The 11 Vikings Free Agents Who Remain Unsigned
Josh Frey
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The Minnesota Vikings began this offseason with a large chunk of their roster headed towards free agency.
Of course, some of these players have either re-signed with the team or found new homes, but for now, 11 Vikings from the 2023 team remain unsigned. Here is a look at every single one of them.
The Remaining Vikings Free Agents
RB Cam Akers
Cam Akers was brought in by the Vikings via trade prior to Week 3 of the regular season. The deal with the Rams to acquire Akers came as an attempt to bolster Minnesota’s rushing attack. The 24-year-old did just that by totaling 38 carries for 138 yards and a touchdown over six games. Unfortunately, his season also came to an end after his own Achilles tear in Week 9 against the Atlanta Falcons.
OL Chris Reed
Chris Reed has been a depth player on the Vikings offensive line over the past two years, making his only start at center in Week 18 of the 2022 season against the Chicago Bears. The Vikings could use more depth on the o-line, so perhaps they could opt to bring him back for a third year.
OL Dalton Risner
After going unsigned into the 2023 season, Dalton Risner finally caught on with the Vikings during the regular season. When Ezra Cleveland went down with a foot injury and was promptly traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Risner finished the year as Minnesota’s starting left guard. For now, Blake Brandel could slot into one of the guard spots for the Vikings, but Risner would ensure their offensive line retains continuity heading into the new season.
DL Sheldon Day
Sheldon Day has been a journeyman depth piece on NFL defenses since he entered the league in 2016. He signed with the Vikings last offseason and went on to appear in six games recording eight tackles and a tackle for loss.
DL Dean Lowry
Dean Lowry was recently released by Minnesota to help free up cap space. The Vikings signed Lowry to a two-year contract worth a total of $8.5 million last offseason. Unfortunately, Lowry would not find a way to rejuvenate his career with the Vikings, in part because of a torn pec which ended his season. He appeared in just nine games over the course of the year (making four starts), and he recorded 14 total tackles without a single tackle for loss or sack.
DL James Lynch
James Lynch was a 2020 fourth-round pick by the Vikings and has played 37 games for the Vikings, including three starts since then. However, his 2023 season was ended before it could begin after he suffered a torn ACL during training camp.
DL T.J. Smith
Largely, T.J. Smith has been a practice squad player for the Vikings over the past three years. He was signed as an undrafted free agent back in 2021 and has appeared in four games, recording 11 tackles.
LB Anthony Barr
Anthony Barr returned to Minnesota in 2023 after spending the 2022 season with the Dallas Cowboys. For nearly a decade, Barr was a focal point of some strong Vikings defenses during his early career. Last year, he appeared in four games recording a single tackle.
LB Nick Vigil
Like Barr, Nick Vigil was brought in during 2023 in a reunion with his former team. Vigil spent the 2021 season as a starter in the defense alongside Barr and Eric Kendricks before departing for Arizona in 2022.
LB William Kwenkeu
The Vikings announced that they were waiving William Kwenkeu alongside Lowry. The linebacker appeared in six games during the 2022 season in Minnesota, playing 13 defensive snaps and 94 snaps with the special teams unit. However, he was unable to play during 2023 because of an injury suffered during training camp, and he was waived prior to the season and placed on injured reserve.
K Greg Joseph
At the very least, it appears that there will be a kicker battle in Minnesota after the Vikings brought in John Parker Romo. However, Greg Joseph remains a free agent after spending the past three seasons as Minnesota’s kicker. Over those seasons, he has made 83 of his 101 field goal attempts.
Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via Pro Football Reference.
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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.