The Vikings’ Next Signings Appear Straightforward
A bit earlier in the week, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah got the party started by re-signing safety Theo Jackson. Doing so kept the young defensive back in town for the upcoming season, thus solidifying Brian Flores’ safety depth (the DC loves his safeties).
The Jackson signing, of course, is simply the beginning. Plenty of work lies ahead as the Vikings get closer to moving out of the calm before the storm and into free agency’s heavy rain and wind. And while Kirk Cousins, Danielle Hunter, and Justin Jefferson (among a few others) are commanding the majority of the headlines — which is to say nothing of the major cap boost — the Vikings’ next signings appear pretty straightforward.
The Vikings’ Next Signings Appear Straightforward
Expect Minnesota to chip away at their RFA list a bit more.
Currently, the Vikings are thinking about what the future holds for the team and then a trio of players: running back Cam Akers, offensive lineman Blake Brandel, and defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga. Of the trio, Brandel seems like a lock, Tonga’s return is probable, and Akers is a mystery.
Mr. Brandel isn’t going anywhere. Last season, Kevin O’Connell and Wes Phillips had good things to say about the 6’7″, 315-pound offensive tackle who transitioned into being the backup right guard. He has filled in at left tackle and right guard when needed, demonstrating admirable versatility. Plus, his rookie season even featured 64 snaps as a tight end.
He’ll command a $940,000 contract in 2024. Consider it a Brandel bargain.
Tonga took a step back under Flores’ tutelage in 2023, which was both discouraging and surprising. At 338 pounds, Tonga was literally the Vikings’ largest player. He’s a nose tackle on a team that wasn’t bursting at the seams with defensive line talent. Things are still pretty thin up front with just Harrison Phillips, Dean Lowry, and Jaquelin Roy under contract.
Tonga’s $825,000 price tag is pretty reasonable. A team isn’t going to get in too much trouble when it’s handing out that kind of money.
And then there’s Mr. Akers. A couple things are working against him.
For starters, there’s the Achilles tear and recovery. Akers has previously worked through major injury so there’s likely some concern about the runner’s ability to get and stay healthy. And then there’s the broader landscape of the running back room in Minnesota. The Vikings already have Alexander Mattison, Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu, DeWayne McBride, and Myles Gaskin under contract. Does Akers as the sixth make sense?
Keeping him would mean handing over more than $1.5 million. Too expensive? Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will need to make the call.
Finally, one thinks of the ERFAs: tight end Nick Muse and defensive tackle T.J. Smith.
Muse is very likely to return given that he stuck around the roster last season even though Minnesota boasted wonderful depth at the position in T.J. Hockenson, Josh Oliver, and Johnny Mundt. With the first name on that list — Hockenson — recovering from a serious injury and the final name on that list — Mundt — heading toward free agency, Muse seems like a good bet to continue being a backup tight end for the Vikings.
As always, the word of caution with Adofo-Mensah: the GM isn’t constrained by what seems obvious to everyone else. Quite often, he’s willing to pursue his own path (like trading back with the Lions, making Oliver his first major FA signing in 2023, etc.).
So, stay tuned. Things look predictable with guys like Brandel and Muse, but the Vikings’ GM keeps us on our toes. Minnesota has roughly $36 million in cap space.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, Spotrac, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.