Vikings Fans Eye 2 Free Agents after Trade Deadline
No trades for the Minnesota Vikings during the regular season this year — that was the verdict from general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. So, some fans have decided they’ll just have to sign cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. and/or defensive tackle Christian Wilkins.
Uncharacteristically, the Vikings travelled down a quiet trade deadline on Tuesday, bringing two free agents to the forefront of fans’ attention.
Those two men are there for the taking on the free-agent wire, prompting folks to wonder, “Why not the Vikings?”
Vikings Fans Peer at Asante Samuel Jr. & Christian Wilkins
Either man could be signed after dinner tonight if Minnesota is in the mood.
Asante Samuel Jr.
A man who has lived in Minnesota’s rumor mill for eight months, Samuel Jr.’s spine injury has finally healed, making him available to 32 teams in the NFL.
NBC Sports‘ Charean Williams wrote Monday, “Doctors have cleared cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. for football activities, and he could take free agent visits as soon as this week, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports. Samuel underwent spinal fusion surgery in April, with the neurosurgeon for the Steelers, Dr. David Okonkwo, performing the surgery.”
“Samuel’s representation has been in touch with several teams, according to Fowler. Samuel, 26, played only four games in 2024, with the four-year veteran describing ‘stinger conditions’ in both shoulders as the reason for his absence. The Chargers made him a second-round pick in 2021, and he played 50 games with 47 starts in four seasons. Samuel totaled 176 tackles, six interceptions and 37 pass breakups.”
If the Vikings want more cornerback depth — and if they’re not interested in last year’s options, Stephon Gilmore or Shaquill Griffin, who remain free agents — Samuel Jr. is the last best meaningful hope this season. An expired trade deadline ended all chances of acquiring a home run hitter.
The Samuel Jr. Fit
The Vikings have finally steadied the ship, knocking off the Lions and clawing back to .500 at 4-4. Yet the cornerback group remains a soft spot.
Jeff Okudah has battled two concussions and inconsistent play, and when the defense has needed help, coaches have leaned on Fabian Moreau over rookie Dwight McGlothern. It’s a familiar pattern — playing it safe instead of betting on upside.
That’s why Samuel Jr. makes too much sense. The timing is sweet, the price is right, and the need is urgent. Minnesota could drop him straight into Brian Flores’ aggressive man-heavy defense and let his instincts take over. Samuel Jr. is still young, has real regular season reps under his belt, and doesn’t need training wheels.
He’d come cheap — a half-season “prove it” deal with twice the motivation. And if the Vikings can get him back to his 2022–2023 groove, when he notched a 73.9 PFF grade, the payoff could be huge. Low risk. High ceiling. The kind of midseason swing that separates playoff teams from pretenders.
Generally speaking, the Vikings might be “fine” with the current CB group, but what if an injury besets Byron Murphy Jr. or Isaiah Rodgers? That’s what creates the real Samuel Jr. intrigue.
Christian Wilkins
Wilkins and his former employer, the Las Vegas Raiders, apparently disagreed on his injury recovery plan last summer, so much so that the Las Vegas Raiders stunningly released him. He also allegedly kissed a teammate on the forehead or something to that effect, which sent social media users into a frenzy over the gossip.
Since then, all things Wilkins have been quiet. Total silence.
Brian Flores, who defensively coordinates the Vikings, brought Wilkins into the NFL as his very first draft choice six years ago. He knows Wilkins well.
The Wilkins Fit
There’s a lot of common sense behind the idea of Wilkins to Minnesota. When he’s dialed in, he’s one of the league’s best interior run defenders — and the Vikings’ run defense has been leaking oil all season. Through eight games, they’ve looked a little soft in the middle, exactly where Wilkins thrives. No team has signed him, and at this stage, his price tag isn’t anywhere near what it used to be.
Have a peek at his Pro Football Focus run-defense grades since 2019:
- 2024: 80.2
- 2023: 69.5
- 2022: 78.9
- 2021: 80.8
- 2020: 73.9
- 2019: 66.6
That’s six straight years of steady, above-average play — never a bad season. He’s 29, kind of in his prime, and still capable of anchoring a front seven. It’s not complicated: sign the man.
This is also the perfect timing. A year ago, Wilkins secured $110 million from the Raiders and then underdelivered. Now, he’s chasing redemption, not another bag. Minnesota could get a motivated, proven run-stopper on a discount deal — a classic low-stakes, big-payoff scenario.
For either Samuel Jr. or Wilkins — or both — Minnesota has about $17 million in 2025 cap space. That’s enough to seal the deal, in theory. The only problem? Other teams will seek the pair, too.
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