OTAs and mini-camps wrapped up for the Minnesota Vikings and the rest of the NFL earlier this month, and now teams are enjoying some time off before returning to the practice field in a few weeks for the start of training camp.
At this point in the offseason, teams are attempting to figure out if there are any roster adjustments that they still want to make before training camp gets underway. If teams are interested in potentially adding someone to their roster in the near future, there are still a number of notable free agents who are in need of a team for the 2024 season.
Among this group of available players are a bunch that have spent a portion of their NFL career as a member of the Vikings. So, who are some of the most notable former Minnesota players who still need a place to play for the upcoming season?
7 former Minnesota Vikings still unsigned after 2024 mini-camps
Patrick Peterson - CB
2023 Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
After spending two years with the Vikings, Peterson took on a new adventure with the Steelers last season. Unfortunately, the 33-year-old cornerback finished 2023 with the third-worst defensive grade from PFF in his entire career, and he set a new single-season career-high with 11 missed tackles. Was Peterson a bad fit in Pittsburgh's defense, or has his time as a reliable NFL cornerback come to an end?
Dalvin Cook - RB
2023 Teams: New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens
Last season was just an ultimate disaster for Cook during his first year outside of Minnesota. He was unable to get anything going with the Jets, as he averaged just 3.2 yards per rush attempt, and he joined the Ravens too late in the season to make any sort of legitimate impact.
Cook still hasn't turned 30 yet (he'll turn 29 in August), and despite his struggles in 2023, it would actually be pretty surprising if at least one team didn't give him another shot before next season.
Linval Joseph - DT
2023 Team: Buffalo Bills
Midway through the 2023 season, Joseph signed with the Bills, his third team since parting with Minnesota in 2020. The 35-year-old defensive tackle appeared in nine games with Buffalo last year (including the playoffs), and in five of the first seven matchups he played in, he helped the Bills hold their opponents under 100 rushing yards. He finished the season with 15 tackles (one for a loss) and one sack.
Laquon Treadwell - WR
2023 Team: Baltimore Ravens
Despite only catching 111 passes in his entire career, Treadwell has managed to stick around in the NFL after his time with the Vikings came to an end after the 2019 season. Since then, Minnesota's former first-round pick has had stints with the Ravens, Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals, and Seattle Seahawks. With Baltimore last season, he appeared in five games and finished with just one catch for 16 yards.
Jayron Kearse - S
2023 Team: Dallas Cowboys
After two excellent years with the Cowboys in 2021 and 2022, Kearse came back down to earth last season, as his defensive grade from PFF (44.9) ranked 94th out of 95 qualifying safeties around the NFL. He's still only 30-years-old, and he's been in the league long enough to convince a team that his performance last season wasn't the norm. So, he will likely find a new team by the start of the 2024 season.
Cam Akers - RB
2023 Team: Minnesota Vikings
Akers was acquired by Minnesota in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams last year. He was arguably the Vikings' best running back on the field when he was healthy, but unfortunately, a torn Achilles in Week 9 ended his season early.
Akers has reportedly been rehabbing his injured Achilles in Minnesota this offseason, and he is hoping to re-sign with the Vikings for the 2024 season, according to KSTP's Darren Wolfson. Is that something Minnesota is interested in doing?
Duke Shelley - CB
2023 Teams: Los Angeles Rams and Las Vegas Raiders
The star of the Vikings' defensive backfield in 2022, Shelley originally signed a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders during the 2023 offseason. However, the Raiders actually cut him when building their final 2023 roster, and he wound up playing for the Rams during the regular season.
In 11 appearances for Los Angeles last year, Shelley accumulated eight tackles, two pass breakups, and one fumble recovery. The majority of his snaps with the Rams last season came on special teams, but the former Minnesota corner will likely want to land with a team for 2024 that will actually utilize his talents on defense.