4 high-risk free agents the Vikings should consider in 2022
By Dean Jones
Juston Burris – S
With Xavier Woods out of contract and Harrison Smith firmly in the twilight of a potential Pro Football Hall of Fame career, the Vikings would be wise to find some other options at the safety position in free agency or the 2022 NFL Draft. This appears to be a strong class of college prospects on the backend, but if Kevin O’Connell wants to get this team back into the playoff picture during his first year as head coach, a veteran piece might be a more viable alternative.
Juston Burris faces an uncertain future following another injury-hit season with the Carolina Panthers. The veteran’s production when healthy was never really in question, but bad fortune at the wrong time in both 2020 and 2021 derailed his progress significantly.
It looked as if Burris was going to form a productive partnership with Jeremy Chinn in Carolina before he got injured. Much like his first season with the franchise, he was never quite the same after that, and it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see the Panthers take their chances elsewhere.
This would be a risk for the Vikings. If Burris could stay healthy for a full 17-game schedule, then Minnesota could potentially have a valuable contributor on their hands if Woods gets a better offer.
However, there is simply no guarantee based on what we’ve seen over the last two seasons. Burris has talent. He just needs a bit of luck.