Our 10 Bold Predictions for Vikings Free Agency
The NFL’s free agency period is about two weeks away, and the Minnesota Vikings have over $60 million to spend on existing and new players — the most in years.
Our 10 Bold Predictions for Vikings Free Agency
Minnesota is expected to fire up a spending bonanza unforeseen to most fans as of late.
So, we asked all VikingsTerritory writers to name one bold prediction for Vikings free agency. And remember — “bold predictions” are designed to be “out there” and a bit far-fetched.
These are their predictions.
1)
Camryn Bynum & Byron Murphy Jr. Back
+ a New Guard
Prediction Maker: Cole Smith
My bold prediction is that the Vikings will retain Byron Murphy, Jr. and Camryn Bynum while signing a guard to a deal worth at least $15 million AAV.
2)
DT Levi Onwuzurike Signed
Prediction Maker: Josh Frey
If the Conference Championship games and Super Bowl taught us anything, teams must be strong in the trenches to make deep playoff runs. Levi Onwuzurike can be a three-down player in the NFL, and the Vikings can use their abundant cap space to lure him away from Detroit.
3)
D.J. Reed Is the Guy at CB
Prediction Maker: Adam New
The first big splash in free agency will come in the form of the dominant perimeter CB they desperately need. D.J. Reed will sign a monster contract.
4)
Vikings Sign:
— Talanoa Hufanga (S)
— Paulson Adebo (CB)
— Cooper Kupp (WR)
Prediction Maker: Dustin Baker
It won’t be limited to Hufanga, Adebo, and Cupp, but those big names will join Minnesota’s roster during the first few days of free agency.
All will be signed on surprisingly affordable contracts, at least compared to their peers.
5)
CB Splash Will Include a Trade
Prediction Maker: Kyle Joudry
The Vikings won’t rely on free agency alone to fill their corner need. Look for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to pull off a trade for Cleveland corner Greg Newsome II while also pulling talent out of free agency’s cluster of players to help the secondary.
6)
Tyreek Hill in the House
Prediction Maker: Ted Schwerzler
Cooper Kupp to the Vikings makes a good deal of sense. Why not run it further and see if Tyreek Hill feels like Minnesota is a winner via trade? His addition would give the Vikings an unstoppable wide receiver room.
7)
Two New Offensive Guards
Prediction Maker: Ali Siddiqui
Who will they be? Teven Jenkins and Will Fries.
8)
Byron Murphy Jr. Leaves
Prediction Maker: Brevan Bane
It’s apparent Kwesi Adofo-Mensah doesn’t view CB as a premium position, and with Murphy’s void date being pushed back and likely price tag of upwards of $20 million AAV, Minnesota keeps their franchise tag off the cap and lets him walk.
9)
The Best CB Duo in Years
Prediction Maker: Janik Eckardt
Not only will the Vikings re-sign their top cornerback, Byron Murphy, but they will also add D.J. Reed in free agency to build the best cornerback duo the franchise has had in years. It’s an expensive plan, but Brian Flores will love it.
t10)
No Big iOL Splash
Prediction Maker: Wes Johnson
While fixing the interior of the offensive line is a priority this offseason, the Vikings strike out on some of the more prominent named free agents and only make nominal additions. Many teams are looking to beef up the interior and will aggressively spend more.
t10)
No iOL Overhaul
Prediction Maker: Henrique Gucciardi
The Vikings won’t revamp the offensive line. Blake Brandel played okay when Darrisaw was healthy, and Bradbury’s experience could be necessary with a young quarterback in J.J. McCarthy. A right guard is still needed, but expect the other two to remain on the lineup.
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.
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