PFF Identifies the Vikings’ Most Important Free Agent
Free agency is about eight weeks away and it’ll be the first major opportunity to reshuffle the roster. The Minnesota Vikings have a relatively small outgoing class of free agents, but losing some of the players would still sting. According to Pro Football Focus, linebacker Eric Wilson is the one guy the club cannot afford to lose.
Their analyst Bradley Locker wrote, “The Vikings significantly regressed from their unbelievable 2024 season, with subpar quarterback play being a major prong. Still, Minnesota’s defense ended the year ranked sixth in EPA per play, with Wilson offering contributions all over the field.”
Wilson was an unsung addition last March, signing a cheap backup linebacker deal. However, a few weeks in, he elevated his play to unexpected levels, becoming one of the most disruptive linebackers in the NFL. He played a big role in Minnesota’s defensive success throughout the year.
Locker added, “Wilson finished with a 62.1 PFF overall grade, mostly due to his issues in coverage. Yet, he was good against the run with a 72.9 PFF run-defense grade and a team-leading 52 stops. On top of that, Wilson added 37 pressures, the most among linebackers.”
He led all inside linebackers in pressures and sacks. His counting numbers show 115 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 17 tackles for loss. That’s the resume of a Pro Bowler, not that of a backup that slid into the starting lineup just because Blake Cashman suffered an injury in Week 1.
“Admittedly, the Vikings don’t have a laundry list of notable free-agents-to-be. Then again, Wilson has proven his productivity in multiple departments, even if the team seeks an upgrade at the linebacker position,” Locker concluded.
Defensive tackle Jalen Redmond is an exclusive rights free agent. Technically, he counts, but he’s highly unlikely to leave the franchise. More unknown is the future of wideout Jalen Nailor, who was the only receiver whose production didn’t drop in 2025.
Wilson signed a one-year deal last offseason, worth $2.6 million. Surely, that contract is worthy of the bargain label.
Initially, Wilson entered the league as an undrafted rookie in 2017. The Vikings snagged the linebacker out of Cincinnati, and he showed enough promise in the preseason to earn a spot. His contributions as a rookie took place on special teams, an area where he is still one of the better players in the league.
In 2018, his sophomore year, Wilson got some playing time in Mike Zimmer’s defense, playing the third linebacker spot next to Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr. He remained in that role in 2019. In 2020, Barr suffered a season-ending injury early in the season and Wilson became a full-time player for the first time in his career, logging 1,034 snaps on defense and a career-high 122 tackles.
In 2021, Wilson left and split that season between Philadelphia and Houston, mostly providing depth and special teams value. A year later, in 2022, the Packers signed him, once again providing depth. He played a noteworthy role with 558 snaps in 2024 and then returned to the Vikings last offseason to complete the circle.
After his cheap one-year deal, Wilson has done enough to increase his asking price. However, it’s important to note that he played well primarily as a blitzer in Brian Flores’ defense and it’ll be hard to reach a comparable level of impact elsewhere.
He played like a genuine difference-maker in 2025, a conclusion supported by the Next Gen Stats analytics team, which included him on its All-Pro team.
Here’s the write-up: “Wilson emerged as a centerpiece of Brian Flores’ defense in 2025. The Vikings allowed 4.5 yards per play when Wilson was on the field, compared with 6.5 when he was off the field, the largest split of any defender with 100+ snaps on and off. Wilson’s 22.5% pressure rate was the highest by any player with 150+ pass rushes since 2022, his 4.4 yards per target allowed in coverage were the fewest among linebackers and his 20 run stuffs were the third-most in the NFL.”
Wilson, 31, will be a fascinating player in free agency after his breakout season. His contract will depend on whether someone views him as a central piece in a defense. The Vikings should strongly consider a contract extension.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.