More Reinforcements

The Minnesota Vikings continue to add to the defense. It’s no secret that the Vikings intend to find a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft. The draft capital possibly needed to insure that quarterback is perhaps the main reason the Vikings have used free agency to focus on the defense. Another reason to focus on defense is that side of the ball needed, and still needs, a lot of help. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores worked wonders with modest talent last season. Imagine what he could do with a more talented bunch. Yesterday, the Vikings signed a couple more defensive players. 

Jihad Ward, OLB

Kamu Grugier-Hill, LB

Drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Jihad Ward has spent most of his eight years in the league playing defensive end. He played outside linebacker last season for the New York Giants. The Vikings list him as an outside linebacker. At 6’5” and 285lbs, he’s about the size of most of the current players on the Vikings defensive line. Flores likes position versatility from his players. It would appear that Ward provides that. Like Ward, Kamu Grugier-Hill was selected in the 2016 NFL Draft. Also like Ward, Grugier-Hill has journeyed the league. Both have some solid starting experience. Both should provide solid depth for the Vikings. 

The two new defensive reinforcements join a growing list of defensive reinforcements signed in free agency. 

Jonathan Greenard, OLB

Andrew Van Ginkel, OLB

Blake Cashman, LB

Jerry Tillery, DL

Shaquille Griffin, CB

Jonah Williams, DL

Jihad Ward, OLB

Kamu Grugier-Hill, LB

Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Blake Cashman were signed to be immediate starters. Jerry Tillery and Shaquille Griffin could join them in the starting lineup. Jonah Williams joins Ward and Grugier-Hill as additions with starting experience. 

Safety is the one position group with zero free agent additions. That’s hardly a surprise. Even before Harrison Smith decided to return for his 13th season, safety was one of the deepest position groups on the team. The Vikings needed to address every other position on the defense. They have. They needed to add some experience to a young, inexperienced cornerback group. They signed Shaquille Griffin. They needed to sign a linebacker to replace Jordan Hicks. Cashman returned to his Minnesota home. They needed linebacker depth. Grugier-Hill should fill that role. After losing Danielle Hunter, D.J. Wonnum, and Marcus Davenport in free agency, the Vikings needed an overhaul of their edge rushers. Enter Greenard, Van Ginkel, and Ward. While the Vikings did add some defensive line reinforcements in Tillery, Williams, and perhaps Ward, that position group still needs some help. If nothing else, they need some size. Harrison Phillips and Jaquelin Roy are the heaviest and both tip the scales at just over 300lbs. If Tillery can tap into the potential that made him a first round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. If Roy can emerge in his second season. If Phillips can hold up as the current penciled-in nose tackle. That’s a lot of “ifs.” If all of that happens, the Vikings could field an effective rotation of defensive linemen. As it stands now, the defensive line still needs reinforcements. 

The Vikings will probably open the 2024 season with six new starters on defense. A lot still has to be sorted but five of those new starters could come from this defensive free agency class.