The Minnesota Vikings had a wild first day of NFL free agency. Sadly, the team will be heading into a new era following the departure of Kirk Cousins, which is soon to be followed by the inevitable departure of Danielle Hunter. However, they also spent over $130 million to sign a bridge quarterback and three unheralded defenders who could bring major contributions to the table.
Let’s recap the Vikings’ wild day.
Goodbye Kirk Cousins
The Kirk Cousins era is officially over in Minnesota as it was announced that he would be signing a four-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons. The deal is worth $180 million with $100 million guaranteed.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah effectively announced that 2023 was the end of the Cousins era when he restructured his deal last offseason to guarantee that Kirk would enter free agency this year. However, Kirk’s tenure in Minnesota should not have ended the way it did- his final snap as a Viking saw him suffer a torn right Achilles against the Packers in Week 8.
While I would’ve liked to keep Kirk at a lower cost, I have massive reservations about giving a soon to be 36 year old QB who’s coming off an Achilles tear a massive deal. The Falcons are desperate though, and Vikings management decided it was time to look towards the future at the game’s most important position. Expect them to move up for a QB, likely Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, in this upcoming draft.
In the meantime, the team secured a bridge QB as I was writing this article…
QB1 For Now: Sam Darnold
The Vikings finalized a deal with QB Sam Darnold late Monday night. The deal is for one year and $10 million. Dianna Russini of The Athletic talked about Darnold as an option for the Vikings in a recent article, citing his relationship with new Vikings QB coach Josh McCown. Russini also noted that many executives expected Darnold to land in Minnesota.
After becoming a draft bust with the Jets and subsequently failing in Carolina, Darnold spent last season as a backup to Brock Purdy in San Francisco, and could start the season as QB1 in Minnesota. He will be a good bridge option and mentor to whoever the Vikings likely draft next month.
Danielle Hunter’s Replacement: Jonathan Greenard
One of the very first moves of NFL free agency was the Vikings signing former Texans defensive end Jonathan Greenard to a four year deal worth $76 million.
Greenard has been hampered by injuries in his career, as he has never played more than 15 games in a season since being drafted in 2020, but he has been very effective when healthy. Greenard posted a 22% pass rush win rate last year, which ranked among the best in the league, and led the Texans with 12.5 sacks. He’s also a very good run defender, evidenced by his 37% run stop win rate.
Greenard isn’t a big name, but he will be a versatile piece in Brian Flores’ defense and a solid replacement for the departed Danielle Hunter. Shortly after news of the Greenard signing, NFL insider Aaron Wilson reported that Hunter is not returning to Minnesota.
Andrew Van Ginkel, a Brian Flores guy
The Vikings continued to fortify their pass rush by signing outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel to a two year deal worth $20 million.
This signing was due to Brian Flores, plain and simple. Van Ginkel was a fifth round draft pick by the Dolphins during Flores’ first year as the team’s head coach back in 2019, and excelled in his defensive scheme as a rotational piece. Van Ginkel is an extremely versatile player who can rush the passer and drop back into coverage at any time. 2023 was Van Ginkel’s first year as a full-time starter, and it will be interesting to see what he can do in a Flores defense again.
A Homecoming for Blake Cashman
The Vikings solidified their inside linebacker position with the signing of former Texan Blake Cashman. Cashman landed a three year deal worth up to $25.5 million after a breakout 2023 campaign in Houston.
This signing is a homecoming for Cashman, who grew up in Eden Prairie, MN and played college football at the University of Minnesota.
After barely seeing the field during his first three years in the league, all with the New York Jets, Cashman found himself a home with the Texans. Similar to Van Ginkel, Cashman only became a full-time starter last year, but showcased his potential with 106 tackles, two sacks, and an interception last season. It will be interesting to see how he does with the Vikings.
Aaron Jones Signing On The Way?
After they unexpectedly signed 2022 rushing champion Josh Jacobs to a four-year deal, the Green Bay Packers released long time starter Aaron Jones. As of tonight, there are reports of “serious dialogue” between Jones and the Vikings regarding a potential contract. The Vikings could use an upgrade in the run game, especially following the recent release of Alexander Mattison. Ty Chandler is currently the only proven running back on the roster.
It should be noted that Jones’ agent is Drew Rosenhaus, who also represents free agent signees Greenard and Van Ginkel.
Personal Thoughts on Kirk and Free Agency
While quarterback is undoubtedly the most important position in sports, I am glad the team did not spend what the Falcons did on Kirk Cousins. The Falcons gave him $45M per year, and the Vikings allocated a total annual salary of $47.5M to bring in four players who could make a good impact on the team in 2024. Three good defenders and a solid bridge QB for the equivalent of one big contract isn’t bad.
One of the big reasons that the Houston Texans were as good as they were last season was that GM Nick Caserio spent money and handed out various contracts to B to B+ players rather than allocating one large contract to a big name player. I wonder if the Vikings are trying to copy this method themselves.
