Vikings’ Special Teams Ace Signs With Denver
Free agency has been in full swing since the legal tampering window opened on Monday. The Vikings have been pretty active, making some big swings with the available cap space to bolster multiple roster holes. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has made sure to address the trenches.
Vikings’ Special Teams Ace Signs With Denver
Two former Colts will reunite in Minnesota. Will Fries, possibly the top guard on the market, and veteran center Ryan Kelly are supposed to upgrade the pass protection unit for J.J. McCarthy. Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen will line up on the other side of the line in the training camp. The two past Pro Bowlers will boost the pass rush from the interior of the defensive line.
On the flip side, the Vikings have also lost some players. First and foremost, quarterback Sam Darnold wants to join the Seattle Seahawks. Cam Bynum has agreed to terms with the Colts, and the Jaguars have Nick Mullens and Johnny Mundt on their list of additions.
Special teamer and wide receiver Trent Sherfield Sr. will sign with the Denver Broncos once he is allowed to do so on Wednesday.
Broncos reporter Chris Tomasson noted on Tuesday, “Source says Broncos are signing free-agent wide receiver Trent Sherfield to two-year deal.”
Jordan Schultz broke the news, including the compensation, “Sources: Free agent WR Trent Sherfield is signing with the Broncos on a 2-year, $8M deal.”
Sherfield Sr. spent one season with the Vikings after signing a one-year contract worth $1.79 million a year ago. Surprisingly, he’s suddenly worth more than twice that. It should be noted that a total of $2 million of the $8 million is reportedly only achievable via incentives.
Still, that’s a ton of money. Most of Sherfield Sr.’s value is produced on special teams. The Vikings used him as a gunner on punts and in kick coverage. He was a key special teamer, which is why he landed on the Pro Bowl ballot as Minnesota’s candidate for the special teams slot.
On offense, Sherfield Sr. caught eight passes for 83 yards and one touchdown. However, he earned some praise for his skills as a run blocker. In his lone season in purple, he played 179 offensive snaps and 221 on special teams. He made eight total tackles, including seven solo tackles.
Minnesota can potentially use 2023 rookie NaJee Thompson as their special teams demon in 2025. He missed his entire sophomore season due to a knee injury but was phenomenal in his rookie campaign.
At WR, the depth still feels incomplete at this point of the offseason. The six employed receivers are:
- Justin Jefferson
- Jordan Addison
- Jalen Nailor
- Lucky Jackson
- Jeshaun Jones
- Thayer Thomas
Some additions will be made in the next few months to get the number to about ten for training camp.
Sherfield Sr. will provide depth as a wideout and valuable special teams skills for the Broncos. In his career, the 29-year-old has played in 112 games, catching 86 passes for 1,013 yards and six touchdowns. He has suited up for the Cardinals, 49ers, Dolphins, Bills, and Vikings.
He hasn’t played for the same team in consecutive seasons since his stint with the Cardinals from 2018 to 2020.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt