The Collected Vikings FA Grades from VT & P/PTSD Writers
K. Joudry
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Like with the draft, assigning grades to free agency in the immediate aftermath is often a fool’s errand. After all, we’re still several months from training camp, let alone actual games.
These perils aside, we’re offering up our perspective. The Vikings – like the rest of the NFL – are selling us hope right now. For the most part, our writers are feeling hopeful.
I approached several writers from our pair of sites, asking them to fill in three categories:
- Best Move
- Main Need
- Overall FA Grade
Below, you’ll find the answers from Dustin Baker, Josh Frey, Dustin Klug, Cole Smith, Janik Eckardt, and yours truly.
The Vikings FA Grades: Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD Edition
Best Move: Marcus Davenport. Za’Darius Smith apparently wants to leave — a very Packer thing of him after just one season — so unless Minnesota wants to roll with Patrick Jones, a productive EDGE rusher was required. His name is Marcus Davenport, and he was the PFF top pass rusher on the market. Can’t beat that.
Main Need: Cornerback. The Vikings subtracted Patrick Peterson, Duke Shelley, Cameron Dantzler, and Chandon Sullivan from the roster this offseason. That’s four human bodies jettisoned from an already-weak CB room. So far, they’ve signed Byron Murphy to fix the rest. More human bodies, preferably feisty ones, are needed.
Overall FA Grade: B. The Vikings need CB help and relying on the draft as the cure-all is nervewracking. Get a CB, and this can climb to an A-.
Best Move: Signing CB Byron Murphy. The Vikings needed to get younger on defense, but they also needed to find a cornerback with true starting experience to join a very inexperienced secondary. Minnesota did both by signing Murphy.
Main Need: Slot Corner. In terms of the rest of free agency, the Vikings would be smart to bring in another veteran corner, particularly one that can play the slot. Murphy has experience there, but if he’s on the outside for the majority of snaps, he can’t be in two places at once.
Overall FA Grade: B. The Murphy signing was huge for the Vikings secondary, and while I’m not entirely sold on Marcus Davenport, it’s tough to be mad at the contract Minnesota gave him. Hopefully there are more moves to come, but this free agency has been a nice step forward for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
Best Move: Retaining Harrison Smith. The best move the Minnesota Vikings have made thus far has to be not a signing, but a retention. With a new Defensive Coordinator in Brian Flores, the Vikings defense looks and wants to be more aggressive. Vikings fans all over the internet were hoping that star safety, Harrison Smith, would stay put, and keep this defense together. Smith undoubtedly applies his skillset to this new look Vikings defense, in hopes of returning to his “old self”.
Main Need: Corner. Although Minnesota went out to sign CB Bryon Murphy, the cornerback room is still in need of enhancements. Murphy can play outside or inside, which is well needed, but the Vikings need that true “put on an island” type guy. Andrew Booth and Akayleb Evans have had some significant injuries in their rookie year, and fans hope one of them can fill that role. Until then, Minnesota needs to keep their eyes open in free agency for a “lock” at the outside cornerback position.
Overall FA Grade: B. At this point in time, the Minnesota Vikings have collected “under the radar” positions of need. Tight end behind TJ Hockenson was a need, along with DT after the departure of defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah had a clear plan, and went out and signed former Baltimore Ravens tight end, Josh Oliver, and former Green Bay Packers DL Dean Lowry. Although these are not “needle moving” roster moves, they are well needed and looked over positions. Overall, the free agency grade the Minnesota Vikings receive is a B. Needed depth signings, but nothing to push them over the hump.
Best move: CB Byron Murphy. The Vikings lost Patrick Peterson to the Steelers, but they replace him with a younger corner who fits Brian Flores’ scheme like a glove.
Main need: WR2. Even before the team parted ways with Adam Thielen, this was possibly their biggest need. KJ Osborn is a very good third receiver, but the team needs to find someone opposite of Justin Jefferson who can pick up the slack when defenses take him out of games.
Overall FA grade: C+. The Vikings haven’t made enough splashy moves to deserve a much higher grade than this, but they have made it a clear goal to get younger and to clear cap space for 2024 and beyond. Every move has been intentional and the players they have brought in have high upside.
Best Move: Signing Byron Murphy. Cornerback was the biggest need of the Vikings after the departure of four players at the position. Murphy was one of the top CBs available and he even signed a team-friendly deal.
Main Need: WR. Sans Thielen, the Vikings don’t have a scary weapon on the outside other than Justin Jefferson. K.J. Osborn is a solid third option but he hasn’t been consistent enough to be considered a WR2.
Overall FA Grade: B. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made some excellent acquisitions despite not having much cap space to work with, and he did that by signing some high-upside players to relatively cheap deals. However, there are still some more needs to fill.
Best Move: Signing Marcus Davenport. I know, I know: corner was (and still is) a major need. Nevertheless, we need to look at the upside of this deal. Davenport is a 26-year-old EDGE capable of elite NFL play. How often can you get someone like that in free agency? (I will add that I’m enthused about the Troy Reeder deal, but he doesn’t get the top spot).
Main Need: Slot Corner. Murphy can travel into the slot, so perhaps the plan is for him to shoulder the burden along the inside. However, if the hope is that he’s more of a matchup CB1, then the Vikings will need someone to lock down the slot while he’s lined up on the WR1 along the outside.
Overall FA Grade: B+. Just one more addition would firmly push things into “A” range. Preferably, another pass rusher or someone for the slot. Alas, we may need to wait until after the draft to see what Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is thinking.
Editor’s Note: Readers looking for more information on free agent signings Byron Murphy, Marcus Davenport, Dean Lowry, Josh Oliver, Brandon Powell, and Troy Reeder can do so right here on PurplePTSD.
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