The Minnesota Vikings crashed out of the playoffs in the Wild Card round, suffering an unexpected loss at the hands of the New York Giants by a score of 31-24. That puts an end to one of the strangest seasons in the recent memory in the NFL, and the Vikings will enter the offseason with a lot more questions than answers,
On one hand, it's tough to complain too much about the Vikings season considering how they went 13-4 and earned the three seed in the NFC. But on the other hand, Minnesota won an unprecedented amount of one-score games, and in the eyes of some evaluators, they were actually one of the worst teams in the league.
A lot went right for the Vikings this season, when in actuality, it doesn't seem like they were a very good team. And with the offseason now upon them, it looks like they have quite a few questions that need to be answered now, and an area where they can answer some questions, and fill some holes, is in free agency. So with that in mind, let's take an early look at three free agents who the Vikings could target.
3. Nelson Agholor
The Vikings have one of the better wide receiver corps in the NFL right now, but that's not to say they couldn't use some help. Justin Jefferson is one of the top wide receivers in the league, and K.J. Osborn seems to be blossoming into his partner-in-crime, but Adam Thielen is regressing, and could be heading for the exit, and behind these three guys, Minnesota doesn't have much.
A guy they could target in free agency is speedster Nelson Agholor. Agholor's two season stint with the New England Patriots didn't exactly go as planned, and he was an afterthought in their offense for much of the 2022 season (31 REC, 362 YDS, 2 TD). In the right system, Agholor can be a game-changer, but he just isn't a fit in New England's offense.
Agholor should be there for the taking this offseason, and considering how poor he was during his time with the Patriots, it makes a lot of sense to expect him to be on the move. Adding Agholor as a complementary deep threat alongside Jefferson and Osborn makes a lot of sense, and this could be a cost effective move that pays dividends for Minnesota.
2. Larry Ogunjobi
There are holes all over Minnesota's patchwork defense, and one area they definitely need to add some new faces to this offseason is their defensive line. The Vikings have some solid pass rushers in Danielle Hunter and Za'Darius Smith, but their interior d-line is mediocre at best. For that reason, it makes a lot of sense to go and pursue Larry Ogunjobi in free agency.
Ogunjobi proved he is still one of the best interior defensive tackles in the league this season, which he played with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ogunjobi only signed a one-year deal with the Steelers, so he will once again be hitting the market if they can't reach an extension before free agency opens. Ogunjobi racked up 48 tackles, 1.5 sacks, seven tackles for a loss, and 11 quarterback hits, making him an extremely versatile player on the defensive line.
Ogunjobi can play against both the run and the pass, although Minnesota would be adding him with the intent of shoring up their run defense. It obviously wouldn't be the flashiest move ever made, but Ogunjobi fits a big area of need for the Vikings, and it would make a lot of sense for Minnesota to make a push for Ogunjobi this offseason.
1. Cameron Sutton
The lasting memory that fans are going to have of the Vikings this season is them getting torched in the air by Daniel Jones and a beat up Giants passing attack. It's clear that their secondary was pieced together this season, and while they made enough big plays to keep Minnesota alive, it's clear upgrades are needed this offseason.
One of the top options available on the free agent market this offseason seems to be another Steelers player in Cameron Sutton. Sutton hasn't fully developed like he was expected to with the Steelers, but he's still a strong outside corner who can hold his own against top options. Sutton finished the season with 43 tackles, three interceptions, and 15 passes defended.
Sutton is still just going to be 28 years old next season, and if the Vikings can develop him a little bit more, signing him to a long-term deal would be very much worth it. Minnesota doesn't have many options available to begin with, and they could be losing Patrick Peterson in free agency this offseason as well, so it's clear that making a push for Sutton would make a lot of sense.
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