It's no secret that the Minnesota Vikings were one of the most active and aggressive teams in free agency once the new NFL league year began back in March, adding the likes of offensive linemen Will Fries and Ryan Kelly, defensive linemen Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, cornerbacks Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah, and wide receiver Rondale Moore.
And let's certainly not forget about general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah taking care of a little in-house business, as the club came to terms on a three-year, $54 million extension with cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. And on Saturday, of course, the Vikes also agreed to a three-year extension with safety Josh Metellus. So, the Vikes have been busy.
But there was also a low-key acquisition that could end up making a significant impact as the 2025 campaign progresses, as Minnesota brought back veteran linebacker Eric Wilson, who spent four solid seasons with the franchise after signing as an undrafted free agent out of Cincinnati in 2017.
Eric Wilson could end up being a significant signing for the Minnesota Vikings.
Wilson has bounced around the league for the past few years, but defensive coordinator Brian Flores seems thrilled to have the Michigan native and his eight years of experience in the Vikings' linebacker room.
"Eric's been fantastic," Flores said on Thursday at Vikings training camp. "You know, I know he's been here before. I was never with him, but it's almost like he's been here the entire time that I've been here. He's just got a great energy about him. It's a great presence, kind of a veteran presence in the linebacker room, and then he's a total professional.
"He's in early, he stays late, and he's picked things up quickly. He's done a great job. He's kind of taken on a leadership role right away, and excited about his role and the things he can do and how he can help us in a variety of ways. We've got a lot of depth in that room, and it'll be a competitive environment, really, at all positions. But he's been tremendous".
As mentioned, Wilson had four solid seasons with the Vikings to kick off his pro career, racking up 234 total tackles, 122 of those coming in the 2020 campaign alone, which led the team. He also notched a career-high three interceptions.
But the following year didn't go nearly as smoothly. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles ahead of the 2021 season but was waived in early November and closed out the year with the Houston Texans.
Wilson returned to the NFC North in 2022 with the Green Bay Packers and had a fairly solid run with the Vikings' rivals over the past three seasons. This past year, he even started 12 games and had his best year since that 2020 season, racking up 72 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, a forced fumble, a pair of pass deflections, and an interception.
So, he can undoubtedly still go. Wilson wasn't brought in to replace starters Blake Cashman or Ivan Pace Jr., but he's going to slide in beautifully as the third option. Once those unfamiliar with him get a good look at what he can do, it'll become clear why Flores is so excited.