signing a mammoth contract four years ago, but for cheap, he could play WR3 for Minnesota.
All a WR3 must do in an offense is grab about 600-700 yards, and Thomas can do that if healthy.
Akers hinted on Instagram earlier in the offseason that he’d either return with the Vikings or wanted to be back. But then Minnesota signed Aaron Jones, and an Akers reunion hit the backburner. The veteran tailback is recuperating from his second torn Achilles and will likely sign somewhere before too long. The Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, and Indianapolis Colts would make sense.
Meanwhile, Akers posted a video on himself to social media that appeared to show the runner rehabbing at Vikings facilities in May.
Renfrow tabulated 1,038 receiving yards in 2021 and then just under 600 combined from 2022 to 2023. His career has stalled, and at age 28, he needs a change of scenery for an attempt at reclamation.
Conveniently, Renfrow is a free agent, and many wonder why no team has taken the plunge for his services as a WR3 or WR4. Adofo-Mensah selected zero wide receivers during the draft, even though the event was filled with promising WR3 types.
In theory, Renfrow should have a few seasons left, so why not in purple as a WR3 on a one-year deal? It’d be affordable.
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 MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, Basset Hounds, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.