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2016 Vikings' Team Free Agents

Robert Blanton - UFA - Status: Signed by Buffalo: 1 year/Unknown terms

Chad Greenway - UFA - Status: Re-signed: Unknown terms

Terrence Newman - UFA - Status: Re-signed: 1 year/3 million

Josh Robinson - UFA - Status: Signed by Tampa Bay: Unknown terms

Rhett Ellison - UFA - Status: Re-signed: 1 year/2.25 million

Mike Harris - UFA - Status: Re-signed: 1 year/3 million

Marcus Sherels - UFA - Status: Re-signed: 2 years/4 million

Andrew Sendejo - UFA - Status: Re-signed: 4 years/16 million

Matt Asiata - UFA - Status: Re-signed: 1 year/Unknown terms

Audie Cole - UFA - Status: Re-signed: 1 year for unknown terms

Zach Line - RFA - Status: Tendered at 1 year/$1.3 million

Adam Thielen - ERFA - Status: Re-signed for 1 year/ $650,000

Casey Matthews - UFA - Status:

Kendrick Ellis - UFA - Status: Re-signed: One year deal for Unknown Terms

Carter Bykowski - ERFA - Status: Re-signed: 1 year/$550,000

Jason Trusink - UFA - Status:

Justin Tratou - UFA - Status: Re-signed: 1 year/Unknown terms

Rumors

2/1/16 - Vikings are interested in re-signing Chad Greenway (source: walterfootball.com)

2/3/16 - Vikings are interested in re-signing Terence Newman (source: walterfootball.com)

2/10/16 - Mike Wallace is not expected back in Minnesota in 2016 (source: walterfootball.com)

2/13/16 - Matt Kalil or Phil Loadholt will be a cap casualty in 2016 (source: walterfootball.com)

2/16/16 - Team is NOT expected to use the Franchise Tag (source: vikings.com)

3/1/16 - Wallace and team are discussing payout (source: Daily Norseman)

3/2/16 - Vikings one of many teams interested in Adam Jones (source: PFT)

3/5/16 - Charles Johnson will visit with the team in the coming week (source: walterfootball.com)

3/9/16 - Minnesota has interest in WR Andre Holmes. Holmes was once a UDFA of the team in 2011 (source: ESPN).

3/9/16 - Minnesota agrees in principle to a one-year deal with G Mike Harris (source: ESPN)

3/14/16 - Mike Wallace could still return to Minnesota (source: NFLN)

News (Reported stories/Confirmed stories)

Vikings Re-sign Andrew Sendejo to four-year deal (source: Ian Rapport)

Vikings Re-sign Kendrick Ellis to a one-year deal (source: Star Tribune)

Vikings Re-sign Adam Thielen and Carter Bukowski (source: KTSP)

Vikings Tender Zach Line (source: Star Tribune)

Vikings Restructure OT Phil Loadholt - save 3.4 million in cap (source: KTSP)

Vikings Re-sign LB Audie Cole (source: Star Tribune)

Vikings Release WR Mike Wallace (source: vikings.com)

Vikings Agree to terms with G Alex Boone (source: ESPN)

Vikings Agree to terms with LB Travis Lewis (source: ESPN)

Minnesota agrees in principle to a one-year deal with G Mike Harris (source: ESPN)

Vikings agree to terms with LB Emmaneul Lamur (source: ESPN)

Vikings agree to terms with SS Michael Griffin (source: ESPN 1500)

Vikings re-sign DE Justin Tratou (source: Star Tribune)

Vikings re-sign Marcus Sherels (source: Star Tribune)

Vikings re-sign TE Rhett Ellison

Vikings re-sign CB Terrence Newman

Vikings re-sign HB Matt Asiata

Vikings agree to a contract with OT Andre Smith

Vikings agree to contract with TE Brian Leonhardt

Transactions

3/7/16 - Vikings Restructure OT Phil Loadholt - save 3.4 million in cap (source: KTSP)

3/8/16 - Vikings Release WR Mike Wallace (source: vikings.com)

3/8/16 - Vikings officially re-sign Kendrick Ellis (source: vikings.com)

3/8/16 - Vikings officially re-sign Audie Cole (source: vikings.com)

3/14/16 - Vikings officially sign Michael Griffin (source: vikings.com)

3/14/16 - Vikings re-sign Justin Tratou (source: vikings.com)

3/14/16 - Vikings re-sign Marcus Sherels (source: vikings.com)

3/15/16 - Vikings re-sign Rhett Ellison (source: vikings.com)

3/15/16 - Vikings re-sign Terrence Newman (source: Star Tribune)

3/16/16 - Vikings re-sign Matt Asiata (source: Star Tribune)

3/17/16 - Vikings sign Andre Smith (source: vikings.com)

3/21/16 - Vikings sign Brian Leonhardt (source: vikings.com)

4-4-16 - Vikings agree to re-sign Chad Greenway (source: ESPN 1500)

I was looking through a list of NFL.com's top 20 UFA this offseason and I figured I'd post here to add to the discussion...

Top 20 2016 Unrestricted free agents

Every game, all season

1. Von Miller, Denver Broncos linebacker: Miller has been one of the best overall defensive players in the league since he was drafted. He's as strong stopping the run as he is coming off the edge. There's no way the Broncos will let him hit the market.

2. Josh Norman, Carolina Panthers cornerback: There's nothing like having your breakout season in a contract year. Norman has been the best cornerback in football this year and is a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate. He's not going anywhere.

3. Muhammad Wilkerson, New York Jets defensive end: Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams were splashy draft pick additions, but Wilkerson is still the best defensive lineman on the Jets. New York has played hardball in negotiations thus far with Wilkerson, but the franchise tag has to be an option here.

4. Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears wide receiver: He might not be the most refined receiver in the league, but few are better at catching deep balls. He's fourth in the league in receiving yards-per-game and topped 1,400 yards in 2013.

5. Cordy Glenn, Buffalo Bills offensive tackle: True franchise left tackles are awfully hard to find. That's why he's a strong candidate for the franchise tag.

6. Jason Pierre-Paul, New York Giants defensive end: He's still disruptive despite playing with a club over his injured hand. There has to be a chance JPP will only get better as he learns how best to play with his disadvantage, and the ceiling here is tremendous. Still, he has struggled to wrap up opposing running backs. Can he finish plays?

7. Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs safety: Berry has come back from his cancer scare better than ever. Strong safety play is hard to find and Berry has the versatility teams are looking for.

8. Malik Jackson, Broncos defensive tackle: Like Norman, he's having a career year in a contract season. It's hard to find interior pass rushers like Jackson just entering his prime.

9. Olivier Vernon, Dolphins defensive end: The other Dolphins pass rusher opposite Cameron Wake has dialed up a lot of pressure over the last three years, even if he doesn't always finish the play with a sack. He's clearly an above average pass rush starter, which is going to make him a very rich man. Expectations are he'll leave Miami, who can only afford to pay so much on their defensive line.

10. Doug Martin, Buccaneers running back: He won't make the same money as the guys listed above (and below) him here because of the position he plays, but no one has helped their value more this season. Martin has gone from an afterthought to the No. 2 rusher in the NFL.


11. Bruce Irvin, Seattle Seahawks linebacker: He isn't a defense-changing talent, but he's also better than you think. Irvin is a quality versatile starter.

12. Russell Okung, Seahawks tackle: Even if Okung is only an average starter, he's going to get paid in this market. If he makes it there.

13. Eric Weddle, San Diego Chargers safety: Weddle has a skill set that tons of teams are looking for to shore up the back end of their defenses. His age (30) works against him, but few safeties have been better over the last five years.

14. Sam Bradford, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback: This season has not helped Bradford's value, yet there would be no shortage of teams willing to give Bradford a try if the Eagles don't want to re-sign him.

15. Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins quarterback: Replacement level starting quarterbacks are worth plenty, and that appears to be Cousins' floor. At worst, he's a poor man's Andy Dalton with room to improve over time. He has more value to the Redskins than anyone else.

16. Matt Forte, Bears running back: One of the league's most complete backs has not shown many signs of age yet. Perhaps he should be paired with another quality option, but there's no doubt he could upgrade many backfields.

17. Andre Smith, Cincinnati Bengals right tackle: How will Smith react to getting paid big bucks (again)? While his career has included some ups and downs, Smith has often been a top-shelf starter.

18. Danny Trevathan, Broncos linebacker: Trevathan is a three-down linebacker entering his prime that can hold up in pass coverage. We're big fans of his skill set and he's just the type of above-average starter that gets paid like a superstar in free agency.

19. Janoris Jenkins, St. Louis Rams cornerback: He's steadily improved each season in the league and now is a playmaking starter.

20. Brock Osweiler, Broncos quarterback: It's hard to imagine John Elway letting his promising young starter hit the market, although this will be a tricky contract to pull off.

Just missed: Derrick Johnson, Chris Ivory, Kelvin Beachum, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Haloti Ngata, Lamar Miller, Prince Amukamara, Anquan Boldin.



http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000 ... s-for-2016

Top guys for Minnesota to target in my opinion would be Von Miller, Muhammad Wilkerson, Alshon Jeffery, Cordy Glenn and Eric Berry. Maybe Andre Smith.

I assume a few, if not all, of they guys either stay put by re-signing or getting slapped with the franchise tag.


I like Eric Weddle a lot, but his age relative to position makes it too risky in my opinion.

Lol, how much money do you think the Vikings have?

Cold is temporary. Purple Pride is forever.

Are you implying that I think they can sign all of them? No.

I'm saying of that list, those are the guys I'd want. Who they can actually get will sort itself out.

i'd love to add bruce irvin and george iloka to our defense.

slapnut19 wrote:i'd love to add bruce irvin and george iloka to our defense.

It would be really nice to add a Safety in free agency.

I'm not so sure about Bruce Irvin. He's definitely serviceable and he showed improvement year over year in Seattle, but he might be someone who gets paid more than his actual worth (Who doesn't though?). He would give the Vikes another pass rusher and I'm sure Zimmer could get the most out of him, so it will be interesting to see if they do it, considering it would be a depth/pass rush specialist move.

slapnut19 wrote:i'd love to add bruce irvin and george iloka to our defense.

I would definitely take Iloka but not Irvin. Never been a big fan of his.

If this guard makes it to the open market then @austincbelisle thinks Spielman should make reservations at Manny's.

http://vikingsterritory.com/2016/analysis/18726

At the time, offensive line coach Juan Castillo marveled at Osemele’s ability to finish plays . “The way ‘K.O’ finishes every play is incredible,” he said in an interview with ESPN. “I don’t know that there’s anybody in the NFL that finishes better than he does.” Osemele’s “finisher” mentality was on full display in one of the team’s most important 2014 games. Late in the Ravens’ playoff matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Osemele obliterated linebacker James Harrison, giving Joe Flacco enough time to find Torrey Smith for a touchdown pass.

dead_poet wrote: http://vikingsterritory.com/2016/analysis/18726

The only strong argument I could make against signing him is that Interior OL is a deep position in this draft. There seem to be a lot of guys who will be starters at G entering the league this year. There might be spots that can only be addressed through FA or player development, that might be more urgent as a result.

fiestavike wrote:The only strong argument I could make against signing him is that Interior OL is a deep position in this draft. There seem to be a lot of guys who will be starters at G entering the league this year. There might be spots that can only be addressed through FA or player development, that might be more urgent as a result.

Potentially. Then again it's not often that a rookie offensive lineman steps in immediately and is an asset. Would you want to take a chance at a guy being equal to or worse than Fusco was last season in the short term (effectively not improving arguably the worst position on the line that was a major liability) in the short-term (hoping he ends up a Pro-Bowler) or sign a guy now that you know will fix the spot as soon as the ink dries?

dead_poet wrote: Potentially. Then again it's not often that a rookie offensive lineman steps in immediately and is an asset. Would you want to take a chance at a guy being equal to or worse than Fusco was last season in the short term (effectively not improving arguably the worst position on the line that was a major liability) in the short-term (hoping he ends up a Pro-Bowler) or sign a guy now that you know will fix the spot as soon as the ink dries?

I hear ya. I certainly won't be upset if they add a player like Osemele.

That may be true of like 5th rounders from little rock but if you take a lineman in the first or second round I'd have no concerns about them plugging in and being better than the garbage we saw last year. Kalil's rookie year comes to mind.

dead_poet wrote: Potentially. Then again it's not often that a rookie offensive lineman steps in immediately and is an asset. Would you want to take a chance at a guy being equal to or worse than Fusco was last season in the short term (effectively not improving arguably the worst position on the line that was a major liability) in the short-term (hoping he ends up a Pro-Bowler) or sign a guy now that you know will fix the spot as soon as the ink dries?

Poet I disagree slightly on this take. Ex. The Iupati signing last year. Iupati is a pro-bowl caliber guard, but it took him the better part of the half the season to really gel with his AZ teammates. So in the context of a Rookie vs. FA signing I think we expect there will be several games of "Growing pains" for either type of addition to the OL. The main difference between the two is with the FA guy you have a better idea of his ability to produce in the NFL game and he will have a much higher cap hit. The rookie has more uncertainty, but is much more cap friendly.

Given that interior OL is deep in this draft, my guess is they might gamble and use the 23rd pick to take a G and spend FA on a S if they can get one. There are few good ones that could potentially hit the market this offseason.

I dissagree with the OP that Kalil and Loadholt will be cap casualities this offseason. After the season Clemmings it would be shocking that they drop Loadholt unless he has an injury issue.