As the big splashes of free agency fade, the Minnesota Vikings are now looking to fill out the depth of their roster. On Friday, the Vikings announced that they have agreed to a deal with veteran linebacker Eric Wilson. Terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed.
Wilson has spent the last three seasons with the Green Bay Packers. He played over 500 defensive snaps and started 12 games last season, with 72 total tackles and two sacks, as he was also a core special teamer for Green Bay (321 snaps).
Over the last two seasons, Wilson had 22 special teams tackles. Prior to his run with the Packers, Wilson split the 2021 season between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Houston Texans.
Minnesota Vikings bring back Eric Wilson to bolster linebacker depth
Wilson is a familiar name for Vikings fans. He was signed by the previous regime as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Cincinnati in 2017, and he spent the first four seasons of his career in Minnesota.
His final season as a member of the Vikings, 2020, was the best of his career (122 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, three interceptions, and three sacks).
With Kamu Grugier-Hill a free agent this year, the Vikings needed some to add some off-ball linebacker depth behind Ivan Pace Jr. and Blake Cashman.
During his previous stint with the Vikings, Wilson also showed his versatility by lining up all over the defensive formation (data courtesy of Pro Football Focus).
2019
- 767 total snaps
- 445 defensive snaps: 70 as a defensive lineman (OLB), 331 snaps as a "box" defender, 38 snaps as a slot corner, three snaps as a wide corner, two snaps at free safety;
- 322 special teams snaps across all five phases (kick coverage, punt coverage, field goal block, kick return and punt return)
2020
- 1,137 total snaps
- 1,034 defensive snaps: 111 as a defensive lineman (OLB), 848 snaps as a "box" defender, 66 snaps as a slot corner, four snaps as a wide corner, five snaps at free safety
- 103 special teams snaps
Wilson is lined up to be a core special-teamer for Minnesota in his second stint with the franchise. But whatever his role is defensively, he is just the kind of versatile piece that Brian Flores will love.