Vikings Free Agent Makes List of Best “Under the Radar” Signings
K. Joudry
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It has been an incredible offseason, one full of massive signings, surprise trades, and one notable unretirement. The NFL knows how to keep itself in the headlines. It’s this reality that allows some important deals to be overlooked. In a recent episode of Good Morning Football, Peter Schrager picked a Vikings free agent as one of the best “under the radar” moves:
Obviously, Za’Darius Smith isn’t an under the radar name. It’s the financial details that make this one a touch more under the radar. His current cap hit is a modest $3.43 million. So, if we simply isolate the numbers, we could say that Smith fits as a free agent who is less notable, even though he hopped over to the division-rival Vikings.
Now, if Smith is fully healthy, it won’t take long before the national media is talking about him a fair bit. Factor in Danielle Hunter and it’s reasonable to conclude that the defense could take a good step forward. Both can be legitimate weapons. The first game against the Packers is going to be must-see TV.
“This a new Vikings team to me,” Schrager explains, “O’Connell is a different feel than Zimmer, and I think there’s some great potential in Minnesota.” There certainly is a new energy. If everything goes perfectly, Minnesota will get into the playoffs, positioning themselves to make some noise. A lot is going to come down to the coaching energy that the clip mentions, just as it will also come down to Smith’s ability to be dominant.
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