Vikings Make It Official with New Free Agency Acquisitions
Josh Frey
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Believe it or not, NFL free agency didn’t officially start until 3 PM Central on Wednesday.
For the past two days, we’ve simply been in what’s been dubbed as the “legal tampering period.” As a result, players and teams have been able to discuss contract negotiations, but nothing has been able to become official until now.
Vikings Make It Official with New Free Agency Acquisitions
Over the past two days, the Vikings have agreed to terms with a few of their own free agents, but also new players like OLB Jonathan Greenard, OLB Andrew Van Ginkel, LB Blake Cashman, QB Sam Darnold, RB Aaron Jones, and K John Parker Romo.
And now that the new league year has arrived, thus marking the official start of free agency, the Vikings have begun announcing these signings and making them official.
Throughout the early stages of the free agency process, the Vikings have spent a large chunk of their time focusing on retooling the defensive side of the ball. Greenard and Van Ginkel are poised to be the team’s new edge rushers after Danielle Hunter opted to head to the Houston Texans. The duo, on separate teams of course, produced a combined 18.5 sacks in 2023.
Meanwhile, Blake Cashman seems like a rather seamless replacement for Jordan Hicks at the inside linebacker spot (while also being about four years younger) after Hicks signed with the Cleveland Browns. Playing for the Texans in 2023, Cashman put together 106 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, five passes defended, and an interception.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Vikings will look very different as well at some key positions with their signings. After releasing RB Alexander Mattison a few weeks ago, the Vikings scooped up Aaron Jones after the Packers released him.
Meanwhile, the QB position will look very different in Minnesota after Kirk Cousins left for the Falcons. Darnold earned himself a $10 million contract for this season to potentially take over the starting role this season while the Vikings try to identify, select, and develop their QB of the future via the draft.
Finally, Minnesota has a new kicker in Parker Romo to compete with and potentially replace Greg Joseph. The Vikings’ incumbent kicker is still a free agent and has not be re-signed by the Vikings.
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.