The Vikings have a significant number of players currently scheduled to become free agents in March. Of that number, most shouldn’t cost much to retain. Two will.
Byron Murphy Jr.
Cam Bynum
The hope here is that the Vikings manage to keep both players. Byron Murphy Jr. played his way into the Pro Bowl in his second season in Minnesota. Cam Bynum has been a mainstay in the back of the Vikings defense for three years. Each have earned a decent next contract. Hopefully, it’s with the Vikings.
Now comes a spending spree.
The interior of the offensive line is priority #1. The Vikings can go about this rebuild in a few different ways:
1. 3 new players
2. 2 new guards, keep Garrett Bradbury
3. 1 new guard, new center, keep Blake Brandel
Since last Monday, I’ve flipped and flopped between the three. Most often, I favor #2. Garrett Bradbury’s strengths have always been his smarts, quickness, and agility. It’s his lack of bulk and strength that often gets him in trouble. With J.J. McCarthy stepping in as quarterback of the Vikings, Bradbury’s smarts and knowledge of the offense will be an asset. If the guard positions are filled as hoped, this year will be the first year that Bradbury has lined up between skilled football players. So, two new guards. My dream offseason starts with this guy:
Trey Smith
Trey Smith has three rings as an integral part of a Kansas City Chiefs offensive line. I doubt that the Chiefs can afford to keep him. I know the Vikings can. I believe that he is and will be their top free agent target. After Smith, there are a few guards that are candidates to be the Vikings second guard.
Teven Jenkins
Mekhi Becton
Robert Jones
For this knee-jerk offseason, I’m going with Teven Jenkins.
After the interior of the offensive line, defensive tackle and cornerback probably top the Vikings offseason needs. The two potential free agents that top my wish lists at those positions:
Milton Williams, DT, Philadelphia Eagles
Paulson Adebo, CB, New Orleans Saints
If my dreams come to be, the following will be Vikings next season:
Trey Smith
Teven Jenkins
Milton Williams
Paulson Adebo
It’ll probably take very large contracts to land Trey Smith and Milton Williams. Smith will be the highest paid guard in the league. Hopefully, he’ll do for the current Vikings what Steve Hutchinson did for the Vikings when he was signed about 20 years ago. A deal for Williams will probably be within reach of the most richly compensated defensive tackles in the league. Teven Jenkins won’t be nearly as expensive but he won’t come cheap. Paulson Adebo missed nearly all of the 2024 season with a broken femur. Signing a player coming off an injury is a risk. I believe that Adebo is worth the risk. He was an ascending player before the injury.
Now comes the draft.
The Vikings currently have only three picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. Those three picks are a first and two fifths. The Vikings are expected to receive a third-round Compensatory Pick to boost the number of picks to four. For the purpose of this knee-jerk offseason, I’m only focusing on the first- and third-round picks. It’s too early in the draft process to consider the fifth-round picks.
1. Walter Nolen, DT, Mississippi
3. Devin Neal, RB, Kansas
While I don’t see running back as free agent need, I do see the position as a significant draft need. Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty would be a dream first-round pick. It’s far more likely that he’s selected among the first 12 picks than drop to the Vikings pick at 24. This draft projects as a strong running back draft. There are a couple running backs, other than Jeanty, I could see the Vikings considering at 24. Perhaps Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson or North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton. At the moment, I like an impactful defensive lineman in the first and a running back in the third.
In this knee-jerk offseason, I have the Vikings improving the trenches on both sides of the ball. The game starts there. To insure a strong foundation, the Vikings must improve those areas.
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