2013 Free Agent Tracker & Discussion

[Eli]

Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA)
Devin Aromashodu WR - Signed by Chicago Bears (1 year, $715K)
Joe Berger C/G - Re-signed (1 year, $945K)
Jasper Brinkley LB - Signed by Arizona Cardinals (2 years, $3.5M)
Jerome Felton FB - Re-signed (3 years, $7.5M)
Erin Henderson LB Re-signed (2 years, $4M)
Phil Loadholt OT - Re-signed (4 years, $25M)
Marvin Mitchell LB - Re-signed (1 year, $815K)
Jamarca Sanford S - Re-signed (2 years, $5M)
Geoff Schwartz G - Signed by Kansas City Chiefs (1 year, $1.2M)
Jerome Simpson WR - Re-signed (1 year, $2.1M)

Restricted Free Agents (RFA)
A.J. Jefferson CB - Re-signed (1 year, $1.3M)

Exclusive-Rights Free Agents (ERFA)
Troy Kropog OT - Re-signed (1 year, $630K)
Andrew Sendejo S - Re-signed (1 year, $630K)
Marcus Sherels CB - Re-signed (1 year, $550K)

Outgoing Players (Retired, Traded, Released, etc.)
Percy Harvin WR - Traded to Seattle Seahawks
Michael Jenkins WR - Released, signed by New England Patriots (1 year, $855K)
Antoine Winfield CB - Released, signed by Seattle Seahawks (1 year, $3M)
Chris Kluwe P - Released, signed by Oakland Raiders (1 year, $840K)

Incoming Players Acquired via Free Agency or Trade
Greg McCoy CB - FA, Arizona Cardinals PS (2 years, $900K)
Rod Williams CB - FA, CFL (3 years, $1.5M)
Matt Cassel QB - FA, released by Kansas City Chiefs (2 years, $7.4M)
Greg Jennings WR - UFA, Green Bay Packers (5 years, $47.5M)
Seth Olsen G - UFA (untendered RFA), Indianapolis Colts (1 year, $650K)
Lawrence Jackson DE - UFA, Detroit Lions (1 year, $780K)
Jacob Lacey CB - UFA, Detroit Lions (1 year, $780K)
Brandon Keith T - FA (1 year, $715K)
Desmond Bishop LB - FA, Green Bay Packers (1 year, $1.35M)




.

[Eli]

The only player on this list that I could say with any certainty will be gone is Devin Aromashodu. I definitely think the Vikings will lose a couple more, but that's going to depend a lot on their other off season moves.

Joe Berger will be 31 and has very little upside, but he has the only real veteran experience among the current backups on the OL.

Jerome Simpson could go either way. Unless the Vikings find three WRs in the off season and draft, he could be back with another short-term contract.

[dead_poet]

For what it's worth, Ponder said yesterday day he'd prefer the team re-sign Simpson.

[Tark10]

Where's Percy?

[VikingPaul73]

Where's Percy?

Percy is not a FA next year.

K-Will is a bit of a grey area. I believe his contact is up but the Vikings have the option to extend him for 2 years at a pricey $17 million. I'm hoping they can restructure that and get it for a fair price for 2-3 years and he retires a Viking.

[Eli]

LB Jasper Brinkley
-I'd bring him back for depth and special teams, but he needs to be upgraded at starter.

LB Erin Henderson
-Ditto Brinkley for the most part.

Yep. At linebacker, I think the ideal situation would be for the Vikings to find two new starters and have Brinkley and Henderson join Audie Cole as backups and special teamers. Then lose Mitchell, Dean and McKenzie. Henderson was an ST specialist for years before becoming a starter only due to the lack of talent. But finding two new starters is asking a lot and probably not going to happen.

OL Phil Loadholt
-Despite the inconsistencies, he's a must re-sign. Not doing so just opens up another need. Plus you want continuity along the OL.

I still can't understand how they allowed Loadholt to reach free agency. I have been far from Loadholt's biggest fan, but you're right, they can't afford to be searching for a starting offensive tackle all of a sudden. I saw at least one NFL writer suggest Loadholt for the Pro Bowl this year, so waiting through this season probably did nothing more than cost the Vikings some money. If Loadholt were signed away, I'm betting that the Vikings would play Charlie Johnson at RT and then plug in someone like Scwhartz at guard. That would be a major step backward.

S Jamarca Sanford
-I'd keep him. Improved at S this year. At worst he's a solid backup/good STer.

I'd forgotten that Sanford has been a force on coverage teams. I think he's better than Raymond at safety, but the Vikings really need a better option as a starter opposite Harrison Smith.

[Eli]

-Kropog and Jefferson should be tendered. Don't expect more than 7th round tenders though. The no compensation ones are more than likely.

I hadn't realized that A.J. Jefferson was as young as he is - he'll be just 25 next season. Worth keeping around, although I dearly hope that he isn't starting at CB next season.

[Texas Vike]

I still can't understand how they allowed Loadholt to reach free agency. I have been far from Loadholt's biggest fan, but you're right, they can't afford to be searching for a starting offensive tackle all of a sudden. I saw at least one NFL writer suggest Loadholt for the Pro Bowl this year, so waiting through this season probably did nothing more than cost the Vikings some money.

I agree with your take, but who is this writer? Did he/she just assume that since AD was running mad that his whole line should make the pro bowl? Loadholt is average at best. He makes a lot of mistakes & penalties. He's huge, but not terribly smart or savvy w/ technique. I suspect that they'll work something out as long as he doesn't get too greedy.

[Eli]

The problem, of course, is that Loadholt now has 32 teams with which he can "work something out". I wouldn't call him greedy, no matter what he does. At 27, he's in his prime and this will be the biggest contract of his career.

[Mothman]

The problem, of course, is that Loadholt now has 32 teams with which he can "work something out". I wouldn't call him greedy, no matter what he does. At 27, he's in his prime and this will be the biggest contract of his career.

Loadholt hasn't reached free agency yet (there are still a couple months before that happens) but even if he does, it won't mean he was "allowed" to hit it. That's a choice he gets to make. Maybe he wants to test the market or maybe he didn't want to get too distracted by contract negotiations during the season. The Vikings approached his agent in October and at that time, Loadholt said:

"They're talking and I'll just leave it at that," Loadholt said this week. "I kind of just let them take care of that whole situation. I don't want really want to get too much into it. Just try to play my hardest and let everything else take care of itself."

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Peli ... holt101112

[headless_norseman]

For what it's worth, Ponder said yesterday day he'd prefer the team re-sign Simpson.

I'd agree with Ponder. One full season with the same team and he could make strides to being a legit starter in a 3 WR set.

[Dark]

I'd agree with Ponder. One full season with the same team and he could make strides to being a legit starter in a 3 WR set.

Also, his injury affected his play, so when he is fully healthy he could make a big difference.

[Demi]

Could do worse than re-signing Simpson.

But I think he might be the softest NFL player I've ever seen. The guy acts hurt every time he gets hit. And must weigh about a buck fifty.

[saint33]

Just wanted to make a comment about the LBs, only because I have different opinion on the situation then most seem to have.

I don't think we should resign both Brinkley and Erin. Erin was merely average to below average on STs when he was in the role, and Brinkley has never had a significant role on STs so it's hard to gauge his value there. I think people undervalue that aspect of certain player's games, valuing having a reliable backup more so than a strong set of STs players.

IMO, we resign only 1 or 2 of the free agents we have pending. I would probably lean toward resigning Erin Henderson, because I don't think we'll find 2 quality starters in the off season, and I think Henderson is a serviceable 2 down linebacker. Brinkley is as well, but I'd rather have my WLB coming off on passing downs than my MLB. After Henderson, I see what both Brinkley and Mitchell are looking for, and if Brinkley is asking a significant amount more than Mitchell, I'd probably lean toward resigning Mitchell as the core veteran backup. He's more versatile than Brinkley (can play all three positions) and actually held up half decently against the 49ers when Erin was hurt.

But the main reason I'm pointing this out is because I would definitely not cut both McKenzie and Dean, in fact, I'd would prefer not cutting either of them. It wasn't long ago that our STs was one of the worst in the league, and I for one do not want to revert back to that. Dean and McKenzie were a huge part of why our STs ended up as one of the best in the league this year, in fact I'd say they are two of the top 3 STs players we have on this team (Sanford being the 3rd).

Also keep in mind, the Vikings have shown a tendency to keep 7 linebackers over the past few year (Greenway, Brinkley, Henderson, Mitchell, Dean, McKenzie and Cole last year). If I were to put together a realistically ideal lineup for next years' LBs it'd be something like:

SLB: Greenway
MLB: 1st/2nd round rookie
WLB: Erin Henderson or other FA vet (but would be a competition in camp with some younger guys)

McKenzie and Dean as our core STs players

Then Cole, a late round rookie and Mitchell or another vet FA battling for the last two spots (one being the primary backup, the other spot a more developmental spot).


JMO though

[dead_poet]

Husain Abdullah - DB - Free Agent

Free agent S Husain Abdullah will work out for the Chiefs this week.

Abdullah, and his brother Hamza, walked away from the NFL last summer to pursue religious obligations. Husain was also considering hanging up his cleats due to concussion problems. The 27-year-old had an extension with the Vikings lined up, but his religious beliefs forced him to turn it down.
Source: Aaron Wilson on Twitter