As the Minnesota Vikings head into the 2024 offseason and attempt to improve their roster, which free agents should be atop their wish list?
The Minnesota Vikings have signed their fair share of free agents over the years and were aggressive in 2023 by adding Byron Murphy. This time around, the Vikings may want to consider more key pieces on the defensive side of the ball.
For this list, we will highlight some of the big-name free agents on the market that could make an impact for Minnesota in 2024 and beyond.
However, Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter will not be included in this group despite being free agents themselves. Instead, the players listed will be players coming from elsewhere in the league.
With some roster moves and contract restructures, the Vikings can certainly create enough cap space to sign a key player or two while also finalizing an extension with Justin Jefferson. This is a very strong free agency class, and there are a ton of players in areas of need for Minnesota.
Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O'Connell are well aware that the team needs to improve in 2024, and last season proved that depth is far more important than top-end talent when building an NFL roster.
This isn't necessarily a make-or-break offseason for Minnesota and their organizational staff, but it is probably their best chance to change their fortunes.
The following list features the best free agents that would be exciting additions to the Vikings in 2024.
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Vikings Dream Free Agent No. 1
Christian Wilkins - IDL
2023 Team: Miami Dolphins
The Vikings have targeted interior defensive linemen nearly every offseason it seems. This season will be no different as they need to find a difference-maker on the defensive line, and Christian Wilkins is the name that stands out the most.
Wilkins has been a star for the Dolphins of late and has ties with Brian Flores, which could play a factor in bringing him to Minnesota. He had a career-best 9.0 sacks in 2023, but he has been a force in the backfield for three seasons now.
Over the past three years, Wilkins has tallied 17.0 sacks, 36 tackles for loss, and four forced fumbles. He is one of the best interior linemen on the market in a class that features plenty of options.
According to Spotrac, Wilkins' market value projects to be a four-year contract worth nearly $81 million.
Minnesota would definitely need to get creative with a contract for Wilkins - or elsewhere on their current roster - to make a deal work. If they can land him, that would relieve a lot of the stress heading into this year's NFL Draft and give them a lot more flexibility when making their selections.
Considering his value and the need for interior players across the league, Wilkins is likely going to be a challenging player to land in free agency.
But the Vikings would be smart to get in the mix for a player like him, as he could give them what they need defensively.
Vikings Dream Free Agent No. 2
D.J. Reader - IDL
2023 Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Similar to Christian Wilkins, the Vikings should be all over D.J. Reader when the free agency period opens. Reader projects to be a bit cheaper than Wilkins - Spotrac projects him to make roughly $15 million annually - but he is still a very good player in the middle of the line.
Reader has not put up the same numbers as Wilkins or the other big-name defensive tackles in the NFL, but he has surely earned his stay.
He can be a force against the run while not being much of a pass-rushing threat and bring value to a team that needs to beef up the trenches.
With just 9.5 career sacks and an injury history that has limited him to just 24 games over the past two seasons, Reader may be available for even cheaper than his current projection.
Minnesota can certainly dream bigger than what Reader offers, but they need defensive line help more than anything, and if they can find a bargain in free agency, they have to take the chance.
If the Vikings get put in a position where they have their hands tied and have to reach for one in the draft, it could be a disaster in the long run.
His box scores and career stats are not going to blow anybody away, but Reader is a very solid defensive tackle who would be a clear and immediate upgrade for Minnesota.
Vikings Dream Free Agent No. 3
Antoine Winfield Jr. - S
2023 Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Exactly 20 years after his father signed with the Vikings in free agency, Antoine Winfield Jr. is on the market and could do the exact same this offseason.
Winfield, a safety who has shined for the Buccaneers thus far in his career, is one of the best players available this offseason.
With Harrison Smith's future up in the air thanks to a high cap number, it is at least plausible that Minnesota could look to replace him with another star player in the secondary. This year, Winfield is projected to sign a monster contract in free agency worth nearly $18 million per season.
The Vikings spending their money on a safety when the team has already struggled to find a place for their 2022 first-round pick and finding success with Josh Metellus and Cam Bynum would be a bit unnecessary, but the storylines would be exciting nonetheless.
Winfield would bring a ball-hawking mentality to Minnesota's defense that has been missing a bit over the past few years.
He is coming off a career year in which he forced six fumbles, intercepted three passes, and picked up 6.0 sacks. Winfield also recovered four fumbles and recorded a career-high 122 tackles.
The 25-year-old safety is going to have plenty of suitors when free agency opens, but a possible return to the state of Minnesota would be welcomed by plenty of Vikings fans. Their defense could use a big-time playmaker of this caliber.
Vikings Dream Free Agent No. 4
Bryce Huff - EDGE
2023 Team: New York Jets
The Vikings need to bolster their pass rush at some point this offseason. If they want to focus their draft board on quarterbacks and other needs, it would be well worth a look into the free agent market to find a pass rusher regardless of Danielle Hunter's status.
Bryce Huff has gone under the radar with the Jets, but he is going to be a valuable pass rusher on the market this spring.
While he may not be seeking a contract that matches some of the best pass rushers in the league, he is still going to land somewhere around $15 million per season if I had to make a guess at this point.
Huff is fresh off the best season of his young career, where he recorded 10.0 sacks and 10.0 tackles for loss. He got his hands on the quarterback 21 times and was constantly breathing down their necks in 2023.
Minnesota could look to swing big on edge rushers by adding Huff and retaining Hunter to give their front line quite the upgrade.
If the Vikings opted to choose Huff over Hunter, they would likely save a chunk of change annually and could use that extra money to add elsewhere. However, they would still need to add another pass rusher in some capacity.
It could make sense to sign Huff and use their second-round selection on the best pass rusher remaining to roll into next season while Hunter seeks a contract elsewhere that Minnesota cannot match.
Vikings Dream Free Agent No. 5
Robert Hunt - OG
2023 Team: Miami Dolphins
The Vikings finally seemed to find a fix along the interior offensive line last season, with Dalton Risner coming along midseason and taking over at left guard.
As he heads back into free agency, Minnesota will have some work to do to retain Risner and possibly even find competition for Ed Ingram at right guard.
Miami's Robert Hunt has ascended into one of the best young guards in football and will command a healthy contract in free agency. Spotrac has him slotted to make around $11.8 million per season in a deal this spring.
Ultimately, I would expect the Vikings to retain Risner and Ingram and select a guard later in the 2024 NFL Draft to serve as a depth piece.
However, if it were up to me, finding a prominent solution that would hold down a spot for the foreseeable future would be a much better method.
Hunt would drastically improve Minnesota's run game which was a major concern in 2023. They have to be better on the ground to take pressure off the passing game and keep defenses honest.
Vikings Dream Free Agent No. 6
Chase Young - EDGE
2023 Teams: San Francisco 49ers and Washington Commanders
The 49ers traded for Chase Young prior to the trade deadline but he has not done much for his value since arriving to the Bay.
His contraction projections have been on a steady decline over the past month or so, but that is where he can be a steal for a team like Minnesota.
The Vikings need to find a secondary pass-rushing option, and Young on a fairly cheap deal would be a massive swing that they have to consider. If he can return to his normal self, Young would be a very good pass rusher for Brian Flores.
Young has never lived up to the expectations that came with being a second overall draft pick, but he has still carved out a solid NFL career, given his injuries in 2021 and 2022.
As a rookie, Young recorded 7.5 sacks and four forced fumbles on his way to winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
He finished this past season with 7.5 sacks once again but also finished with a career-high 15 QB hits. If he never emerges as a truly elite pass rusher, there is still plenty of value in Young as a complementary piece on a defense that loves to bring pressure.
With how his market value has dropped recently, Young has fallen into a sweet spot for Minnesota. They could afford to snag him and still have enough money to go get another impact player in free agency.
Vikings Dream Free Agent No. 7
Frankie Luvu - LB
2023 Team: Carolina Panthers
Jordan Hicks is set to become a free agent, and the Vikings would be smart to find a replacement somewhere else in free agency. Frankie Luvu had a breakout season in 2023 and would be a great fit for how their defense is currently set up.
Luvu has been stellar for the Panthers over the past two seasons, soaring over 100 tackles in each of campaign.
In 2023, Luvu finished with 125 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks. The year prior, he racked up 111 tackles, 19 TFLs, and 7.0 sacks and also had a pick-six.
Pairing him with Ivan Pace Jr. would give Minnesota a couple of very good tacklers who can eliminate the run game and bring pressure in blitz packages. He is going to have a lot of suitors in March, but the Vikings should attempt to be involved in some capacity.
The Vikings have not had consistent success defensively dating back to 2020, but they did see glimpses of improvement early in 2023. Adding a player like Luvu to the middle of the field could do wonders for Brian Flores.
He is a good run-stopper and pass-rusher from the second level. That just so happens to be the same set of strengths that made Pace such a good player in his rookie season.
Finding a young playmaker to complement the undrafted star should be a priority for Minnesota in 2024 or 2025.
Vikings Dream Free Agent No. 8
Josh Jacobs or Saquon Barkley - RBs
2023 Teams: Las Vegas Raiders (Jacobs) and New York Giants (Barkley)
I do not advocate for spending big bills on a running back, especially one that has already played through their age 27 season. However, the Vikings were so abysmal on the ground in 2023 that they have to get creative in order to have a balanced attack.
Josh Jacobs was far from his old self last season and could be a cheap option on the market compared to where he was expected to land prior to 2023. If he leaves Las Vegas, the Vikings may find some value in his bell-cow capability to supplement Ty Chandler's speed.
If they wanted to get really risky, Minnesota could target Saquon Barkley to be their lead back at a significant price. Barkley has been as good of a running back as we've seen in the NFL over the past few seasons, aside from Christian McCaffrey.
Barkley can also be an impactful receiver out of the backfield, which makes him that much more valuable. He has gone well over 1,200 total yards in each of the past two seasons while also scoring double-digit touchdowns.
It may not be a pressing need or a need that requires this sort of cash, but signing one of the big-ticket free agents would be fun for the Vikings' offense.