Vikings free agency mailbag: How lack of draft picks impacts signings, how to fix secondary, and Sam Darnold's potential contract

The Minnesota Vikings are primed to attack free agency with full force this offseason. With $63 million in salary cap space at their disposal, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is primed to spend it one a talented free agent class. Last year, he landed three Pro Bowl players, including Sam Darnold and Jonathan Greenard. This year, he […]

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Nov 17, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) before a game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium.
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The Minnesota Vikings are primed to attack free agency with full force this offseason.

With $63 million in salary cap space at their disposal, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is primed to spend it one a talented free agent class. Last year, he landed three Pro Bowl players, including Sam Darnold and Jonathan Greenard. This year, he looks to do more of the same.

There are a lot of interesting paths the Vikings can take and there are a lot of questions about how they can do it, so I answered fan questions about free agency.

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High profile free agents

I think the idea of bringing in multiple high profile free agents is very likely. However, they still need to find a way to strike deals with them. Adofo-Mensah has done a great job in getting these contracts done with the likes of Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel.

The number proposed of three makes a ton of sense, especially with the needs of the Vikings across the roster. I would look at Byron Murphy Jr., Jevon Holland, and Milton Williams.

As far as Grey Zabel in the NFL Draft, I'm not convinced that it's the best idea to take him or another guard in the first round. The last time the Vikings did that, the selected Garrett Bradbury. Is that a bet you're willing to make?

Cornerback depth

The cornerback group is relatively strong, but the second tier has some intriguing players. However, they come with question marks.

The group is headlined by Rasul Douglas, Kendell Fuller, Mike Hilton, and Jeff Okudah. In that group, there is real talent, but injuries and inconsistencies are everywhere with this group. Bringing in one of them along with one or two of the top cornerbacks would be a smart bet to fortify the room for 2025.

What if Aaron Jones leaves?

This is a really good point from Mark. There is a real chance that Jones chooses to leave if they don't agree when it comes to the money. Jones could be getting a decent size deal on a one-year contract from another team after rushing for over 1,000 yards.

Luckily for the Vikings, the draft class is loaded with talent at the position and there are still some intriguing options for a stable veteran to hold the fort. Raheem Mostert, Najee Harris, A.J. Dillon, Nick Chubb, and Javonte Williams all fit what Kevin O'Connell wants to do with the running game.

Backup quarterback options

The quarterback position continues to be the focus of the Vikings' offseason. Sam Darnold is the number one focus of that topic, but he might not be returning. For this exercise, let's assume that Darnold isn't coming back.

Daniel Jones could return as the backup quarterback, but there is a chance he could sign somewhere else to potentially be the starting quarterback. That would put the Vikings in a bind when it comes to a backup.

Minshew isn't a great quarterback, but he's a capable spot starter. Plus, he wouldn't factor into the compensatory formula, a strategy that the Vikings should use.

Drew Dalman worth the money?

This is a contentious one for the Vikings. Bradbury arguably needs to be replaced as the center for the Vikings. After being the Vikings first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, he hasn't lived up to the billing.

Dalman is a better center than Bradbury, but how much better is he? There are rumors that he could get up to $20 million per year. That number is insanely high, especially for a player who is the same archetype of Bradbury.

How much is marginal improvement at the position worth? Considering Bradbury costs just $6.064 million on the salary cap, that's a significant difference. I'd be out on Dalman personally and focus on upgrading at guard while trying to fix center next year.

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