The Top 3 High-Profile Former Vikings Scheduled to Hit Free Agency
NFL free agency gets underway in 36 days, a period of intense player movement involving all teams.
The Top 3 High-Profile Former Vikings Scheduled to Hit Free Agency
The Minnesota Vikings have 25 free agents on tap to test the open market, though that number will shrink as general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah decides which in-house players to re-sign.
Meanwhile, several ex-Vikings players will hit free agency, many nearing the end of their respective careers. Riley Reiff and Linval Joseph are examples. But per prominent former Vikings who will assuredly latch onto new teams, these are the top three. They’re listed alphabetically.
1. Stefon Diggs (WR)
Diggs tore his ACL in the Houston Texans’ win over the Indianapolis Colts, ending his 2024 campaign and perhaps career with the Texans.
The ex-Viking will be a free agent in five weeks, though, free to sign anywhere in the business. He should be available to play around Week 8 and command suitors accordingly.
Before the terrible injury, Diggs was on pace for 1,054 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns, impressive numbers for a player sharing WR space with Nico Collins and Tank Dell. In fact, there’s a world where the Vikings examine his free agency and bring Diggs home for another hurrah. It’s a longshot, but keep an eye on it.
2. Eric Kendricks (LB)
Kendricks played over 900 defensive snaps in 2024 for the Mike Zimmer-led defense, and truth be told, he was fantastic.
The veteran linebacker tabulated a 75.2 Pro Football Focus grade, dialing back the clock to 2021 or so to his upper-echelon performance in Minnesota.
Kendricks will turn 33 in four weeks, so his NFL clocking is ticking. But based on his 2024 campaign, he’ll sign with a team and give it a whirl for one or two more seasons.
3. Alexander Mattison (RB)
A geographical cure did not work for Alexander Mattison.
The Las Vegas Raiders showcased virtually no insurmountable running back on their depth chart, but by season’s end, Las Vegas started players like Sincere McCormick.
Mattison averaged a horrid 3.2 yards per carry this season, tallying just 420 rushing yards on a team that begged from playmakers’ input. He’ll turn 27 this summer, meaning he has plenty of gas left in the tank. However, after his statistical output for the Vikings in 2023, followed by an underwhelming stint in Las Vegas, Mattison is likely heading toward RB3 roles via free agency.
It’s worth noting that the Raiders need a QB1, RB1, and WR1 this offseason — quite the priority list.
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 Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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