The NFL's pre-free agency tampering period has been a thing since 2013. That should be a long enough period of time for something to become the norm. Perhaps it's just me but it still feels a little weird that, after all that has happened over the past two days, NFL Free Agency actually begins today at 4pm ET. Nearly all of the top free agents are already committed in some fashion to their original teams or new teams. However, the thrilling free agency ride of Anthony Barr last year shows us that no deal is a done deal until it's signed. No deal with a new team can be signed until today at 4pm ET. The New York Jets might be the only team that's worried about a player flipping on an agreement.
Since tampering started on Monday there's been a lot of action across the NFL. None of that tampering action included the Minnesota Vikings. It usually doesn't. Their fans hate that. They see all of these "top o' the market" free agents agreeing to deals with other teams and there's rarely a mention of the Vikings. The only instance that I can recall of actual tampering coming out of Minnesota was during the bidding war for Kirk Cousins. They really had no choice but to get actively involved. If they had left it to under-the-radar, by-the-rules negotiations they would've lost their quarterback. The free agency signings of defensive tackle Linval Joseph and offensive tackle Riley Reiff came so soon after the start of free agency showed that the Vikings do tamper a little. They just keep that tampering under wraps. As all teams are supposed to do. So, there's always a chance that some exciting Vikings free agency news pops today after 4pm ET today. Receiver has suddenly become a significant need. A cornerback? Offensive line help? Who knows?
Despite no agreements with new players, the Vikings haven't been quiet over the past two days. They have always prioritized signing their own players and that's where we found the action. On Monday they accomplished the following:
Signed quarterback Kirk Cousins to a two-year extension.
Used the franchise tag to keep safety Anthony Harris in Minnesota for at least another year.
Re-Signed punter Britton Colquitt to a three-year extension.
Placed a second-round tender on linebacker Eric Wilson.
All that was a fine start. A necessary start. Before the first day of tampering was done the Vikings made a big move. A disappointing move. But probably a necessary move. They traded receiver Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills for a nice haul of draft picks.
Vikings receive:
2020 first round pick (#22)
2020 fifth round pick
2020 sixth round pick
2021 fourth round pick
Bills receive:
WR Stefon Diggs
2020 seventh round pick
I'm going to miss Diggs. A lot. But if he didn't want to be in Minnesota it's probably best that he's not in Minnesota. At least they got a nice return for Diggs. A net of two picks this year gives the Vikings 12 picks in the 2020 NFL Draft.
1. (22)-from Buffalo
1. (25)
2. (58)
3. (89)
3. (105)-compensatory
4. (132)
5. (155)-from Buffalo
6. (201)-from Buffalo
6. (205)
7. (219)
7. (249)-compensatory
7. (253)-compensatory
For some reason, many of the beat writers, bloggers, and fans keep writing, saying, tweeting that the Vikings have 13 picks in the 2020 NFL Draft. It was being mentioned so often that I started questioning my 18 years of public school education. I've counted the above 12 picks dozens of times and I come up with 12 every single time. Maybe they are overlooking the seventh round pick that they sent along with Diggs to Buffalo. It's a mystery. I hope that they solve it soon.
Anyway, the Vikings have done most of the heavy lifting of their internal business. They don't have a lot of cap room but I'm hoping that they can manage judicious contracts to bring back a few more of their own free agents. Including:
Everson Griffen, DE
Dan Bailey, K
one or more of the following offensive linemen:
Rashod Hill
Dakota Dozier
Brett Jones
and maybe even:
Mackensie Alexander, CB
If the Vikings can manage some of the above, my wish list of free agents looks a little something like this:
Robby Anderson, WR
or
Breshad Perriman, WR
Desmond Trufant, CB
Eli Apple, CB
Nickell Robey-Coleman, CB (if they can't re-sign Alexander)
Maybe an offensive lineman or two if they can't sign their own.
This doesn't feel like a year that Vikings make a free agent splash but you never know. In 2018, it didn't seem possible that they could sign Sheldon Richardson (even if it was for only one year) after they had committed so much to Cousins. Cap managing maestro Rob Brzezinski routinely surprises.
The free agency fun officially starts today at 4pm ET.
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