This is meant to be fun. I always say, I'm not saying this is what's going to happen. Will it be correct, no. I have hit on a decent number of signings and picks over the years (Justin Jefferson, Lynch, Tajae Sharpe, Daniel Carlson, Waynes, Patterson, Hodges, Harrison Smith, Floyd, Lee, etc.) but it's next to impossible to ever get these anywhere near correct but I know you guys enjoy the read. I look to assess our current needs as best as I can and keeping it as realistic as possible.
I will say, I do a lot of research on these guys and if you look at my previous mocks, many of the guys I have us selecting may not be making an impact for us but they are making a big impact elsewhere.
REMEMBER ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN!!!!
2021 Vikings Free Agents/Cuts/Restructures/Trades
CUTS
-TE- Kyle Rudolph- CONFIRMED
-CB- Mike Hughes- released with an injury settlement. Not sure if he will even be able to continue playing given the neck injuries he’s suffered.
-DT- Shamar Stephen- I’ve had him getting cut two years in a row now. I think it’s time. (Saves ~ $4 million)
-DT- Jalyn Holmes- never panned out when given the opportunity
-OG- Dru Samia- woof
-K- Dan Bailey- too bad because Bailey was fairly solid prior to his meltdown this year. (Saves ~$1.7 million)
TRADES
***Vikings trade LT- Riley Reiff to the Los Angeles Chargers for a 2021 5th round pick and a 2022 5th round pick.
-Ezra Cleveland will now move to his natural position of LT. Will this trade happen, probably not but I think they’d be stupid not to make it before they ruin Cleveland at RG. This move saves us a ton of money, gets us two draft picks and gets Cleveland where he belongs. No. Brainer.
EXTENSIONS
QB- Kirk Cousins- 1 year, to level out his remaining contract
S- Harrison Smith- 3 year extension which clears ~$3-$4 million this year.
RESTRUCTURED
WR- Adam Thielen- converts some of his salary into a signing bonus (not dead set on this one but threw it in there).
Restricted Free Agents
DE- Ifeadi Odenigbo- re-signed
RB- Mike Boone- re-signed
WR- Chad Beebe- re-signed
(ERFA) OG- Kyle Hinton- re-signed
CB- Chris Jones- let walk
Unrestricted Free Agents
Re-Signed
OT- Rashod Hill- 1 year- I’d like for him to stick around as a depth piece
LB- Todd Davis- 1 year- I think Davis was a very underrated signing this year. I liked what I saw here, especially as a depth piece or possible fill for that WLB spot.
Let Walk
S- Anthony Harris
LB- Eric Wilson
RB- Ameer Abdullah
DT- Jaleel Johnson
QB- Sean Mannion
OG- Dakota Dozier
S- George Iloka
OG- Brett Jones
This free agency I’m looking to get some above average to average veterans that will be in the bargain bid. Some low risk, possible high reward type players. One thing this team could use, especially on defense, is some veteran leadership.
OG- Matt Feiler - 3 years
-Feiler is the perfect “under the radar” guard that we need. He’s been extremely solid for the Steelers the last 4 years seasons and I think we could snag him at a decent price given Thuney and Scherff will get a lot of attention. I feel like a move like this is a must.
DE- Everson Griffen- 2 years
-I’m torn here for a few reasons. My initial signing was going to be DE- Denico Autry out of Indy who’s a pretty consistent “under the radar” pass rusher. However, we might be able to get Everson back a little cheaper. Griff has expressed a ton of interest wanting to come back and I think what happened here was that Griff realized after being in Dallas and then Detroit, that at this stage of his career, nobody is going to utilize him the way Zim would. He knows this defense inside and out and he shouldnt skip a beat. Griff still has some juice, this isnt a long term fix obviously but he was still fairly solid in 2019 and still racked up 6 sacks last year being on two teams. I think we could still get at least a year or two out of him of fairly effective play and I feel like he’d take a bit of a hometown discount at this point. We now have the leverage when it comes to re-signing him because he knows he will be used here and he quickly realized he wont be used like he wants to be on another team.
I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if we had at least 1-2 free agent signings that were former players here. Rhodes, Alexander, Weatherly, etc. Zim mentioned at his end of the year presser that he really underestimated the veteran leadership he lost. A lot of it might depend how ticked off guys like Alexander are still at Zim.
WR- Keelan Cole- 2 years
-It has been rumored that new Vikings WR coach Keenan McCardell had a really good relationship with Cole and really liked him as a player. Dont be surprised if this signing happens. I feel like this is similar to the Tajae Sharpe signing even though that didnt work out. I feel like there is a little more upside here, especially with McCardell here and him knowing the ins and outs of Cole’s game.
CB- Johnathan Joseph- 1 year
-This is the definition of a Terrance Newman veteran leadership signing. Joseph has played for Zim in the past in Cincy, is a very well respected veteran, and actually still playing at a decent level. FUN FACT: Johnathan Joseph has never graded below a 64.0 in his career according to PFF. Pretty impressive for a guy that’s been in the league for going on 16 years.
S- Jahleel Addae- 1 year
-Addae has worked out for the Vikings before and will provide a starting experience
DE- Stephen Weatherly- 1 year (ADDED IN)
-Weatherly knows the system and is simply a depth piece
-------TRADE DOWN-------
Vikings trade their 1st round pick (14th) to the Washington Football Team for their 1st round pick (19th) and 2nd round pick (51st)
Round 1 (19th via Washington)
DT- Christian Barmore- Alabama
Two words…..PASS RUSH. Out of any of these mid-first round picks, I feel like Barmore has the most upside. He was an elite pass rusher in college. That is one thing we’ve been missing at DT in Zim’s tenure. I think Shariff Floyd was a good pass rusher but his career ended early due to unfortunate circumstances. Barmore’s run defense is inconsistent and this is why many have him falling a bit. However, he showed well in the college playoffs vs the run. Plus, given we have Pierce and Hunter who are both elite run defenders, if Barmore can at least be a solid run defender and dominate with his pass rush, he’s gold.
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbvbTVEtf4M
Round 2 - NO PICK- Traded to Jacksonville
Round 2 (via Washington)
CB- Asante Samuel Jr.- Florida St.
Rumor has it, we’ve met virtually with Samuel multiple times. He’s a little undersized which could be why he’s projected to go in the 2nd round. However, this kid fits Zim’s style of physical corner play. He’s an excellent tackler and a solid cover corner. The kid has good genes thats for sure.
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOFhjzy61cI
Round 3
OG- Trey Smith- Tennessee
-First of all, watch the link below, such a great story. Either way, I’ve been talking Smith up for a while now. He’s arguably my biggest man crush in this years draft. As a FRESHMEN, Smith was PFFs #2 ranked offensive lineman in college football behind only Quinton Nelson….yeah. However, due to blood clots, he had to miss a lot of time. There was a good chance Smith would’ve been a first rounder if it wasnt for the medical aspect. He is exactly what this offensive line needs. A TRUE guard that can MOVE people. He’s not that freak athlete that Zimmer and Spielman think they so desperately need all the time. We need a guard with some power and an anchor. That is Smith. He can also play tackle in a pinch as well. Make this damn pick for once Rick! I’ve only mocked us taking a true guard in the 2nd-3rd round every year for the past 5 years. DRAFT THIS MAN!
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XexKg_7Mgpc
Round 3 (via Baltimore)
QB- Kyle Trask- Florida
Not a “Spielman-esque” pick nor am I a huge fan of drafting mid-tier QBs because most end up flaming out, but I do like Trask and would take a chance here. This is a perfect situation to let him sit behind Cousins for two years and learn the ins and outs of the NFL. Plus we have plenty of picks this year and regardless of what anyone thinks….this team isnt a “bad” team. Barring something crazy, this team isnt finishing in the bottom 10 in the NFL for quite a while still so our shot at a high end QB is slim going forward. In terms of Trask, he’s similar to Cousins in terms of being a pure pocket passer. This guy can definitely sling it though and is very accurate. He’s got good pocket awareness and can get away from pressure if need be. I’m not a big draft and develop guy but really like him in this regard.
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQiLjp9G5R4&t=53s
-------TRADE UP-------
Vikings trade their 4th round pick (110) and their 4th round compensatory pick (from Waynes, should be 130-140ish) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for their 3rd round pick (96)
Round 3 (via Tampa Bay)
DE- Quincy Roche- Miami (FL)
-This is perfect trade up time for us. We will have FOUR 4th round picks (ours, Chicago’s, Buffalo’s and the compensatory for Waynes) and this trade is going to be well executed. We still pick twice in the 4th round and get a DE still sitting on the board that should be gone by this point. Roche has a lot of explosiveness off the edge and excels in the run game as well. If he’s there in the 3rd, I say trade up 10 times out of 10.
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWEX6L_CCYA
Round 4 - NO PICK- Traded to Tampa Bay
Round 4 (via Chicago)
S- Andre Cisco- Syracuse
-Had to add one of my ‘Cuse boys in there. Watch this guys highlights! Cisco is one of the better safeties in the class however he tore his ACL late in the season which could cause him to fall. He’s very similar to Anthony Harris in terms of being that ball hawk type safety and notched quite a few interceptions in his career. He might be an even better tackler. He’s absolutely explosive coming up to make a tackle. I think this is excellent value in the 4th round.
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv1kh_ssiKU
Round 4 (via Buffalo)
OG- Quinn Meinerz- Wisconsin-Whitewater
-Meinerz is a DIII product that has made some noise during the draft process. He showed some nastiness at the Senior Bowl. The Vikings have actually met with him a few times already. Even though we signed Feiler and drafted Smith, we need depth at the guard position. Meinerz has the potential to win a starting job in a year or two. He can play center as well.
Round 4 (Projected compensatory for Waynes) - NO PICK- Traded to Tampa Bay
Round 5
OLB- Derrick Barnes- Vanderbilt
-Barnes is a solid run defender and will compete with Todd Davis for that WLB spot.
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vcoo5IbIlok
Round 5 (via Los Angeles (Reiff trade))
NT- Tyler Shelvin- LSU
-One position we’ve never had great depth at is NT. Anytime our NT went down, we ended up putting true 3 tech DTs there. Shelvin is a solid run stuffer and will provide depth behind Pierce.
Round 5 (via Baltimore)
OT- Brady Christensen- BYU
-Christensen was a solid pass protector at BYU and provides some depth at tackle and could play guard as well.
Round 6
WR/KR- J.D. Spielman- TCU
-This pick is probably going to take some heat but it’s not like this kid is a slouch. For those that dont know, Spielman is one of Rick Spielmans adopted sons. He’s only 5’9 but was a very productive slot WR and KR at Nebraska and TCU.
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh4N2my4m2I
Round 6 (Projected Compensatory for Alexander)
K- Jose Borregales- Miami (FL)
-Borregales connected on 90% of his field goals in 2020 and will compete with Greg Joseph for kicker duties.
Round 7
TE- Nick Eubanks- Michigan
-Eubanks is more of a blocking TE than anything and will provide some depth behind our top 2 TE’s.
Projected 2019 Roster
Bold is free agent signing
Underlined is rookie
Italics is trade
I have 60 players listed but I’m not going to predict who the final 53 are.
OFFENSE
QB- Cousins / Trask / Browning / Stanley
RB- Cook / Mattison / Boone
FB- Ham
WR1- Jefferson / Spielman
WR2- Thielen / Johnson
WR3- Cole / Beebe / Osborn
TE1- Smith Jr.
TE2- Conklin / Eubanks
LT- Cleveland / Hill
LG- Smith / Udoh
C- Bradbury
RG- Feiler / Meinerz / Hinton
RT- O’Neill / Christensen
DEFENSE
DE- Hunter / Roche / Weatherly / Willekes
DE- Griffen / Wonnum / Odenigbo / Brailford
3 tech DT- Barmore / Watts / Mata’afa / Lynch
1 tech DT- Pierce / Shelvin
SLB- Barr / Dye
MLB- Kendricks
WLB- Davis / Barnes
CB1- Dantzler / Hand
CB2- Gladney / Joseph
CB3- Samuel Jr. / Boyd
FS- Smith/ Metellus
SS- Cisco / Addae
SPECIAL TEAMS- 4
K- Borregales
P- Colquitt
LS- DePaola
KR- Spielman / Osborn
PR- Spielman / Osborn
OVERALL: I’m not going to project the final 53 but overall, I think our team drastically improves given this offseason. We are able to address plenty of needs, not overspend in free agency, get guys in the right positions, cut dead weight and have a heck of a draft.
OFFENSE reflection:
QB- Not a Spielman-esque selection but taking Trask in the 3rd round provides us with a young developmental backup that I think is a little underrated.
RB/FB- No change
WR- Added Cole via free agency as well as JD Spielman as a burner and return specialist. I know some want a WR fairly early but I dont feel like we need to invest a ton here. I like Cole as a 3rd option and I feel like Spielman is an underrated prospect.
TE- after getting rid of Rudolph, there wasnt much need here. Ended up adding a blocking TE in the 7th round
OT- Only true change is trading Reiff and moving Cleveland to LT which I think is a no-brainer. Added some depth via the draft.
OG- I’m hoping that we FINALLY address this position with TRUE guards, not former tackles or centers and address it heavily like I did here. We end up adding Feiler in FA who I think will be overlooked with Thuney and Scherff being out there and a huge “second wave” pickup. Then adding my man crush Trey Smith out of Tennessee as our other starting guard and Meinerz who is a guard/center swing guy from a small school that could be a sleeper.
C- Not much change but Meinerz is there as a potential backup who could develop.
DEFENSE:
DE- I went back and forth on what I wanted to do in the first round. If I wanted to go here or DT. I like the depth in the middle rounds more for DE than DT so I went with DT in the first instead. And Quincy Roche was one guy I really wanted in those mid rounds hence the trade up for him I had us pull off. We will have four 4th round picks so that is plenty of ammo to move up in that spot. Also, adding Griffen back will be a plus and then Weatherly as depth. I’m not 100% sold on them signing Griffen back. I would’ve almost guaranteed it as seasons end given he was all about coming back but then he got a little loopy on Twitter and it makes me wonder if that turned the Vikings off. Either way, I think he’d come back here in an instant and on a cheap deal. As for Hunter, I didnt touch his contract here. I’m getting too many mixed signals that he does and doesnt want a new deal. Who knows what the situation is. But I can tell you that I would 1000% find a way to pay him if thats the case and the very last thing I would consider is trading him. If the Vikings trade Hunter so they can keep Reiff, and maybe even Barr around, I might give up on this team forever. Hunter is a MUST keep, no if, ands or buts.
DT- Ending up going with Barmore here. He’s a true pass rushing DT that this defense has so desperately missed. I think the only one we ever really had in Zim’s time was Shariff Floyd who I thought was going to be a stud but had an unfortunate career ending injury. As for Barmore, I think he might sneak towards the back half of that first round so I feel like this is a great opportunity to trade down, gain a 2nd round pick back and still get the guy we want.
LB- I had us re-signing Todd Davis and then drafting Barnes out of Vandy. This WLB position requires more of a run stopper than it does a cover guy and both Davis and Barnes excel at that.
CB- Initially, I wasnt going to take an early CB but I do like this class, especially Asante Samuel Jr. I think he is excellent value in the 2nd round. This trade down with Washington lands us Barmore and Samuel which is HUGE value. I think you will really see this CB room turn the corner this year and even more the following season with these 3 young studs in there and guys like Harrison Hand and Kris Boyd in there as depth. I also added one key cog to this group. Jonathan Joseph. He’ll be 37 going into next season but the guy is still playing decent ball. This is very similar to the Newman situation. He will be used not only as depth but also as veteran experience and leadership. He has also played in this scheme with Zimmer in Cincy.
S- We decide to let Harris walk. I didnt think we needed to dive deep to find someone to fill this role in the early rounds. We end up signing Jahleel Addae as a veteran presence and drafting my ‘Cuse boy Cisco in the 4th round which is huge value. I think he will fall some due to medical.
ST- Made some big changes here. Was thinking about going after a veteran kicker but went with the draft route instead and give this another shot. Ended up taking Borregales out of Miami (FL) who was extremely accurate this year. Also we added Rick Spielman’s son JD who is an explosive return man. Reminds me of a poor mans Tyreek Hill.
....Hope you guys enjoyed the read!!!
