4 Underrated Vikings Offseason Moves
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has made numerous excellent moves that have gotten a ton of praise. Big signings like Will Fries or Jonathan Allen have drawn national attention, and so have the returns of Harrison Smith, Byron Murphy Jr., and Aaron Jones.
4 Underrated Vikings Offseason Moves
But he deserves more credit for four smaller moves.
1. Re-Signing Theo Jackson
Stuck in an outstanding safety room with Smith, Cam Bynun, and Joshua Metellus, safety Theo Jackson had been a backup safety for three seasons with the Vikings.
When his contract was up, the Vikings re-signed the man, handing him a three-year contract worth $9.315 million. That deal slotted him somewhere between a low-end starter and a high-end backup, and that’s exactly who he is.
Jackson played quite well when asked to be on the field, but with the trio in place, there wasn’t much need in the past three seasons. Bynum left for Indianapolis, opening the door for the 2022 sixth-rounder to play a more prominent role.
However, his salary isn’t high enough to rule out the pick of a safety early in the draft, and keeping that full flexibility of having either a starter or a backup is masterful planning.
2. Letting Daniel Jones Walk
The quarterback carousel has been crazy this year in the Twin Cities, although the phrase “one-way-street” is more fitting. All three of Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, and Nick Mullens departed via free agency.
Darnold was let go to give J.J. McCarthy the keys. The reasons for Mullens’ exit are unknown, but it’s possible that the Vikings simply wanted to go in a different direction at QB2, and the Jaguars called to offer him that exact job.
Jones, however, could’ve stayed but preferred to compete with Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis. He received a $14 million contract for one year, and not entering a bidding war was a smart move. Having a decent backup for McCarthy is important, but paying a failed starter, who has been quite horrendous since signing his extension, this kind of salary would’ve been outrageous.
3. Rondale Moore’s Bargain Contract
At wide receiver, the Vikings are set with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, but they need a couple of additional weapons. Those include Jalen Nailor, who scored six times last season, and newcomer Rondale Moore.
Moore, a former second-rounder, missed the entire 2024 campaign due to a knee injury, and he might miss some time in training camp. Regardless, only $250,000 of his $2 million salary is guaranteed.
The shifty pass-catcher brings some upside and virtually no downside, considering his cheap deal the team can easily get out of.
4. Trading Ed Ingram
The new-looking offensive line is quite fun, with Ryan Kelly and Will Fries obtaining starting spots. Garrett Bradbury was cut and has since joined the Patriots. Dalton Risner is still a free agent.
The guy who lost his starting job to Risner, Ed Ingram, was shipped to the Texans, who paid a sixth-round pick to acquire the reserve. That pick was used in the deal that brought Jordan Mason to Minnesota.
Getting a draft pick for a player who clearly had no future with the organization is a significant achievement.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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