Sometimes you come across something and you just can't shake it. I recently saw a list of Minnesota Vikings players that are scheduled to become free agents after the 2017 season. This might be getting ahead of things but it's early July and there's still about two weeks until teams start opening the doors for training camp. These are the slow days of the NFL.
2018 Minnesota Vikings Free Agents
Sam Bradford, QB
Teddy Bridgwater, QB
Case Keenum, QB
Jerick McKinnon, RB
Bishop Sankey, RB
Michael Floyd, WR
Joe Berger, C
Sharrif Floyd, DT
Tom Johnson, DT
Shamar Stephen, DT
Datone Jones, DT
Will Sutton, DT
Emmanuel Lamur, LB
Xavier Rhodes, CB
Terence Newman, CB
Marcus Sherels, CB
Jabari Price, CB
Antone Exum, S
Kai Forbath, K
If their pattern holds, the Vikings will sign Xavier Rhodes to long-term, contract extension this summer. He's a franchise cornerstone. If he sees free agency next March fans will storm the Vikings offices.
At a glance, some decisions will have to made at the quarterback and defensive tackle positions. The Vikings have two franchise quarterbacks on the roster. The opinion here is that Teddy Bridgewater is the long-term answer but his football future has been in doubt since a serious knee injury last August. He's progressing in his rehab but his availability this season is still very much up in the air. If he's on the injured list through week 6 of the 2017 season the final year of his contract "tolls" to 2018. He wouldn't be a free agent next March. It's really no stretch to think that this is the preferred path of the Vikings' decision-makers. Go with Bradford this year and have Bridgewater ready next year. Perhaps they even have both compete next year. Bradford on a big contract and Bridgewater on his "tolled" rookie deal is doable. Both on big deals isn't feasible. The Vikings will have to make a decision on the quarterback that will lead them soon. Having to decide between two starting/franchise-caliber quarterbacks is far better than having to find one.
Some of the defensive tackle position questions will be answered in training camp. A couple, or more, of the above soon to be free agent defensive tackles won't make the team. Sharrif Floyd is attempting to return from a nerve issue that resulted from a mishap that happened last fall during knee surgery. It's a terrible situation and his football future is unfortunately in doubt. Datone Jones and Will Sutton are on one-year "prove-it" deals. If one "proves-it" this season he could get a nice extension in March, or earlier. Tom Johnson will be 33 in August. He's still a very effective situational pass rusher but he's closer to the end of his career than the start. Shamar Stephen has been a nice situational player and spot starter since being drafted in the 7th round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Despite that, he's competing for a roster spot this summer.
Joe Berger and Terence Newman are probably playing the final seasons of their NFL careers. Berger has already said as much. With Newman, you never know. He celebrates his 39th birthday before this season starts but he seems ageless. He might even be in training camp next year as a coach.
Emmanuel Lamur is competing for the linebacker spot long held by Chad Greenway. Lamur could win the competition, be a backup, or not even make the roster. Those are the options for just about every player in the league but it's especially true for Lamur.
Besides the quarterbacks, Jerick McKinnon might be the most intriguing impending free agent. When Adrian Peterson became a free agent this past March McKinnon was at the top of the Vikings running back depth chart. Then Latavius Murray was signed. Then Dalvin Cook was drafted. Just like that there was significant competition in the Vikings' backfield. There will be a running back by committee this season. A committee that could soon be dominated by Cook. McKinnon will certainly have something to say about that as he's a talented, explosive back. Talented and explosive enough that he might be looking for a team next March, a team for which he can be the main guy.
Signing Xavier Rhodes and settling the quarterback situation are easily the most important of the Vikings' 2018 free agency to do list. The rest will work themselves out. Perhaps as early the upcoming training camp.
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