Best Minnesota Vikings Free Agent Signings

The 2026 edition of NFL Free Agency is days away. Entering this year’s free agency, the Minnesota Vikings will have little cap space and a variety of needs. The most pressing needs are backup quarterback and the secondary. Over the thirty-plus years of NFL free agency, the Vikings have often taken a conservative approach to the league’s spending sprees. I expect this to be one of those conservative years. It should still be fun. In advance of the hopeful fun, here are 15 of the best Minnesota Vikings signings of the free agent era. 

15. Lance Johnstone, DE

Lance Johnstone was the Vikings first hit in free agency. He might fly a bit under the radar as he started only 23 games in five seasons. Coming off the bench as a designated pass rusher, Johnstone collected 41 sacks in those five seasons, including 10 and 11 sacks in consecutive seasons. He even returned an interception 33 yards for a score in 2003. The Vikings desperately needed a pass rushing presence with the sad departure of John Randle and Johnstone provided some. Even if it often came from the bench, 

14.  Tom Johnson, DT

Tom Johnson's performance with the Vikings was a revelation mostly because it took him so long to hit his stride in the NFL. He played in the Arena Football League, Canadian Football League, and NFL Europe before he found a spot with the New Orleans Saints in 2011 at 27. He really found his place in the NFL with the Vikings in 2014. Johnson was a terrific interior pass rusher. So terrific that he's one of the best Vikings free agent signings. His impact on the Vikings pass rush is reminiscent of the one made by Lance Johnstone two decades ago. 

13. Corey Chavous, S

Corey Chavous came to Minnesota as a corner in 2002 but really found his home with a switch to safety. His 2003 season was simply outstanding. That was the year in which he often seemed to be the only Vikings player on the field that had any interest in playing defense. He was picked for the only Pro Bowl  of his career that season. Smart football player. 

12. Byron Murphy Jr., CB

Byron Murphy Jr. has had a somewhat up-and-down three years in Minnesota. In my opinion, he’s had far more ups than downs. Nearly all of the 2024 season was an up. Reportedly, the plan has always been for him to spend most of his snaps playing on the inside. His strength has always been his versatility and that is best seen when he’s closer to the middle of the field. 

11.  Ben Leber, LB

Ben Leber was a consistently solid linebacker for the Vikings from 2006-10. He had a great knack for making big plays in crucial moments. The linebacker trio of Leber, Chad Greenway, and E.J. Henderson is one of the best in franchise history.

10.  Ryan Longwell, K

A kicker! The only thing that keeps Ryan Longwell from being ranked higher is the position that he played. Longwell was an excellent kicker for each of his six seasons in Minnesota. He's in the argument for best kicker in Vikings franchise history.

9.  Chester Taylor, RB 

Chester Taylor had an outstanding first season for the Vikings in 2006. He probably would have had several more outstanding seasons in Minnesota if not for the surprising arrival of Adrian Peterson in the 2007 NFL Draft. Taylor's playing time was cut drastically but he remained an effective complimentary back to Peterson. The two formed one of the league’s best running back combos.

8. Blake Cashman, LB

The only thing keeping Blake Cashman from being even higher on this list is his availability. Injuries have peppered his two years with the Vikings. When he’s on the field, Cashman has been outstanding. He directs the Vikings defense crafted by Brian Flores. 

7. Jonathan Greenard, OLB

If Blake Cashman is the leader of the Vikings defense, Jonathan Greenard is the heart. He’s relentless on the field. He didn’t collect the sacks last year that he collected in 2024 but his pass rushing was just as effective. Many of the sacks of his teammates were the result of his work. In recent days, there’s been reports that the Vikings are listening to trade offers for Greenard. He’s the sort of player teams try to find. Not trade away. The economics of this league has always forced teams to do stupid things. 

6. Andrew Van Ginkel, OLB

I wish that the pairing of Andrew Van Ginkel and Brian Flores could be a Vikings defensive fixture for eternity. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a player with Van Ginkel’s instincts. He is one of the most fun defensive players to watch and study. Another season like the last two and he’s moving higher on this list. I wish that he’d come to Minnesota earlier in his career. 

5.  Pat Williams, DT

Defensive tackles Pat and Kevin Williams formed the "Williams Wall." No one ran on the "Williams Wall." It was remarkable to watch Pat Williams move over short distances. He was so big but got through the line so fast. He was a lot of fun to watch.

4.  Linval Joseph, DT

Linval Joseph was a huge addition to the Vikings defensive line in 2014. The only knock on his play would be the games that he didn't play. Injuries kept him out of a few. When healthy, he was one of the best interior defensive linemen in the league. He was a defensive cornerstone from 2014 to 2019. 

3. Kirk Cousins, QB

The signing of Kirk Cousins at the start of the 2018 spending spree was the Vikings' most aggressive free agent signing. He had a legion of critics but his passing numbers compare to those of any quarterback of the past six years. Cousins was signed to lead a talented Vikings team to a Super Bowl win. He didn’t do that. For that reason, the signing will always be questioned. He did bring many thrills and some fine passing. 

2.  Antoine Winfield, CB

Antoine Winfield's signing in 2004 was the Vikings first true venture into big time free agency. They merely dabbled the first ten years. They struck gold with Winfield. He played for the Vikings for nine years and was fantastic for nine years. He made it to three Pro Bowls. He should have been to more. It was a real treat to be witness to his football career. He won't get much Hall of Fame consideration but he's in my Hall of Fame. A great, fun football player.

1.  Steve Hutchinson, G

Steve Hutchinson might’ve been the team MVP in 2006. He quickly changed the level of play and attitude of the Vikings offensive line. And as a result, the entire offense. He was an outstanding football player for all of his six seasons in Minnesota. He was so outstanding that he earned a bust in Canton.  

***

The Minnesota Vikings have rarely been significant players in free agency. The Cousins, Hutchinson, and Winfield signings were aggressive but are outliers. A low free agency profile is the norm. That's why 2006 was such a surprise. In Brad Childress' first season as head coach, the Vikings really dove into free agency. Four players on this list were signed that year. Steve Hutchinson, Chester Taylor, Ryan Longwell, and Ben Leber. That offseason was a bonanza and Vikings fans were delirious. All four helped form the foundation of a team that improved each season. A team that ended up being a play away from the Super Bowl in 2009. That free agency production may have been matched by the players signed in 2024. Blake Cashman, Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Sam Darnold, Aaron Jones. The Vikings hit big on nearly every signing that offseason. They had to hit in free agency because so little help was coming from the draft. 

Hopefully, a player, or more, signed in the coming weeks crack this list in the coming years. 

Minnesota Vikings Defensive Line

Yesterday brought reports that the Minnesota Vikings intend to release defensive lineman Jonathan Allen at next Wednesday’s start of the new league year. Seeing as the Vikings are in excess of $40 million over the salary cap, this isn’t unexpected. It followed earlier reports that fellow defensive lineman Javon Hargrave would be similarly released. Allen and Hargrave were big signings only a year ago. Both 30+ defensive linemen were expected to give the Vikings defensive line a significant pass rushing presence. While Allen was solid for most of the season and Hargrave was outstanding in a couple games, neither took the defensive line to the level hoped for at signing. The combined releases will shave about $18 million off of the Vikings salary cap deficit. 

I expected the Javon Hargrave release. I was a little surprised by the Jonathan Allen release. Releasing the latter will bring a cap savings of $6.5 million. The Vikings will also carry $17.3 million in dead cap money. $6.5 million didn’t seem like much of a savings if Allen was still going to cost $17.3 while playing for another team. Allen was a solid, reliable player on the defensive line. With a very young group, his experience and leadership alone could be a plus. To the Vikings cap professionals, that $6.5 million is apparently significant. While I was a little surprised by Allen’s release, I can see the reasoning. It’s because of  the players that got opportunities with and around Allen and Hargrave. The Vikings have an intriguing group of defensive linemen. The most intriguing aspect of the group is their unheralded status.

Jalen Redmond - undrafted

Levi Drake Rodriguez - seventh-round pick

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins - fifth-round pick

Elijah Williams - undrafted

Taki Taimani - undrafted

Jaylon Hutchings - undrafted

Jalen Redmond is clearly the leader of this young, unheralded, under-appreciated group. He emerged last season as an impact player. He outplayed both Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen and was the equal of some of the best defensive tackles across the league. If he continues to progress, Redmond should be a franchise fixture for years. It’s simply amazing that he was playing for the Arlington Renegades only two years ago. His journey to this point is remarkable. Levi Drake Rodriguez turned his seventh-round opportunity in 2024 into a strong rotational role in 2025. His unrelenting play is fun and infectious. The Vikings may have found a 2025 fifth-round steal in Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins. If he’d stayed at Georgia, he might’ve played his way into a Day 2 or even a Day 1 pick in 2026. In a rotational role, he had some fine moments as a rookie. Elijah Williams had limited opportunities as an undrafted rookie and ended the season on injured reserve. He showed potential when he was on the field. He has the talent for an expanded role in his second season. At 320+, Taki Taimani is the only defensive lineman with nose tackle size. In his two seasons, he’s often bounced between the practice squad and active roster. When given an opportunity he’s been sturdy in the middle. The Vikings signed Jaylon Hutchings out of the Canadian Football League after the past season. He was a standout in the CFL and the hope is that he follows the path taken by Redmond to an NFL playing field. He’s an interesting addition. Redmond, Drake Rodriguez, Ingram-Dawkins, and Williams are on an upward trajectory. I can easily see all four making a significant impact in the coming years. Redmond is already there. Taimani could certainly maintain his roster spot. His size is a plus.  

The Vikings will add to this group. I don’t see them spending heavily on the position in free agency but I do see them addressing it early in the draft. Even without the “high-end” signings of only a year ago, the Vikings have an intriguing, talented, and very unheralded defensive line group. I look forward to their evolution. 

Tagged Players

Yesterday was the deadline for teams to slap a franchise tag (or transition tag) on one of their soon-to-be free agents. The tag is meant to restrict player movement and the slapping teams, for the moment, hope the move did the trick. 

Tagged Players:

George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys

Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons

Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets

Daniel Jones, QB, Indianapolis Colts

All but Daniel Jones were slapped with the franchise tag. For whatever reason, the Indianapolis Colts decided to get cheap with the little-used transition tag. The last time a quarterback received the transition tag was in 1996 when the Atlanta Falcons used it to keep Jeff George. For a savings of only $6 million, the Colts only get the opportunity to match any contract offered to Jones. If he was to sign with another team, the Colts would receive no draft-pick compensation. I’ve never understood why a team uses the transition tag. It seems that the potential for draft-pick compensation alone is worth the difference in savings. There’s a reason the transition tag isn’t offered used. It’s been 30 years since it was last used on a quarterback. The professionals with the Colts obviously see the right to match any contract Jones might be offered as reason for the cheaper tagging route. 

George Pickens, Kyle Pitts, and Breece Hall were all slapped with the non-exclusive franchise tag. So, the other teams can negotiate with the tagged players. However, it’s highly unlikely that any team would be willing to pay the two first-round draft picks it would cost to sign any of the three players. 

The Colts had a tagging decision to make as both Daniel Jones and receiver Alec Pierce are a week away from free agency. They hoped to get Pierce signed before the deadline. One of the holdups in the deal was Pierce wanting certainties as to his quarterback. I wonder if Jones receiving the transition tag provides that certainty. For $6 million more, the Colts could’ve provided more certainty. I’m guessing that both Jones and Pierce will be in Indianapolis next season. 

With the tagging deadline in the books, the next thing on the NFL Calendar is biggie. NFL Free Agency is a week away with the Monday opening of the “legal” tampering window. 

Franchise Tag Deadline Day

The deadline is today for NFL teams to use the franchise tag (or transition tag) to restrict the movement of one of their impending free agents. The tags have been around since free agency was born in 1993. Teams used to rely more heavily on this tool to retain players than they have in recent years. Are teams better at securing deals for most-prized players in advance of free agency? Are teams simply less willing to use the tags? Who knows? What is known is that the franchise tag has gotten pretty pricey. 

Franchise Tag Numbers:

QB - $47.4 million

WR - $28.0 million

OL - $27.8 million

LB - $27.6 million

DT - $27.4 million

DE - $26.7 million

CB - $20.8 million

S - $20.8 million

TE - $16.0 million

RB - $14.2 million

K/P - $6.8 million

The tags are pretty pricey but they are a reflection of the booming NFL economy. Most teams can easily afford those numbers. It’s really just a question of whether they want to spend it. The best option for teams and players is always to get a long-term deal done. 

In advance of tagging deadline day, only three teams have slapped one of the their players with the franchise tag. 

Tagged Players:

George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys

Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons

Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets

Some of the teams that have tagging decisions to make before today’s 1pm PT deadline.

Potentially Tagged Players:

Daniel Jones, QB, Indianapolis Colts

Alec Pierce, WR, Indianapolis Colts

Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks

Trey Hendrickson, DE, Cincinnati Bengals 

Odafe Oweh, Edge, Los Angeles Chargers

A team can use only one tag so the Indianapolis Colts might have a decision to make. I believe that the Colts will get a long-term deal done with one of Daniel Jones or Alec Pierce and tag the other. Today should be a furious day in Indianapolis.  It’s been reported that it’s unlikely that the Seattle Seahawks and Cincinnati Bengals use a tag on Kenneth Walker III and Trey Hendrickson, respectively. Whether it’s through tagging or a long-term deal, the Los Angeles Chargers should find a way to keep Odadfe Oweh. He was a pass-rushing revelation when he joined the Chargers through trade during last season. 

Today’s tagging deadline is the next step on the way to next week’s start of free agency. 

Mock Draft Monday

Following the completion of the Scouting Combine, here’s another swing at a mock draft of the first round. 

1.   Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

2.   New York Jets: Arvell Reese, Edge, Ohio State

3.   Arizona Cardinals: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami

4.   Tennessee Titans: David Bailey, Edge, Edge

5.   New York Giants: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

6.   Cleveland Browns: Rueben Baine Jr., Edge, Miami

7.   Washington Commanders: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

8.   New Orleans Saints: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

9.   Kansas City Chiefs: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

10. Cincinnati Bengals: Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State

11. Miami Dolphins: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

12. Dallas Cowboys: Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami

13. Los Angeles Rams (from Falcons): Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

14. Baltimore Ravens: Makai Lemon, WR, USC

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M

16. New York Jets (from Colts): Jordan Tyson, WR, Arizona State

17. Detroit Lions: Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn

18. Minnesota Vikings: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon

19. Carolina Panthers: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M

20. Dallas Cowboys (from Packers): Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

22. Los Angeles Chargers: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

23. Philadelphia Eagles: T.J. Parker, Edge, Clemson

24. Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars): Spencer Fano, OT, Utah

25. Chicago Bears: Caleb Banks, DL, Florida

26. Buffalo Bills: CJ Allen, LB, Georgia

27. San Francisco 49ers: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

28. Houston Texans: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama

29. Los Angeles Rams: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo

30. Denver Broncos: Peter Woods, DL, Clemson

31. New England Patriots: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah

32. Seattle Seahawks: Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame

Until the next one. 

Another Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft

With the Scouting Combine coming to an end, it’s definitely NFL Draft season. Here’s another swing at a Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft.

1. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo

2. Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State

3. Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska

3. Tim Keenan III, DL, Alabama

5. Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State

6. Logan Jones, C, Iowa

7. Kage Casey, OT, Boise State

7. Eli Heidenreich, FB, Navy

7. Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State

I sure wish the Compensatory picks would be announced so that we know exactly how many and what picks the Vikings will have. Every 7-round mock draft seems to have a different accounting of the team’s picks. 

My initial thoughts on the first round were focused on the cornerbacks and maybe defensive line. The Vikings 18th pick seemed to fit nicely with the players at those positions. The more I familiarize myself with the players in this draft the more I see depth at corner and a drop-off at safety. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren and Chris Johnson would be excellent additions to the Vikings secondary. I really like the defensive lineman potentially available in the first round. It’s tough to pass on them for the secondary. Tim Keenan III in the third will immediately help the run defense. 

Center, running back, and receiver are the top offensive needs. Emmett Johnson, Ted Hurst, and Logan Jones nicely address those needs. 

While I really like the players in this mock, I don’t like that linebacker isn’t addressed. At the start of the draft process, I didn’t really think of linebacker as a first-round option. Now, I’m thinking a player like Georgia’s C.J. Allen as a legitimate option. Future mocks might include him. 

The Salary Cap Is In!

The NFL salary cap for the 2026 season will be $301.2 million. That’s a $22 million increase over last year. The cap has increased 40% since the pandemic-altered 2020 season. The NFL is doing just fine. 

The NFL introduced the salary cap when they were forced to accept free agency. Seeing as the salary cap is a reflection of league profits, it’s an interesting evolution.

NFL Salary Cap Through The Years (in millions)

1994: $34.608 

1995: $37.100

1996: $40.753

1997: $41.454

1998: $52.388

1999: $57.288

2000: $62.172

2001: $67.405

2002: $71.101

2003: $75.007

2004: $80.582

2005: $85.582

2006: $102.000

2007: $109.000

2008: $116.000

2009: $123.000

2010: NA

2011: $120.375

2012: $120.600

2013: $123.000

2014: $133.000

2015: $143.280

2016: $155.270

2017: $167.000

2018: $177.200

2019: $188.200

2020: $198.200

2021: $182.500

2022: $208.200

2023: $224.800

2024: $255.400

2025: $279.200

2026: $301.200

The 2010 season cap was uncapped due to the expiration of the 2006 Collective Bargaining Agreement. 

Despite being well aware of the unrelenting growth of the NFL, it still amazes me that the salary cap has jumped nearly $100 million since 2022. 

It’s also amazing that there are current players with an annual salary equal to the salary cap for an entire team during the 1998 season. 

With the salary cap set at $301.2, the Minnesota Vikings are $45,506,353 over the cap. There’s some work to be done over the next two weeks just to get even. The Vikings need to get better than even.