Matthew Coller: 12 best-fit (non-QB) free agents for the Vikings
Now that the franchise tag window has closed many of the top free agents were taken off the board like Antoine Winfield Jr., Brian Burns, Josh Allen, Justin Madubuike and L’Jarius Sneed.
So who’s left? Who could the Minnesota Vikings chase to fill out needs at edge rusher, defensive tackle, linebacker, guard, receiver and running back?
Well, let’s have a look at the best fits for the Vikings broken down into categories from the top notch free agents to the bargain bin….
Big fish
DT, Christian Wilkins
Literally a big fish. The Dolphins’ monster defensive tackle has consistently been at the top of his craft over the last three seasons ranking as high as the sixth best DT in the NFL by PFF in 2022 and finishing ninth in total QB pressures in 2023. What’s most impressive about Wilkins is that he is a true every-down player. In a league full of rotational D-linemen he played 952 snaps in 2022 and 895 in 2023 and was stellar against the run and the pass.
The Vikings need impact players on the defensive line. Considering that Wilkins is in his prime at 28 years old, impacts all facets of the game and has terrific durability, he would bring a presence to the D-line that would permeate the entire unit from Day 1.
The price tag is going to be huge. PFF estimates $25 million per year with $67 million guaranteed. That wouldn’t be an easy dollar figure to match but the Vikings can’t build a defense without difference makers up front and Wilkins is just that.
ED, Jonathan Greenard
This free agency class has a number of intriguing edge rushers and Greenard as at the top of that list. He picked up 12.5 sacks in his first year getting full-time reps and put together a pass rush win rate similar to Brian Burns and Montez Sweat. He was also serviceable against the run, which makes him a candidate to impact every down rather than being one dimensional. The Vikings are in need of full-time players on the edge with the likelihood that Danielle Hunter will not be returning.
The only concern about Greenard is that he doesn’t have a big sample size of success in the past and is estimated by PFF around $18 million per year. But he still hasn’t turned 27 years old yet so a long-term contract would make sense.
G, Kevin Dotson
Signing Dotson would require the Vikings to move Ed Ingram to left guard (where he played in college) but that is worth it for the NFL’s top run blocking guard by PFF in 2023. The 6-foot-4, 320-pound veteran moves bodies and that’s exactly what the Vikings need along the O-line as the desperately aim to improve their run blocking. Dotson is no slouch in pass protection either. He has never allowed more than 20 QB pressures in a season.
The Vikings already have the bones of a good offensive line but with one more piece they could be truly elite. If they have a rookie QB starter then nothing would be better for that player than having a quality run game and time to throw.
RB, Saquon Barkley
It sounds a little nutty but if the Vikings are going to be a dangerous team any time soon it’s likely to be because of their offense and Barkley is an explosive play machine. He has 58 runs of 10-plus yards over the last two seasons despite the Giants being less than special in run blocking. Barkley does have some milage but he’s younger than Christian McCaffrey and has similar pedigree as an elite talent at the position..
Paying running backs has generally been frowned upon in the past, though that could play in the Vikings’ favor. The estimated price tag for Barkley from PFF is a three-year deal at $12 million per year. That type of contract could be well worth adding a scary weapon in the backfield.
Proven quality
LB, Frankie Luvu
Over the last two years Luvu has been one of the most effective blitzing linebackers in the NFL. He produced 43 pressures on 250 pass rush snaps between 2022 and 2023 and graded as an above average run defender by PFF. That sounds right up Brian Flores’ alley. At 27 years old he could be a foundational piece to pair with Ivan Pace Jr. to cause nightmares to opposing quarterbacks trying to figure out who’s blitzing.
LB, Andrew Van Ginkel
Pass rush. Run defense. Coverage. Van Ginkel does it all. His versatility led the veteran Dolphin to ranking in the top 10 by PFF among edge rushers, right alongside the likes of Aidan Hutchinson. Van Ginkel ranked in the top 10 in pass rush win rate and allowed just 12 receptions into his coverage on 147 coverage snaps. He was a similarly dynamic weapon for Flores’ defense in Miami in 2021 so there would presumably a seamless transition into the Vikings’ defense.
DT, Sheldon Rankins
Rankins is on the older side at 30 and he isn’t a game changer but he is a solid reliable pro. Year after year he has played around 600 snaps and made an above average impact in the pass rush. He picked up 6.0 sacks for the Texans last year and ranked 20th by PFF in pass rush grade. Rankins isn’t going to improve the Vikings’ run defense but they could use someone who can cause some havoc against the pass. We haven’t seen that since Sheldon Richardson 2018 on the interior.
RB, D’Andre Swift
Maybe it’s just because he seems to always crush the Vikings but Swift is just about the most underappreciated very good running back in the NFL. He averages 4.6 yards per carry for his career and sustained a high level of efficiency with an increased workload for the Eagles in 2023. The former Lions second-round pick has burst and quickness that is similar to Ty Chandler and could give the Vikings a dangerous duo in the backfield.
Dec 24, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (94) looks on against the Dallas Cowboys during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium.
Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Betting on upside
ED, Josh Uche
After a tremendous 2022 as a rotational rusher (11.5 sacks), Uche collapsed back to earth with just 3.0 sacks in 2023. Right now his ‘22 season looks like nothing more than an outlier but at 25 years old and with the pedigree of a second-round pick there could be much more to the story than one season where he shined. The Vikings would seem to be the right type of team to make that bet.
ED, Dorance Armstrong
Armstrong has been hidden in Dallas by the stars but he has 15 sacks over the last two seasons and has produced 74 pressures while only seeing around 500 total snaps per season. He may be ready for a full-time job and at 27 years old he could still be on the upswing.
G, Damien Lewis
The former LSU standout is very talented but has struggled with year-to-year consistency. He swung from the 12th highest graded guard in 2022 to 33rd in 2023 and allowed 10 more pressures than the previous season. At his best, however, he’s a player who can seriously improve the Vikings’ O-line. At 6-foot-3, 332-pounds, the Vikings’ left side could be among the largest in the entire league. Lewis is going to be 27 and might slide under the radar with bigger names on the guard market like Dotson and Jonah Jackson.
DT, Javon Kinlaw
Finally the former first-round pick gave us evidence that he can play — a little. In 322 pass rush snaps in 2023 he registered 31 pressures, 3.5 sacks and a 70.3 pass rush grade. Certainly that’s nowhere close to the expectation when he was drafted by the 49ers but signing him would be taking a flier on a player who might have room to grow. Would the odds of success be high? Of course not. But the upside might be finding a quality rusher for a low price.
Bargains
WR, Gabe Davis
In the right role as a pure deep threat Davis can be a menace. He averages nearly 17 yards per catch over his career with 27 touchdowns in four years catching passes for the Bills. In a WR3 role behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison he could be a thorn in opposing defenses’ sides and a better fit for that role than KJ Osborn was over the last two years.
ED, AJ Epenesa
While he never fulfilled the expectations set for him coming out of college, Epenesa has back-to-back years of 6.5 sacks and registered his highest PFF graded season at age 25. He has never played 400 snaps in a season in the NFL so far, which means the Vikings would be betting that there is room to grow but he could at least add some impact off the edge and possibly become more than a specialist.
ED, Mike Danna
Consistently solid. That’s Mike Danna. He managed 5.0 sacks in 2022 and 6.5 in 2023 with above average 67.4 and 67.0 PFF grades. Is he flashy or a freak show? Nope. But he played over 40 snaps in every Chiefs playoff game and contributed to an excellent defense. He likely won’t have a massive market, giving the Vikings a chance to fill a spot without breaking the bank.
LB, Jordyn Brooks
Life is not easy early in the careers of linebackers in a league that seeks to make their heads spin on every play. Brooks did flash some growth last season and particularly made an impact as a blitzer for the first time. He has a lot of experience with 3,300-plus snaps to his name at 26 years old.
