4 Definitive Things We Know about Vikings Free Agency
Free agency in the NFL begins on Monday, with “legal tampering.” Player movement will be fast and furious.
4 Definitive Things We Know about Vikings Free Agency
The Minnesota Vikings have about $63 million to spend on the process, and most expect the team to improve the depth chart by leaps and bounds.
On the whole, these are four definitive things we already know about Vikings’ free agency, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = most important).
4. DT Is on the Way
Thanks to general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s comments at the NFL Combine, one longstanding Vikings dream will come true, assuming the young executive wasn’t exaggerating — Minnesota will sign or draft a splashy defensive tackle.
“To play January football, there’s a certain way you’ve got to play. You’ve got to be able to control the ball, and be able to get after the passer with just four. We need to get better and will,” the Vikings boss told reporters.
The defensive line’s edges are all set for the long term (Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner), so Adofo-Mensah just has to mean DT with those comments.
There are some free-agent options next week:
- Jonathan Allen
- Poona Ford
- Javon Hargrave
- B.J. Hill
- Sebastian Joseph-Day
- Osa Odighizuwa
- Levi Onwuzurike
- Jarran Reed
- Milton Williams
3. At Least One New iOL
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell was sure to call out the trenches after his team’s premature playoff loss in January. “There’s no question that we got to be able to find a way to give a quarterback time. Especially with players like Jordan Addison, Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, we got to find a way to solidify the interior of the pocket, starting first and foremost,” O’Connell told reporters.
O’Connell added, “There can be a thousand excuses made. But, for me, it’s the foundation of the interior of the pocket that we’re going to have to take a long look at.”
It would be really weird for the O’Connell to say that — and then do nothing in the way of an iOL replacement or two.
2. Safety Theo Jackson Will Have Enchanced Role
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweeted Thursday, “The Vikings and safety Theo Jackson agreed to terms on a two-year, $12.615 million extension through 2027, with the first two years fully guaranteed at signing, per source. Deal done by Equity Sports Agency.”
Most Vikings fans on social media interpreted the Jackson contract (and amount) as a tip of the cap about his starting role, with Bynum probably finding the franchise’s exit sign early next week.
Six million bucks isn’t fourth safety on the depth chart money.
1. The Most Cap Space in Years
Minnesota has over $60 million in cap space as of early March.
At this time on the calendar two years ago, it had negative $24 million, needing to clear cap space just to get compliant and get out of the red.
Oh, how times have changed.
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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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