Pinching Pennies: 5 Free Agents the Vikings Can Target without Breaking the Bank
NFL free agency is officially less than 50 days away.
Unlike recent years, the Minnesota Vikings actually are beginning this offseason in the black with just under $25 million in salary cap space, per Over the Cap. However, they still currently don’t have quite the same amount of money to throw around as other teams (though they have multiple ways to free up additional cap space).
As a result, the Vikings will have to be smart with their money this offseason. Here is a look at five free agents Minnesota can target without breaking the bank this offseason.
RB Zack Moss
One of Minnesota’s main focuses this offseason should be finding a way to improve their rushing attack in 2024. They were one of the worst teams in terms of rushing offense by virtually every single metric this past season, and they could use another body in the RB room to help bolster their running game.
Zack Moss could be a target here for a couple reasons. While Jonathan Taylor was conducting a hold out to begin the regular season, Moss was the main man in the Colts’ running back room. He made the most of his opportunities early in the season by totaling 89 carries for a whopping 445 rushing yards and three rushing TDs over the first four games of the season.
Moss turned 26 years old in December, and as he prepares to hit free agency for the first time, a number of projections have him being a cheap option for teams. Brad Spielberger of PFF projected that he will get a two-year contract worth only $7.5 million while Spotrac suggests a two-year/$9.2 million contract will be enough for the RB’s services.
WR Noah Brown
Another area that must be addressed on the Vikings offense is the wide receiver position. Both K.J. Osborn and Brandon Powell are set to enter free agency, so Minnesota needs to add more depth behind Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson.
Noah Brown began his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys after being a seventh-round pick in 2017, and he hopped aboard the Houston Texans during the 2023 season. During this past year, Brown proved to be a terrific deep-threat for rookie QB C.J. Stroud. He caught 33 passes for 567 yards and a pair of touchdowns last season, averaging 17.2 yards per reception.
Playing alongside Addison and Jefferson, Brown could continue to be a strong WR3 in the Vikings offense while not being a pocket buster. Spotrac projects the wide receiver to get a three-year deal worth around $16.8 million this offseason, an annual value of just over $5.6 million per season.
EDGE A.J. Epenesa
The Vikings took a chance on Marcus Davenport last offseason to re-tool their outside linebacker position after Za’Darius Smith requested to leave the team. This year, Minnesota could take a similar chance on Bills EDGE A.J. Epenesa.
Epenesa has battled through various injuries throughout his NFL career, but the pass-rusher still has managed to appear in at least 14 regular season games in each of his first four seasons. His career has been a similar story to Harrison Phillips’ prior to joining the Vikings as well.
Epenesa has largely been a rotational piece in Buffalo’s defense, starting just four games over the course of his career and never playing more than 41% of defensive snaps in a season. Still, he has piled up 6.5 sacks in each of the past two seasons and totaled 33 pressures in 2023.
LB Tyrel Dodson
Let’s go back to the Buffalo well. Tyrel Dodson never truly got a chance to shine in the Bills defense until the second half of the 2023 season. He took full advantage of it as well, totaling 74 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two passes defended, and a forced fumble.
Dodson was PFF’s second-highest graded linebacker in the entire league this season (90.2), coming in behind only Fred Warner of the San Francisco 49ers (90.3). Still, the linebacker remains a somewhat unproven commodity in the NFL and should be gettable for relatively cheap this offseason.
Seeing as Jordan Hicks is set to enter free agency this spring as well, the Vikings could find a cheaper, younger solution at the LB position in Dodson, who will turn 26 years old in June. Spielberger suggests the market for Dodson is a one-year/$3.25 million contract in a very deep free agency class at the position.
IOL Kevin Zeitler
Finally, we go back to the offensive side of the ball for the final cheap free agent option. Minnesota could be in need of a new starting left guard in 2024 as Dalton Risner prepares to hit free agency again and is projected to get a rather large deal this spring.
If that proves correct, the Vikings could pivot towards Kevin Zeitler, who has been at the right guard spot in Baltimore for the past three seasons and throughout his 12-year NFL career. Even if the Vikings want to keep him at that right guard spot, Minnesota could pivot Ed Ingram to the left side, seeing as that is largely where he played during his collegiate career at LSU.
Zeitler will turn 34 years old in March, but he has continuously been one of the most consistent guards in the NFL. PFF has never graded him lower than 65.9 for a season in his career and is a very proficient pass protector at guard. With his age taken into account, it shouldn’t take too much money for a team to acquire him in free agency. Spielberger has projected he will garner a two-year contract worth $15 million.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Focus, Pro Football Reference, and Spotrac helped with this article.
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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.