Two more free agents are expected to join the Minnesota Vikings defense for the 2024 NFL season.
The Minnesota Vikings have been busy in free agency this offseason. So far, the team has mostly been focused on building up the defense and they have not finished building up Brian Flores' unit quite yet.
On Tuesday, it was learned that linebacker Jihad Ward had a visit with the Vikings. proving that Minnesota is still looking for help after signing several players at that level of the defense since the start of free agency.
News of additions to the Vikings' defense was announced on Wednesday. The report stated that Ward didn't leave Minnesota without a deal getting done and the team agreed to terms with another free agent linebacker.
Here is the announcement of those free agent acquisitions from the X (formerly Twitter) account of The Athletic's Alec Lewis:
The #Vikings have signed edge Jihad Ward and agreed to terms with LB Kamu Grugier-Hill, per source. More defensive assistance.
— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) March 20, 2024
What do these acquisitions mean for the Minnesota Vikings?
It wouldn't be surprising if fans weren't familiar with Jihad Ward or Kamu Grugier-Hill. However, both linebackers should provide depth and experience at a position depleted due to exiting players this offseason.
Jihad Ward was a second-round draft pick of the Oakland Raiders in the 2016 NFL Draft. In his eight seasons as a pro, the six-foot-five edge rusher spent time with five teams, including his last two seasons with the New York Giants.
Last season, Ward had a career-high five sacks for the Giants in 17 games with nine starts. With 102 NFL games under his belt, the 29-year-old edge rusher provides stability and depth at outside linebacker.
Kamu Grugier-Hill is an interesting addition because he was part of a Miami Dolphins defense led by head coach Brian Flores in 2020 and part of the Patriots' preseason when Flores was a linebackers coach. A sixth-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2016, Grugier-Hill played with five teams in his eight NFL seasons.
More of a depth and role player who has played both inside and outside linebacker, Grugier-Hill has 42 starts in his NFL career but only has six sacks on his resume. Despite that, the 29-year-old was a member of the Philadelphia Eagles team that won Super Bowl LII
Congratulations to Jihad Ward and Kamu Grugier-Hill on joining the Minnesota Vikings. Hopefully, they can have great years in purple and gold jerseys.