When you’re sitting on the wrong side of the salary cap, there isn’t much room for tampering. The Minnesota Vikings eked out a little room as they did a little tampering. After what they accomplished on Day 1, the Vikings will be adding to new players to the roster when they are legally allowed to do so tomorrow.
Josh Oliver, TE, Baltimore Ravens
Marcus Davenport, Edge, New Orleans Saints
Immediately targeting a tight end in free agency was a surprise to pretty much everyone. With T.J. Hockenson and Johnny Mundt, the position was hardly considered a pressing need. The Vikings targeted Josh Oliver because of one thing the offense didn’t do very well last year. Run the ball. Oliver is arguably the best blocking tight end in the league. With Hockenson and Oliver on the field together, the Vikings offense will become more versatile and less predictable. The biggest offensive problems last season came when defenses took Justin Jefferson out of the game. The Vikings didn’t run the ball well enough to force the defense out of two high safety looks. With two tight ends on the field, one of which can effectively move and remove one of the box defenders, the Vikings should get more single high safety looks. Kirk Cousins and Jefferson should feast. At least on paper, in March, the Vikings offense will be dictating things to the defense this season. Last season, too often, the defense did the dictating.
When looking over this year’s potentially available free agents, Marcus Davenport repeatedly caught my eye. His freakish natural talent often triggered discussion in the lead-up to the 2018 NFL Draft. In his five years with the New Orleans Saints, it’s only been a parade of injuries, none lingering, that’s kept him from living up to the hype and talent. When he’s been on the field, Davenport has been a very disruptive edge rusher and run defender. I’m surprised that the Saints let him hit free agency, especially with Cameron Jordan getting older. They even chose Davenport over Trey Hendrickson a couple years ago. Now, they’re letting him go. It’s the Vikings gain. Anyway, Davenport’s addition to the Vikings roster likely marks the end of Za’Darius Smith’s time in Minnesota. Judging from his recent actions, it sounds like Smith prefers it that way. After a single productive season with the Vikings, he’s looking for a big payday on the open market. It might not be as open as he hopes as he could be traded rather than released. The Vikings edge rushing, and defense, gets younger and better. With a one-year, prove-it deal, signing Davenport is a low risk with a possibly huge reward. He turns 27 in September. He’s in his best years if he can stay on the field. His next deal could be a big one and the Vikings will have the first shot at it. As for this year, I look forward to Marcus Davenport and Danielle Hunter terrorizing quarterbacks.
Day 1 of tampering brought a couple surprise additions. Now, it’s on to Day 2.
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