3 Steelers Free Agents that Could Reunite with Brian Flores as Vikings
Josh Frey
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The Minnesota Vikings have officially brought in Brian Flores as their defensive coordinator for the 2023 season, and he will be tasked with turning around a unit that went through massive struggles in 2022. As the Vikings look to rebuild the group, here are three Pittsburgh Steelers free agents that could reunite with Flores in Minnesota.
LB Devin Bush
The Vikings have a need at linebacker, especially if they opt not to bring back Jordan Hicks or Eric Kendricks this offseason. Devin Bush certainly was a disappointment in Pittsburgh seeing as he was the 10th overall pick in the 2019 Draft, selected ahead of Rashan Gary and Dexter Lawrence.
However, there is undoubtedly talent in Bush. He showcased it in his rookie campaign where he came in third place for the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. Flores couldn’t quite get that level of production out of Bush in 2022, but perhaps a change of scenery is what the young linebacker needs.
CB Cameron Sutton
This is probably going to be the most popular target from Pittsburgh. The Vikings could shake things up at cornerback this offseason, especially with Patrick Peterson and Duke Shelley hitting free agency as well.
Cameron Sutton has been a consistent cornerback in the Steelers defense throughout his career, but especially in the past two years as a full-time starter. In 2022, Sutton had career-highs in both passes defended (15) and interceptions (3). The Vikings need a lockdown corner for their new defensive coordinator, and the soon-to-be 28-year-old is a younger option than Peterson.
DT Chris Wormley
Chris Wormley lost a starting position on the Steelers defense in 2022 after starting 14 games in 2021 and recording 7.0 sacks. His spot went to free agent acquisition Larry Ogunjobi, who after a strong start to his career in Cincinnati, saw his statistics drop in 2022 but remained a solid contributor to Pittsburgh’s defensive front.
Both Ogunjobi and Wormley are set to enter free agency in March, but because Wormley lost his starting spot this past season to Ogunjobi, he may be a cheaper option for the Vikings this spring. Currently, Spotrac has Wormley’s market value listed at a two-year deal for a total of $11,858,012. He is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in December, which could cause him to miss the start of the 2023 season, but the injury would also likely contribute to him carrying a lower price tag.
The Vikings could use some help on their defensive line, especially considering their own Dalvin Tomlinson is also set to hit free agency after two years in Minnesota. Over those two seasons, Tomlinson largely remained a consistent player, despite missing time due to injury for the first time in 2022.
With no guarantee that the veteran defensive lineman will return to the Vikings for next season, Wormley could be a low-risk, high-reward option for the Vikings.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. He also earned minors in History, Human Biology, and Journalism. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys marathon training, playing video games, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. For more of his opinions, check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.