Could a pair of former Minnesota Vikings players be returning for the 2021 season?
During the 2020 offseason, the Minnesota Vikings made the difficult decision to part ways with several longtime contributors on the defensive side of the ball.
Looking back on it, the Vikings probably should have attempted to keep at least two or three of the guys they let walk out the door, especially the ones who had starting experience.
This offseason, a few of these players that left Minnesota in 2020 are free agents once again including Xavier Rhodes, Everson Griffen, and Mackensie Alexander. There is also a rumor currently floating around about a former Vikings player’s expected release from his current team.
Former Minnesota Vikings defensive tackled rumored to be a cut candidate this year
Linval Joseph was one of the veteran defenders Minnesota decided to release in 2020 and he wound up spending last season in the AFC with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Joseph had a solid performance during his first year outside of Minnesota’s locker room since 2013. But a rumor recently started to spread online about the possibility of the Chargers cutting the veteran defensive tackle this offseason.
It’s only a rumor at this point and there have been no credible reports about Los Angeles potentially releasing Joseph this year. But former Vikings wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson did hit the like button for a post on Twitter saying Minnesota should bring back him and Joseph for next season.
If both are available in free agency this year, should the Vikings be interested in bringing back Patterson and their former Pro Bowl defensive tackle?
They should definitely consider signing Patterson this year since they are desperate for help when it comes to kick and punt returns. But as for Joseph, the Vikings probably wouldn’t attempt to bring him back unless he’s interested in being a reserve member of the defense since Michael Pierce is now expected to be the team’s starting nose tackle in 2021.
Los Angeles would free up $7.5 million in cap space if they actually went ahead and released Joseph this offseason. The Chargers aren’t desperate for more cap space this year as they’re projected to have at least $23 million to spend.
4 former Vikings players that could return for the 2021 season
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But if Los Angeles thinks they would be better off using that $7.5 million cap hit on something other than a 32-year-old defensive tackle, Joseph could become a free agent for the second offseason in a row.