7 free-agent inside linebackers the Vikings could sign in 2022
By Luke Parrish
Ja’Whaun Bentley
2021 Team: New England Patriots
The Patriots would be foolish to let Ja’Whaun Bentley walk in free agency after a stellar couple of seasons. Bentley has become a force in the middle of their defense over the past two seasons with 200 tackles (eight for a loss) and three forced fumbles since 2020.
In those two seasons, Bentley has started in all 29 games that he has appeared in and has become a leader for the Patriots. He led the team in tackles last season with 109 and five tackles for loss.
Bentley is heading into his age 26 season with steady improvement in New England in each of his four seasons. If he continues on that trend, he will be one of the better starting linebackers in the NFL for a long time. The Vikings could look to add him to the mix for the long run and they would be very smart to do so.
Assuming the Eric Kendricks era is coming to an end, getting three or four years out of Ja’Whaun Bentley is a nice swap if that’s the direction the Vikings want to go. Bentley will have a lot of suitors in 2022 so long as he is not franchise tagged by the Patriots prior to free agency opening up.
Aside from maybe Jayon Brown, this would be the biggest splash the Vikings could make in free agency when addressing the linebacker position. It may not be a move that ultimately comes to fruition given the value of the position and uncertainty surrounding Kendricks.