The Vikings’ Best Free Agency Decision
The Vikings’ best free agency decision wasn’t necessarily the one that involved the most money. Rather, it was the one that offered tremendous value.
Retaining Theo Jackson looks like an excellent decision.
Still just 26, Mr. Jackson has been in the NFL since Tennessee made him a 6th-Round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft (an infamous year for drafting in the Twin Cities). The No. 204 pick didn’t make it onto the Titans’ roster on a permanent basis, allowing Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to swoop in, signing the young defensive back in October of that same year. The decision to do so has paid off.
The Vikings’ Best Free Agency Decision
No doubt, the lines needed help.
Inserting Ryan Kelly at C1 and then Will Fries at RG1 is exciting stuff, especially with a young passer in the house. Giving J.J. McCarthy better protection felt like a must; seeing Sam Darnold get clobbered in the Wild Card Round was a startling reminder of how important the o-line is.
Even more exciting — to my mind, at least — is the investment along the defensive line. Snagging both of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave recalls the GM’s earlier promise about a Noah’s ark philosophy. The gruesome twosome in the middle of the d-line will allow Brian Flores to become more unpredictable.
The only downside with the aforementioned players is that they were all costly. Yes, that’s the cost of doing business when flirting with talent in free agency, but it’s a notable downside nonetheless.
Jackson’s addition, in contrast, feels like a savvy bit of business for Adofo-Mensah. Internally, there’s optimism about where the safety’s game is going. In fact, Flores was fairly outspoken in his praise for the defensive back before the season began.
In his career, Jackson has gotten involved in 222 defensive snaps and 875 special teams snaps. He has made an impression in his limited chances.
Across seventeen games last season, Jackson picked up 17 tackles to stand alongside an interception and 3 passes defended. The year before, Jackson had 21 tackles, 1 interception, and 1 pass defended. The thinking is that the tackles and plays on the ball are going to become much more abundant when his role is allowed to grow. After Harrison Smith and Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson is the next one up.
Across his limited snaps, Jackson has earned strong grades on PFF: 85.0 in 2022, 67.6 in 2023, and 79.2 in 2024. Again, a small sample but still encouraging.
Finally, there’s the value within the deal. Jackson’s opening cap charge comes in at … $2,150,000. In 2026, the number takes a small jump by going up to $2,500,000 before rising to $4,715,000 in 2027. Very modest in the world of NFL finances, especially if he turns into the impact starter that Minnesota thinks he can become. Remember, folks, that Camryn Bynum was signed for $60 million across four seasons, so we’re talking about tremendous value.
Note: OTC does clarify that there’s “an additional $3.3 million […] available through performance and playtime incentives.” Earning those incentives would be a good “problem” since it means Jackson played well.
Theo Jackson stands at 6’1″ and weighs 198 pounds. Keep an eye on #26 in the secondary once the season gets going.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
The Lingering Vikings Problem and The Solution Hiding in Plain Sight
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 social media (Bluesky & Twitter). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.