Ranking Every Free Agent of the Zimmer-Spielman Era
Mar 25, 2021 9:40:09 GMT -6
HarryHits22 likes this
Post by Purple Pain on Mar 25, 2021 9:40:09 GMT -6
A fun (and also not so fun) trip down memory lane...
...
Give the link a look, because there is a lot more to remember:
#10: CB PATRICK PETERSON (Sam)
Previous Team: Arizona Cardinals
Contract: 1 year, $8 million
We’ve reached our Top 10.
Hey, Peterson might be a great for the Vikings, mentor the young corners and shut the critics up. But it’s also possible he could blow up into one of the most infamous free agent signings in recent memory. At that price tag, Peterson needs to perform, and his recent performance doesn’t support that notion. Veterans over 30 with question marks usually sign for half of Peterson could make this coming year. All that said, Peterson is an eight-time Pro Bowler, and having the potential of giving him a second life in Minnesota makes him a Top 10 signing, if only for the clout attached to his name. If he’s good, fans will be making some adjustments to their old Adrian Peterson #28 jerseys.
#9: CB CAPTAIN MUNNERLYN (Matthew)
Previous Team: Carolina Panthers
Contract: 3 years, $14.25 million
Munnerlyn’s three seasons in Minnesota were solid. He was consistent and unspectacular, rarely missing a tackle and rarely providing a game-changing play. It was a testament to his play that toward the end of his time in Minnesota, teams tried to scheme to keep him off the field in the underrated nickel role.
#8: RB LATAVIUS MURRAY (Sam)
Previous Team: Oakland Raiders
Contract: 3 years, $15 million
Was he the world’s most efficient running back? No. But in his two years in Minnesota, Murray turned into a key piece of an NFC Championship qualifier after recovering from an ankle injury, handled himself professionally through a pay cut as Dalvin Cook took over the offense and acted as a glue guy in the locker room. There’s a reason Murray continues to be a valued commodity in the league despite having just a 4.2 yards per carry average. He blocks really well, he runs hard and is a great presence to have on the team.
#7: LT RILEY REIFF (Matthew)
Previous Team: Detroit Lions
Contract: 5 years, $58.75 million
The Vikings couldn’t have asked for much more from Reiff when they signed him prior to the 2017 season. He started 58 of a possible 64 games and finished with average PFF numbers compared to his peers. The team always seemed to be trying to replace him, but he gave up just one sack in his final season.
#6: QB KIRK COUSINS (Sam)
Previous Team: Washington Football Team
Contract: 3 years, $84 million
Some of you probably would’ve put Cousins 50th, and I get it. He’s different from every member of this list because of the price tag. Big picture, he has thus far failed to get the Vikings any closer to their Super Bowl goal at an exorbitant price. That keeps him out of the top five. Cousins is still an upper-half quarterback that makes some incredible plays, however. His inconsistency is maddening, but his high points are awfully high. There’s always the outside chance he’ll have that elusive Matt Ryan or Jared Goff or Joe Flacco season and make the Super Bowl, but it’s getting to the point where an exit plan needs to be devised.
#5: DT DALVIN TOMLINSON (Matthew)
Previous Team: New York Giants
Contract: 2 years, $22 million
Again, this one is a projection but based on Tomlinson’s extremely consistent numbers in New York, his personality, character and approach to the game, it’s hard to see this one going sideways. Tomlinson is going to stuff the heck out of the run and be a disruptor. He isn’t a steal for the price or a franchise-changer but he’ll be good.
#4: DT TOM JOHNSON (Sam)
Previous Team: New Orleans Saints
Contract: 1 year, $845K
No GM picks up a 29-year-old with five career sacks and expects them to stick around for five seasons. Tom Johnson is one of the jewels of the Rick Spielman era, capitalizing on basically a one-year trial in 2014 and turning it into a starting 3-tech job with the Vikings. Ended his Minnesota career with 20.5 sacks, and honestly, the Vikings still miss him.
#3: CB TERENCE NEWMAN (Matthew)
Previous Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Contract: 1 year, $2.25 million
Legendary. That’s the way teammates thought of Terence Newman. He didn’t just play late into his 30s, he played really, really well late into his 30s and became an extra coach inside the locker room. His move from outside to nickel corner in 2017 played a huge role in the Vikings’ No. 1 defense. Nobody would have ever expected to get that much out of a veteran corner whose best days were supposed to be two teams ago.
#2: NT LINVAL JOSEPH (Sam)
Previous Team: New York Giants
Contract: 5 years, $31.5 million
Few people knew who Joseph was when the Vikings signed him in 2014, and not enough people outside of Minnesota appreciated the work he did in his time in purple. His peak from 2015-17 was one of the best nose tackle stretches of the decade. He ranked fourth, 10th and sixth, per PFF, in those three seasons, combining for 107 run stops. He’s the best short-yardage stopper I’ve seen on this beat.
#1: QB CASE KEENUM (Matthew)
Previous Team: Los Angeles Rams
Contract: 1 year, $2 million
The Vikings signed Keenum because they figured it was important to have someone who could handle a handful of games if Sam Bradford went down. Never in their wildest dreams would they have expected him to lead a 13-3 season that took them to the NFC Championship Game and created an everlasting all-time great franchise moment in the Minneapolis Miracle. You can’t do much better in terms of bang for buck than that.
Previous Team: Arizona Cardinals
Contract: 1 year, $8 million
We’ve reached our Top 10.
Hey, Peterson might be a great for the Vikings, mentor the young corners and shut the critics up. But it’s also possible he could blow up into one of the most infamous free agent signings in recent memory. At that price tag, Peterson needs to perform, and his recent performance doesn’t support that notion. Veterans over 30 with question marks usually sign for half of Peterson could make this coming year. All that said, Peterson is an eight-time Pro Bowler, and having the potential of giving him a second life in Minnesota makes him a Top 10 signing, if only for the clout attached to his name. If he’s good, fans will be making some adjustments to their old Adrian Peterson #28 jerseys.
#9: CB CAPTAIN MUNNERLYN (Matthew)
Previous Team: Carolina Panthers
Contract: 3 years, $14.25 million
Munnerlyn’s three seasons in Minnesota were solid. He was consistent and unspectacular, rarely missing a tackle and rarely providing a game-changing play. It was a testament to his play that toward the end of his time in Minnesota, teams tried to scheme to keep him off the field in the underrated nickel role.
#8: RB LATAVIUS MURRAY (Sam)
Previous Team: Oakland Raiders
Contract: 3 years, $15 million
Was he the world’s most efficient running back? No. But in his two years in Minnesota, Murray turned into a key piece of an NFC Championship qualifier after recovering from an ankle injury, handled himself professionally through a pay cut as Dalvin Cook took over the offense and acted as a glue guy in the locker room. There’s a reason Murray continues to be a valued commodity in the league despite having just a 4.2 yards per carry average. He blocks really well, he runs hard and is a great presence to have on the team.
#7: LT RILEY REIFF (Matthew)
Previous Team: Detroit Lions
Contract: 5 years, $58.75 million
The Vikings couldn’t have asked for much more from Reiff when they signed him prior to the 2017 season. He started 58 of a possible 64 games and finished with average PFF numbers compared to his peers. The team always seemed to be trying to replace him, but he gave up just one sack in his final season.
#6: QB KIRK COUSINS (Sam)
Previous Team: Washington Football Team
Contract: 3 years, $84 million
Some of you probably would’ve put Cousins 50th, and I get it. He’s different from every member of this list because of the price tag. Big picture, he has thus far failed to get the Vikings any closer to their Super Bowl goal at an exorbitant price. That keeps him out of the top five. Cousins is still an upper-half quarterback that makes some incredible plays, however. His inconsistency is maddening, but his high points are awfully high. There’s always the outside chance he’ll have that elusive Matt Ryan or Jared Goff or Joe Flacco season and make the Super Bowl, but it’s getting to the point where an exit plan needs to be devised.
#5: DT DALVIN TOMLINSON (Matthew)
Previous Team: New York Giants
Contract: 2 years, $22 million
Again, this one is a projection but based on Tomlinson’s extremely consistent numbers in New York, his personality, character and approach to the game, it’s hard to see this one going sideways. Tomlinson is going to stuff the heck out of the run and be a disruptor. He isn’t a steal for the price or a franchise-changer but he’ll be good.
#4: DT TOM JOHNSON (Sam)
Previous Team: New Orleans Saints
Contract: 1 year, $845K
No GM picks up a 29-year-old with five career sacks and expects them to stick around for five seasons. Tom Johnson is one of the jewels of the Rick Spielman era, capitalizing on basically a one-year trial in 2014 and turning it into a starting 3-tech job with the Vikings. Ended his Minnesota career with 20.5 sacks, and honestly, the Vikings still miss him.
#3: CB TERENCE NEWMAN (Matthew)
Previous Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Contract: 1 year, $2.25 million
Legendary. That’s the way teammates thought of Terence Newman. He didn’t just play late into his 30s, he played really, really well late into his 30s and became an extra coach inside the locker room. His move from outside to nickel corner in 2017 played a huge role in the Vikings’ No. 1 defense. Nobody would have ever expected to get that much out of a veteran corner whose best days were supposed to be two teams ago.
#2: NT LINVAL JOSEPH (Sam)
Previous Team: New York Giants
Contract: 5 years, $31.5 million
Few people knew who Joseph was when the Vikings signed him in 2014, and not enough people outside of Minnesota appreciated the work he did in his time in purple. His peak from 2015-17 was one of the best nose tackle stretches of the decade. He ranked fourth, 10th and sixth, per PFF, in those three seasons, combining for 107 run stops. He’s the best short-yardage stopper I’ve seen on this beat.
#1: QB CASE KEENUM (Matthew)
Previous Team: Los Angeles Rams
Contract: 1 year, $2 million
The Vikings signed Keenum because they figured it was important to have someone who could handle a handful of games if Sam Bradford went down. Never in their wildest dreams would they have expected him to lead a 13-3 season that took them to the NFC Championship Game and created an everlasting all-time great franchise moment in the Minneapolis Miracle. You can’t do much better in terms of bang for buck than that.
Give the link a look, because there is a lot more to remember:
#18: G ALEX BOONE (Sam)
Previous Team: San Francisco 49ers
Contract: 4 years, $26.8 million
It’s really a shame Boone didn’t last longer with the Vikings because of his larger-than-life persona. He ended up doing more radio shows with Matthew Coller than he had starts with Minnesota, who cut him before his second season for reasons that weren’t entirely clear. Boone’s contract suggests the Vikings viewed him initially as a long-term fix, but Nick Easton beat for the job in 2017.
Previous Team: San Francisco 49ers
Contract: 4 years, $26.8 million
It’s really a shame Boone didn’t last longer with the Vikings because of his larger-than-life persona. He ended up doing more radio shows with Matthew Coller than he had starts with Minnesota, who cut him before his second season for reasons that weren’t entirely clear. Boone’s contract suggests the Vikings viewed him initially as a long-term fix, but Nick Easton beat for the job in 2017.
... and neither is this Chris guy.