3 Former Vikings The Team May Consider Bringing Back in Free Agency
K. Joudry
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With the Super Bowl officially in the rearview mirror, it’s now time to firmly look ahead to free agency. That work has already begun on Purple PTSD (just as it surely has in Minnesota’s front office). To climb back into contention, the Vikings will be looking to free agency for a talent infusion. The degree to which they participate in the frenzy remains to be seen, and yet we can be certain that additions will be made.
Expect the team to primarily look for help at OL, DL, LB, and in the secondary. Other areas will be addressed, though these are the major ones. Take a peak at three former Vikings who may be of interest in free agency.
Jayron Kearse
28-Years-Old
PFF‘s 14th-Best Safety
Kearse played really well for the Cowboys last season. Torward the end of his time in Minnesota, Kearse was a great player. The reason for his departure was off-field issues. Former Vikings DC and current Dallas coach George Edwards sees greater maturity in Kearse: “Yeah, he’s grown up a lot. I’d say from my time in Minnesota, you could just see the maturity level, his concentration, his focus on his task and having a voice in the room.”
Edwards goes on: “He knows what to anticipate. That goes with his preparation from game to game and it goes with his preparation at practice. So he’s doing a great job of communicating. It’s good to see that he’s matured and grown as much as he has and making good decisions on the field and off the field.”
The Vikings need someone to play alongside Harrison Smith. It’s possible it could be either Xavier Woods and/or Camryn Bynum. Keep in mind, though, that Kearse played at a high level last season and made less than $1 million. Don’t be shocked if the team expresses interest in bringing him back.
Cordarrelle Patterson
31-Years-Old
PFF‘s 5th-Best RB
That’s not a typo. Patterson is listed as a running back in the PFF rankings. All the attention goes to Deebo Samuel (which makes some sense) but Patterson had the “wide back” role before SF’s phenom ever did. Free agency may therefore involve the Vikings calling Patterson’s agent.
The veteran can still get it done. He can still be a terror on special teams. He can still be a dynamic weapon on offense. Of course, he won’t fit with ever offense in the NFL, but a wise coach can find ways to use him. Could Minnesota find a role for him in their brand-new offense?
Last season, Patterson finished with 618 yards rushing and 548 yards receiving. He had 6 rushing TDs and 5 receiving TDs. The Falcons were able to sign him for a modest $3 million last year. He’ll surely be looking for more in free agency. Should the Vikings see if he’d be interested in a deal for, say, $4-5 million per year over two years?
Tom Compton
32-Years-Old
PFF‘s 16th-Best Tackle
Compton was pretty underwhelming during his brief stay in Minnesota. The journeyman played along the interior of the OL. He put forth a reasonable 62.4 PFF score in 837 snaps as the Vikings’ LG.
This past season, Compton played as San Francisco’s right tackle. Take a look at the high praise from 49ersWebZone:
While Compton’s versatility is what the 49ers coveted when they decided to hang on to him coming out of training camp, it appears that focusing on one position has accelerated the offensive lineman’s growth. Being essentially a utility lineman for the 49ers before taking over at right tackle, Compton appears to be playing “faster” now that his game-day role is more defined. In addition to his dominant play, Compton has been remarkably consistent. Compton has played in 100 percent of the 49ers’ offensive snaps since becoming the starter in late November.
The Vikings would be foolish to bring in Compton to be one of their two starting tackles. Those jobs belong to Darrisaw and O’Neill. Bringing him in as a backup swing tackle, though, would make a fair bit of sense. He made a little more than $1 million last season. It’d be hard to believe the 49ers would be willing to pay huge money to retain him.
Free agency is a little more than a month away for the Vikings. Expect them to pursue value deals on players who could have a large impact.
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