4 Players the Vikings Should Let Walk in Free Agency

NFL: Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
Credit: William Glasheen/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

This year’s free agency will be a busy time for Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Roughly half the 2024 roster is set to enter the free-agent pool, and he has a ton of cap space to hire some new players to fill out his 90-man offseason roster.

4 Players the Vikings Should Let Walk in Free Agency

The most notable free agents are Aaron Jones, Sam Darnold, Byron Murphy, and Cam Bynum. But the list is extensive. He can keep some of the departing players, but others will undoubtedly say goodbye.

Adofo-Mensah should let the following four players walk.

1. Sam Darnold

The Vikings signed Darnold to be a one-year bridge player until a new long-term answer was found. That guy arrived in the draft when J.J. McCarthy was selected with the tenth overall pick.

vikings
Dec 29, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) celebrates his touchdown with quarterback Sam Darnold (14) against Green Bay Packers in the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Darnold’s career-best season with 35 passing touchdowns allowed folks to speculate about a future with the Vikings, but the final two games of the season in playoff situations showed his limitations.

While he did enough to warrant a starting-caliber contract from a QB-needy team, he hasn’t done enough to make the purple franchise reconsider its original plan to hand the keys to McCarthy. The Vikings should save the money and improve the roster in other areas.

2. Patrick Jones

Pass rusher Patrick Jones was expected to be on the roster bubble last offseason, especially with Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Dallas Turner arriving. However, he kept his job as a rotational edge defender and registered seven sacks in the final year of his rookie contract.

NFL: Minnesota Vikings at Denver Broncos
Nov 19, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Pat Jones II (91) reacts against the Denver Broncos in the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

In addition to that, Jones is a good run defender, something coaches pay way more attention to than the average viewer. Just last year, ex-Vikings pick D.J. Wonnum earned a two-year deal worth $12.5 million, and something in that range could be waiting for Jones.

The Vikings, meanwhile, have two Pro Bowl pass rushers, and 2024 first-rounder Turner needs to get every available rotational snap, so letting Jones leave is a no-brainer.

3. Jerry Tillery

The defensive line has been quite the problem for years, so it was disappointing when the Vikings missed out on the top names in free agency a year ago. The one major addition was veteran Jerry Tillery, who has a track record of at least providing some interior pass rush, which the Vikings desperately needed.

Nov 17, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Jerry Tillery (99) looks up at Tennessee Titans offensive tackle JC Latham (55) just before the ball is snapped during the second half during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Harrison Phillips signed an extension last year, and Jalen Redmond emerged late in the season and stole Tillery’s starting job. Set to enter free agency with Tillery are defenders Jonathan Bullard and edge/interior hybrid Jihad Ward.

The former is a superior run stopper, and the latter a better pass rusher, so keeping them over Tillery is an easy decision.

4. Camryn Bynum

Losing safety Camryn Bynum might be a tough pill to swallow. He is one of the team’s vocal leaders and his celebration antics surely make watching Kevin O’Connell’s club more fun, all in addition to being a decent safety.

Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Camryn Bynum (24) reacts with teammates after an interception by safety Josh Metellus (44) against the Atlanta Falcons during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Regardless, Bynum’s contract is projected to cost the Vikings $14.25 million per season, and for that money, a safety needs to be a substantial difference-maker. Although playing at an above-average level, Bynum is not quite that. The Vikings should keep that salary in the bank and either go after the top safety on the market (Jevon Holland) or find someone almost as good as Bynum for less money.

Editor’s Note: Information from PFFOver The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.


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