NFL analyst shines light on underrated aspect of Minnesota Vikings roster that shouldn’t be overlooked
There were a lot of things that didn’t go great during Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s tenure, but his staff did a good job identifying talent.
When you build out a roster, there are multiple avenues to get talent.
Most will prioritize finding it in the NFL Draft, and it’s the smartest strategy. However, you need to attack other areas to craft a Super Bowl roster. Free agency is a key element to building it out, but an underrated aspect is finding undrafted free agents. Superstars may get you to the Super Bowl, but the game is often defined by the successes and failures of the back end of the roster.
Minnesota Vikings UDFA exploits highlighted in all undrafted team
The Vikings have done a great job finding talent in the undrafted free agent process, along with bringing in players from other leagues. They have had 16 undrafted free agents and players from the UFL and CFL make the initial 53-man roster over the last four years.
Pro Football Focus’ Daire Carragher had two Vikings players on the all-undrafted team, highlighted by Jalen Redmond.
“He is paired here with Jalen Redmond, one of the NFL’s most versatile defensive linemen. Redmond has experience across the defensive front, with snaps everywhere from nose tackle to edge defender. Although he did not establish himself until age 25, he has quickly become a dependable contributor. Consecutive seasons with PFF grades in the 70.0s highlight both his consistency and positional value.”
Redmond hasn’t just been a good player for the Vikings, but he’s been revolutionary for a defensive line that has been desperate for a star to emerge. They got that in Redmond, who emerged as that guy last year. They should be working on an extension for Redmond, but he may want to wait for one more great year, especially after Jeffrey Simmons just got $35 million per season on his new extension.
The Vikings had one other player on the team in cornerback James Pierre, who they signed this offseason to a two-year deal worth $8.25 million.
“Pierre saw limited action during his sixth NFL season in Pittsburgh but appears poised for a larger role with Minnesota in 2026. Despite his modest workload, he delivered elite results. Pierre earned the highest PFF coverage grade among NFL cornerbacks (88.9) and allowed just 16 receptions across 255 coverage snaps.”
Having two players on the list is a good thing, and continuing that success could easily happen, especially with the likes of wide receiver Dillon Bell and defensive lineman Elijah Williams.
