Do you remember the Macklemore song called Thrift Shop?
Like Macklemore, the Minnesota Vikings will do a little thrift shopping this off-season. While the Vikings will have more than $20 to spend, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mesah will still have to get creative.
The Vikings are currently $24 million over the cap, according to OverTheCap. Such a figure ranks 30th in the NFL, above the Arizona Cardinals ($56 million) and the New Orleans Saints ($30 million).
While the Vikings can make a handful of moves to get under the cap, they’ll still have to find some bargain-bin free agents to fill out their roster or get low-end starters.
For the sake of this experiment, we’ll look at five defensive free agents the Vikings can target. Determining an “under-the-radar” signing can be challenging, but we’re sticking to unrestricted free agents that won’t dominate the headlines.
LB Duke Riley
Previous team: Miami Dolphins
Age: 29 years old
AAV (Average annual value): $2.955 million
Duke Riley won’t light the world on fire, but he’s a reliable defender who can make an impact. Last season, Riley finished with 45 tackles and one sack. He was mostly an impact substitute for the Dolphins, contributing as a linebacker and on special teams.
Duke Riley comes in like a missle for the TFL pic.twitter.com/YGoHACrRuS
— FinCuts (@FinCuts) August 21, 2022
For the Vikings, Riley could bring much-needed linebacker into their linebacker room. Riley is best utilized as a point-and-shoot linebacker. In this position, Riley can use his speed to get sideline-to-sideline and make tackles on ball carriers.
EDGE Rasheem Green
Previous team: Houston Texans
Age: 25
AAV (Average annual value): $3.25 million
It feels unlikely that the Houston Texans won’t re-sign Green, but as of now, he’s slated to be an unrestricted free agent. Green signed a one-year deal last free agency and served as a rotational pass rusher for the Texans. In 15 games, Green finished with 3.5 sacks and 42 tackles. The year before, Green had a career-high 6.5 sacks in Seattle.
One of my favorite FA signings this off-season Rasheem Green dusting the LT with the cross-chop to win the corner inside 8 yards for the sack. Green is juiced up. pic.twitter.com/60YQTocHPg
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) August 28, 2022
Is Green going to revitalize the Vikings’ defense? Probably not. However, at 6-foot-4 and 295 pounds, Green is the perfect size to be a defensive end in odd-man fronts. Flores likes players who can rush the passer from these positions, and Green fits the bill here.
DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches
Previous team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Age: 30
AAV (Average annual value): $3.25 million
Rakeem Nunez-Roches has been a consistent contributor for the Buccaneers’ defense over the last three seasons. Last season that culminated in his highest defensive snap share, playing 48.9% of the team’s defensive snaps.
Rakeem Nuñez-Roches (@RakeemNunez) with the cross chop/club/rip. A great rush move vs low-setting hands. Have a pass rush plan! #passrush #gobucs pic.twitter.com/euZCRvIaQS
— DLineVids (@dlinevids1) November 7, 2022
Nunez-Roches is a consistent pass rusher with a strong lower body to help him stay in plays. He finished with a career-high in sacks last season, getting to opposing quarterbacks two times. He has the size to play as a pass-rush defensive lineman, which will help the Vikings generate pressure from different areas.
S Bobby McCain
Previous team: Washington Commanders
Age: 29
2022 Cap Hit: $2.78 million
Like Duke Riley, Bobby McCain has familiarity with defensive coordinator Brian Flores. McCain played under Flores in Miami for two seasons before being released in 2021. After being released, McCain signed with the Commanders, where he played both slot cornerback and safety.
That positional flexibility could help McCain land a job quickly because slot cornerbacks are becoming more valuable. McCain could fit into both positions for the Vikings, but his best chance of starting would be as a slot corner instead of Chandon Sullivan.
CB Greedy Williams
Previous team: Cleveland Browns
Age: 25
AAV (Average annual value): $2.055 million
It’s been a disappointing start to Greedy Williams’ NFL career after being selected 46th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. Since then, injuries and inconsistency on the field have limited Williams’ chances of making a significant impact for the Cleveland Browns. Last season, Williams played just 10.9% of the Browns’ snaps, which was a career low.
The #Browns getting Greedy Williams at #46 overall is easily one of my favorite picks of the entire draft so far.
Pairing him with Denzel Ward has the potential to be a terrific young duo on the outside. pic.twitter.com/larQsWziu2
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) April 27, 2019
At just 25 years old, though, there are still plenty of traits to bet on. Williams is a long, lengthy cornerback who tested well during the pre-draft cycle. His 6-foot-2 frame and 1.51-second 10-yard split fit what the Vikings want out of cornerbacks. Those physical traits, combined with his knack for the ball, make him an intriguing fit in Flores’ press-man coverage defense.
