Vikings Free Agency 2023: Arrivals, departures, and rumors from Day 1
By Adam Patrick
Signings – Day 1
Marcus Davenport – EDGE
- 2022 Team: New Orleans Saints
- Contract: 1 year, $13 million
Getting free-agent pass rusher Marcus Davenport to agree to a deal was easily the biggest splash the Vikings made on Monday.
Davenport, a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, has spent all five of his seasons in the NFL with the Saints. In 2023, he’ll get to chase after opposing quarterbacks in a Minnesota uniform under the guidance of new Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
In 2022, Davenport only finished with 0.5 sacks in 15 games with New Orleans. However, he also finished with the 26th-best defensive grade from PFF among edge defenders last season, and he accumulated 34 pressures during his time on the field with the Saints in 2022.
For a guy that is still just 26-years-old, Davenport is a great pass rusher for the Vikings to take a chance on as they look to improve their defense next season.
Josh Oliver – TE
- 2022 Team: Baltimore Ravens
- Contract: 3 years, $21 million
Minnesota’s first reported new offensive addition of the 2023 offseason is a tight end in Josh Oliver who has a total of just 46 catches in his three-year NFL career.
But that doesn’t seem to be why the Vikings pursued Oliver. The former Ravens tight end excelled as a run blocker in 2022, finishing with the second-best run-blocking grade from PFF among qualifying tight ends.
Minnesota wants to be more efficient with their rushing attack next season and adding someone like Oliver seems like it should help them take a step in that direction.