5 budget-friendly free agent fits available for the Minnesota Vikings
By Adam Carlson
3. LeGarrette Blount, running back
Latavius Murray will be missed. His power running complimented the agility and speed of Dalvin Cook in the Minnesota backfield well and kept opposing defenses on their toes. Thankfully, there are some good options for a bruising back in free agency.
Among those available is LeGarrette Blount, a free agent who had five touchdowns with the Lions last year and was often used in short yardage situations. At age 32, he still has some gas left in the tank and could help to fill the gap until Mike Boone is more established at the position.
With how heavily loaded the free agent class is at running back, don’t be surprised to see a lot of teams wait on grabbing one, even waiting until after the 2019 NFL Draft, and grabbing players at extreme bargain prices.
In 2018, Blount only counted as $2M against the salary cap for Detroit, but it would be surprising to see him match that number after his smaller role with the Lions last year and the flooded market. Still, bringing in a veteran to compete with a young player is usually a recipe for success.