The Vikings Have Announced 12 Roster Moves in March
Depending on the definition, the Vikings have announced a dozen roster moves in March. Should Ryan Kelly’s retirement be tossed into the mix? Possibly, so just note that it’s a decision that was made, albeit a touch outside of the norm since recent days have been all about cuts, trades, extensions, and so on.
Otherwise, there have been the standard decisions. Some players have been cut. Others have been extended or tendered. Still others got tossed into the mix as external adds, plucked away from other teams to shore up depth and/or provide competition for a starting spot. Check out the recap (alongside a tip of the cap to the team website).
Vikings Have Announced 12 Moves in March
Extended LB Eric Wilson: A great fit for Brian Flores’s defense, Mr. Wilson is back on a three year deal. He’s aging very well. Good chance he continues playing solid ball while locking down the LB2 job. Can he sustain his very good football from last season, though? Repeating the 6.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss won’t be easy.
Tendered DT Jalen Redmond: Mr. Redmond is a fantastic football player. A great athlete, Redmond evidently has some resilience and a work ethic. How else would you explain going undrafted, being cut, journeying to the UFL, getting a chance with the Vikings, getting cut and stashed on the practice squad with those same Vikings, before then breaking out? Redmond is very impressive.
Tendered LB Ivan Pace Jr.: His roster spot is still shaky. Working in his favor is that he’s a young defender who is aggressive and physical. Minnesota could be smart to keep him even if a trade still appears likely. Doing so would wipe away his entire $3.5 million cap charge.
Re-Signed EDGE Bo Richter: He’s not super long but he’s pretty rugged. Helps a ton on specials, too. Not a bad option as the EDGE4 or EDGE5, especially for cheap.
Re-Signed RB Zavier Scott: For a little while, Scott was hanging out in the RB2 job (if only on paper). Keeping Aaron Jones means that Minnesota’s RB1/RB2 twosome is back in action, pushing Scott down (if only on paper).
Signed CB James Pierre: He’s a touch older than ideal for a free agent add since he’s already 29. What he offers, though, is sneaky upside as someone who finished as the second-best corner on PFF last season. He has good size and is a former undrafted player, making him a nice example to emulate for depth options Dwight McGlothern and Zemaiah Vaughn.
Re-Signed LS Andrew DePaola: He’s an All Pro and a great leader. Makes good bagels, too. Smart deal.
Re-Signed S Tavierre Thomas: He gets criticized for his penalties on specials but he’s very good for Matt Daniels. Lining him up at gunner alongside Tai Felton means Minnesota has a deadly duo charging down the field.
Cut DT Jonathan Allen: He’s a great pro. Moving on is financial. The cut is of the post-June 1 variety, meaning Minnesota is walking into an added $11.2 million in cap space in June.
Cut DT Javon Hargrave: The present-day savings were needed to operate from within free agency. He opted to journey over to Green Bay, making the upcoming games a touch spicier. Look for his burst firing out of his stance. The Gravedigger can get o-linemen on their heels.
Cut DT Harrison Smith: Similar to Allen, Smith is a great veteran and leader. He was shown the door with a post-June 1 designation (an added $1.3 million at that time, for curious minds). Door remains open for him to return.
Signed QB Kyler Murray: Hard to quibble with a deal coming in at just $1.3 million. Very good chance, folks, that he ends up starting (Kevin O’Connell dropped the all-important descriptor).
Note: the Vikings adjusted the contracts for TE1 T.J. Hockenson and RB1 Aaron Jones, shaving off compensation to keep them attached to the roster. Likewise, there were adjusted contracts for several others who weren’t cut candidates (WR1 Justin Jefferson, LT1 Christian Darrisaw, and so on). Moreover, there are ongoing trade rumors around EDGE1 Jonathan Greenard.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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