6 Former Vikings Starters That Remain on the Free Agency Market
Josh Frey
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The major waves of free agency are well behind us, but a number of prominent former Vikings starters remain available on the open market. As the 2023 season approaches, here is a look at six of the former Vikings that continue looking for a landing spot this season.
Anthony Barr
Anthony Barr was the ninth overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Vikings, and he spent his first eight NFL seasons in Minnesota, earning four Pro Bowl berths before joining the Cowboys in 2022.
Barr totaled 495 tackles for the Vikings, including 39 tackles for loss, 17.5 sacks, 31 passes defended, 8 forced fumbles, 7 fumble recoveries, 5 interceptions, and a defensive touchdown as a Viking. This past season, he played 14 games for Dallas, including 10 starts.
TE Kyle Rudolph
It’s tough to say whether or not Kyle Rudolph is actively looking for an NFL team in 2023 after spending the 2022 season largely riding the pine for Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, in his hay day with the Minnesota Vikings, Rudolph was a staple in the offense.
Rudolph was the 43rd overall pick in the 2011 Draft by the Vikings, and right away, this pick proved to be the right one for Minnesota as in just his second year he was named a Pro Bowler for catching 53 passes, including 9 TDs. In all, Rudolph totaled 453 receptions, 4488 yards, and 48 TDs over 10 years with the Vikings before departing in 2021.
QB Teddy Bridgewater
One of the more beloved former Vikings, Teddy Bridgewater has been an NFL journeyman since leaving Minnesota after suffering his very serious knee injury back in 2016. However, prior to stints with the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, and Miami Dolphins, he put together a very impressive two years in Minnesota following being the 32nd overall pick in 2014.
In his rookie season, Bridgewater saw the field for 12 games, helping lead the Vikings to a 6-6 record in those games. It was a great launching pad into the 2015 season in which he was named a Pro Bowler for helping the Vikings get into the playoffs at 11-5. Bridgewater’s career is probably one of the bigger “what if” storylines of the Vikings franchise over the past decade.
NT Linval Joseph
Linval Joseph is the first player on this list that wasn’t actually drafted by the Vikings, being a second-round selection by the New York Giants back in 2010, but he has spent more time with the Vikings than any other NFL team throughout his career.
Following the conclusion of his rookie contract, Joseph joined the Vikings in 2014, and he remained with the team for six years, being a part of three playoff runs along the way, including Minnesota’s 2017 run to the NFC Championship Game. He started 88 games for the Vikings, recording 350 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, and six forced fumbles with Minnesota.
S Anthony Harris
Anthony Harris is as much of an underdog story as anyone in recent Vikings history. After playing his college ball at Virginia, Harris went undrafted in 2015 and signed onto the Vikings practice squad after spending training camp with the team.
This UDFA signing resulted in a six-year career with the Vikings, including five years from 2016-2021 where he played at least 14 games for Minnesota. In 2019, he led the NFL with six interceptions, including a pick-six.
After his six years with the Vikings, Harris joined the Eagles in 2021 and spent the 2022 season splitting time between Philadelphia and the Denver Broncos.
CB Mackensie Alexander
Mackensie Alexander is the final player on this list, and he is also the only player to have two separate stints with the Vikings. He was drafted by Minnesota back in 2016, being selected with the 54th overall pick. He manned the slot for the Vikings during the first four years of his career before signing with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020.
However, that one-year stint with Cincinnati ended with Alexander coming back to Minnesota for the 2021 season where he played 16 games and defended five passes. He then joined Barr in Dallas for the 2022 season and played just one game during that campaign.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.