The Vikings’ 5 Best Free Agent Signings of the Last 5 Years
NFL free agency kicks off in 15 days, and the 2025 NFL Draft is six weeks thereafter.
The Vikings’ 5 Best Free Agent Signings of the Last 5 Years
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has about $63 million to spend on internal and external free agents.
And to take a peek back, these are the Vikings’ five best free-agent signings since 2020.
5. Dalvin Tomlinson (DT)
2021
Former general manager Rick Spielman onboarded Tomlinson four years ago from free agency, and he held down the guts of Minnesota’s defensive line for two seasons.
He later joined the Cleveland Browns’ roster and still plays there, in fact. While in the Twin Cities, Tomlinson played as consistently as they come, constantly delivering games and seasons with 70.0+ Pro Football Focus grades.
By a whisker, Tomlinson edged Harrison Phillips on this list.
4. Byron Murphy Jr. (CB)
2023
Murphy Jr. didn’t set the world on fire in 2023, his first season in Minnesota. But in 2024, everything changed.
The veteran defender nabbed 6 interceptions from the skies en route to his first-ever Pro Bowl. The Vikings will use the next couple of weeks to woo Murphy Jr. back to the Twin Cities, but his recent performance earns him the No. 4 spot on this list.
3. Andrew Van Ginkel (OLB)
2024
Van Ginkel signed a contract worth $10 million per year last March, one of the best non-rookie value contracts in the business.
He tallied 11.5 sacks, 79 total tackles, 2 interceptions, and 2 touchdowns in 2024, joining Murphy Jr. and the guy at No. 1 on the list in the Pro Bowl.
Van Ginkel might even get a pay raise this offseason. He deserves it.
2. Blake Cashman (ILB)
2024
At times, Cashman felt like the soul of the Vikings’ 2024 defense.
The Eden Prairie native banked 112 tackles in 14 games and represented Minnesota’s most versatile linebacker since prime Eric Kendricks. Here’s to hoping Cashman sticks around for the next five years.
1. Jonathan Greenard (OLB)
2024
Minnesota lost Danielle Hunter last offseason, replacing him with Greenard, who played for the team that Hunter ended up with — the Houston Texans.
Ironically, Greenard and Hunter were basically the same player in 2024 per production, with the Vikings coming out on top because Greenard was more affordable.
Greenard, now a Pro Bowler, is the best free-agent signing of the last five years. Adofo-Mensah found a sweet EDGE rusher just embarking on his prime.
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, ‘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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