A Trio of Vikings Free Agent Fits as Training Camp Appears on the Horizon
Sometimes, the arrival of training camp spurs action. Are there any Vikings free agent fits who make sense before the players get back to TCO Performance Center?
To help answer that question, I’ve turned to the list of NFL free agents found on Spotrac. Doing so helped me to see who is still lingering around the league without a contract for the upcoming year. Minnesota, a team sitting on north of $23.5 million in open cap space, could seek to add some more talent before things get moving on Saturday, July 26th.
Vikings Free Agent Fits: Pre-Training Camp
1) Jadeveon Clowney, Edge Rusher
The veteran has turned into a bit of a journeyman, an odd fate for someone who was chosen at No. 1 back in 2014.
The 32-year-old pass rusher was previously a focus on PurplePTSD. Bringing him to Minnesota — were it to occur — would not be about finding a new starter. Rather, the idea would be to equip Brian Flores with yet another weapon, a proven EDGE3/4 who could be deployed with confidence.
A top four of Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner, and Clowney could be pretty unfair. Mr. Clowney is coming off a season with fourteen games played. He picked up 46 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 11 QB hits, 9 tackles for loss, and 4 passes defended.
Jadeveon Clowney is an imposing player, standing at 6’5″ and weighing 266 pounds. Note, as well, that he ran a sizzling 4.53 forty prior to the draft, so we’re talking about a high-level athlete (albeit one who is older).
2) Marcus Williams, Safety
Consider just some very basic details.
Marcus Williams is a 28-year-old safety who has 20 interceptions in his career, an NFL journey that dates back to being chosen at No. 42 (2nd Round) in the 2017 NFL Draft. He stands at 6’1″ and weighs 204 pounds and signed a beefy five-year deal in Baltimore back in 2022 for $70 million.
Intriguing, right?
Well, he’s coming off a less-than-stellar season. The folks at PFF gave him a horrendous 42.9 grade for his efforts last season, finishing up at 161st among 171 safeties under consideration. Worse yet, the most games that Williams has played since becoming a Raven has been eleven in a single season.
The Vikings don’t have a pile of depth at safety (unlike past seasons). Making a move for Williams would be about betting on someone who previously showed ample promise, doing so for cheap to see if he could shine as an experienced depth option for the Flores defense.
3) Jamaal Williams, Running Back
Aaron Jones is a strong RB1. Jordan Mason is going to be a very good RB2. What about the RB3 spot?
Currently, Ty Chandler is looking like the top option for that spot. He doesn’t lack for speed and can help on specials, but Minnesota has demoted him at least a pair of times. Does making a move for a veteran RB3 for a season makes sense?
In all likelihood, Williams has seen his best days in the NFL leave him behind. One does wonder, though, if he could do well in a depth role. The bonus is that he did some returning for New Orleans last season, bringing 11 kickoffs back for 288 yards. The 26.2 yards-per-return average is healthier than Chandler’s 2024 average (25.6 yards).
Williams had a monstrous 2022 season, scoring 17 touchdowns as a Lion while clearing 1,000 yards. In Minnesota, Williams wouldn’t get anywhere close to those numbers but he could offer value as an accomplished veteran with great compete who can help on specials. Oh, and proving to be a strong pass blocker would be the cherry on top.
He’s a sturdy runner at 6’0″ and 224 pounds. A contract would be very cheap, likely right around $1 million for 2025.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
