3 Free Agents the Vikings Can Pluck from the Super Bowl Champs
Josh Frey
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The 2023 NFL season is officially in the books, and the Kansas City Chiefs are Super Bowl champions once again.
For the third time in five years, Patrick Mahomes led his team to the mountaintop, but Kansas City certainly had other key contributors play key roles along the way. Now, much like the Vikings, the champs have a number of players set to hit free agency. Here is a look at a few of those free agents who could be targeted by the Vikings in March.
CB L’Jarius Sneed
L’Jarius Sneed has come a long way since being a fourth round selection out of Louisiana Tech. The cornerback has turned himself into one of the most physically dominant defensive backs in the NFL over the past couple seasons.
Over four years with the Chiefs, Sneed has recorded 303 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 40 passes defended, 10 interceptions, and four forced fumbles. Of course, this production means that Sneed likely will garner a large contract in free agency. Spotrac currently projects him to receive a four-year contract worth $65.3 million while PFF projects him at a three-year deal worth $52.5 million.
The Vikings have a decent number of bodies in their secondary right now, but they lack a true lockdown cornerback on the boundary. Sneed can fill that void.
LB Drue Tranquill
Jordan Hicks is set to enter free agency, so the Vikings may be in a place where they need to replace him at the linebacker spot. Drue Tranquill took on a lesser role with the Chiefs this past season as Leo Chenal garnered more snaps at the position, but he remains capable of doing just about everything for a defense.
Tranquill recorded 22 QB pressures on just 64 pass rushing snaps, including 4.5 sacks over the course of the regular season. Minnesota is a blitz-heavy squad under Brian Flores, and they can land another pass-rushing linebacker to play alongside Ivan Pace here.
IOL Nick Allegretti
The Vikings, at the very least, need to add some more depth to their offensive line this spring. At worst, they will need to completely rebuild their depth and find a new starting left guard seeing as Dalton Risner is set to enter free agency.
Nick Allegretti could be an option here to fill a couple needs on the interior. After serving as Kansas City’s primary starting LG during the 2020 season, the soon to be 28-year-old veteran has largely served as a depth piece over the past three seasons.
Even still, Allegretti has shown a capability of playing all three positions on the interior o-line, playing snaps at left guard, center, and right guard over the course of the 2023 season. He also started at left guard during both the AFC Championship Game and Super Bowl with Joe Thuney sidelined because of a pectoral injury.
Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via Pro Football Focus and 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.