Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell are in Palm Beach for the 2022 NFL’s Annual League Meeting. While the team’s top decision-makers were out of the office, those that remained met with and signed a couple free agents.
Jesse Davis, G
Nate Hairston, CB
Both play positions of great need for the Vikings. Undrafted out of Idaho in 2015, Jesse Davis started his NFL career on the practice squad of the Seattle Seahawks and then the New York Jets. After two seasons, he found a home in Miami. He’s spent most of the past five seasons as a starter for the Dolphins. His starts came at all line positions but center so he’ll provide nice versatility. For now, he might be the leading candidate to be the Vikings starting right guard. At best, Davis provides a steady, veteran presence at a position that had none of that last season. At worst, he provides experienced, versatile offensive line depth. The Vikings might hope that 2021 third-round pick Wyatt Davis earns the right guard job but he showed nothing as a rookie. With a new coaching staff, nearly all of the Vikings players are starting with a clean slate. Wyatt Davis might be the player most in need of a clean slate. The Jesse Davis signing might not be the “big-time” offensive line signing that many hoped but the offensive line group is better with this signing. Nate Hairston was originally a 2017 fifth-round pick out of Temple by the Indianapolis Colts. From 2017-18, he started 11 games and played in 27 games. On August 28, 2019, he was traded to the New York Jets for a conditional sixth-round pick. He started six games for the Jets in 2019. He spent most of the 2020 season on the practice squads of the Jets and Baltimore Ravens. In December, he was signed off the Ravens practice squad by the Denver Broncos. He saw action in three games with his new team. Last season with the Broncos, he played in 16 games, starting one. With 18 starts over five seasons, the signing of Hairston is best seen as a depth signing. The Vikings need cornerback depth so this is very much a need signing. More cornerback depth was added yesterday when Tye Smith was re-signed. He was a 2015 fifth-round draft pick out of Towson by the Seattle Seahawks. After hanging on the roster edge of the Seahawks for a couple seasons, he found a spot with the Tennessee Titans in 2017. Over the next four years, he played in 27 games, starting seven. He signed with the Vikings last June. He was released at the end of the training camp and signed to the practice squad. He was eventually promoted to the active roster and appeared in five games.
As with earlier free agency signings, the signings of Jesse Davis and Nate Hairston continued an apparent preference for players with experience with the new coaches. New Vikings offensive line coach Chris Kuper was an assistant offensive line coach for the Dolphins from 2017-18. He coached Davis for those two seasons. New Vikings defensive coordinator Ed Donatell was the defensive coordinator for the Broncos from 2019-20. He coached Hairston for the past year-plus. The Vikings are adding players that the coaches know.
Vikings Free Agency Signings (so far)
Harrison Phillips, DT
Jordan Hicks, LB
Johnny Mundt, TE
Austin Schlottman, G/C
Za’Darius Smith, LB
Chandon Sullivan, CB
Jesse Bates, G
Nate Hairston, CB
The Vikings still need still need cornerbacks. The depth is improved but there is still a need for starting caliber cornerbacks. Other than that, further signings will probably be general depth signings.
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