One Free Agent Just Makes Too Much Sense for the Vikings
After re-signing over a dozen players to futures contracts last week, the Minnesota Vikings have over $55 million to spend on free agency in 2025.
Vikings Free Agency: One Guy Stands off the Page
Roughly half the roster is scheduled to hit free agency, so much of the projected $58 million will be used to sign in-house free agents. But some cash will be left over for newcomers, akin to how Minnesota added Sam Darnold, Aaron Jones, Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Blake Cashman, and others last offseason.
And when the rubber hits the road in free agency this March, one player just makes too much sense for the purple team — safety Jevon Holland.
Why Holland? Well, the explanation is simple.
- The Vikings might have an abrupt safety need in no time.
- Brian Flores drafted Holland in Miami four years ago.
For starters, the Vikings have two safeties with unknown futures. Long-time beloved safety Harrison Smith will turn 36 next month, and he sounded like a man ready to retire after Minnesota’s Wildcard Round playoff loss one week ago. Smith could still return for Year No. 14, but it wouldn’t be weird one bit for the veteran to ride into the sunset.
Meanwhile, Smith’s teammate, Camryn Bynum, is slated to hit the open market in March, and his price tag might be too spendy for Minnesota’s budget, especially if the Vikings allocate ample funds to Sam Darnold, also a free agent.
Therefore, there’s a reasonable chance the Vikings glance at this safety room entering the offseason:
- Josh Metellus
- Jay Ward
Slim pickings, eh?
It’s worth noting that depth safety Theo Jackson will likely return for 2025 and beyond, but it’s unclear if he’s a starting-caliber commodity.
Holland’s next contract — for some team — will probably fetch around $15 million per season, money well spent by Minnesota if Smith and Bynum depart. Here’s Holland’s Pro Football Focus resume through four seasons:
2024: 63.0
2023: 90.4
2022: 65.5
2021: 84.7
Holland is a versatile safety who can do it all, not outwardly displaying many weaknesses. And if Brian Flores returns to Minnesota for Year No. 3 — he could earn a head coach promotion during this year’s carousel — Holland’s versatility is just what the doctor ordered in Flores’ system.
The 24-year-old might even be the best safety in the NFL.
If not Holland, other free-agent safeties like Talanoa Hufanga and Justin Reid could be available for Minnesota and 31 other teams.
But circle Holland as a Vikings target because of the vivid Flores connection and the budding roster need.
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 Vikings 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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