5 free agents the Vikings will regret not signing in 2024
By Adam Carlson
Free agent No. 4
Gus Edwards, running back
Regular followers of my work on The Viking Age know that I was advocating strongly for the Minnesota Vikings to go after former Baltimore Ravens running back Gus Edwards in free agency this offseason.
It was hard to find a reason not to want Edwards to swap out his Ravens' purple jersey for a Vikings purple. He is only 28 years old, had 13 rushing touchdowns last season, and averages nearly five yards per carry in his career.
No matter who the Vikings signed, they were likely to be plugged into the starting lineup. It was disappointing that Alexander Mattison didn't work out for Minnesota but the team had to move on and decided on former Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones.
Jones should do a good job for Minnesota but his one-year deal worth $7 million seems like a lot when compared to the two-year deal worth $6.5 million that Edwards signed with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Behind Jones, the Vikings have Ty Chandler. Chandler could be ready for a committee role in Minnesota or possibly only act as a rotational or backup with Jones in a featured role. Either way, pressure will be on the running backs to make things easier on a rookie quarterback or Sam Darnold this season.
Paying a player half a million more for one less year of service means expectations should be higher for Jones in 2024 with the Vikings than they should be for Edwards with the Chargers, so that will be something to keep an eye on during the coming season.
If Gus Edwards has a fantastic year for the Chargers and Jones struggles for the Minnesota Vikings, feelings of frustration could start to mount and the team's front office could look a little silly for their decision in free agency.