4 impending free agents the Vikings should re-sign in 2022
By Luke Parrish
Nick Vigil – LB
Financially, it would be a better value for the Vikings to bring back Nick Vigil over Anthony Barr next season. Barr is a far better player and has been a stud for this team for a long time but they simply cannot afford to keep paying him when his health has been as unlucky as it has been.
Barr just has not been healthy enough to make a consistently positive impact for Minnesota and Vigil is a veteran leader that can retain his spot next to Eric Kendricks until a better option comes along. I would not be shocked if the Vikings drafted a linebacker in the early rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Vigil has been a step up from Eric Wilson and he does have some value in all phases of the defense but he is by no means a building block for the future. Re-signing him to a similar deal that he got this past offseason is a move that makes sense for the Vikings. Having some continuity on the defense is a good thing for a team that has lacked that over the past two seasons.
The Vikings should expect a large overhaul of the defense next season and it starts in free agency. Veterans such as Patrick Peterson, Xavier Woods, and Bashaud Breeland have not done enough in their first season with Minnesota to warrant a second contract. Peterson is arguable but his absences throughout the season are too much for a team that needs to tear things down on that side of the ball.