Grading the Minnesota Vikings' major free agent signings so far

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and company made several big splashes to kick off free agency this year. Let's hand out a grade for each move.

Aug 13, 2022; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Indianapolis Colts guard Will Fries (75) prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

No team in the NFL had a splashier first two days of free agency this year than the Minnesota Vikings. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and his staff, knowing they have the benefit of a quarterback on a rookie contract, went out and made several aggressive moves to address their team's glaring weaknesses. It's a haul that should transform the way the Vikings are able to play this season, particularly in the trenches.

The offseason is far from over, and Minnesota still has the cap space to make additional moves, but let's hand out a grade for each of the seven significant deals they've worked out so far. We'll go in chronological order based on when the news was announced.

RB Aaron Jones: B

Contract: 2 years, $20 million ($13M guaranteed)

I had no issue with the Vikings bringing back Jones before free agency began. The contract feels a little bit steep for a 30-year-old who has been banged up at times over the past couple years, but Jones is coming off of a very strong season in which he played in all 17 games. He's an experienced player who should form a nice backfield tandem with a rookie, he's a very good route-runner, and he's a leader in the locker room. Keeping him around is a good thing for J.J. McCarthy. Part of me wonders if a cheaper option (Rico Dowdle, for example) could've provided similar value, but if Jones stays healthy, this contract will age just fine.

CB Isaiah Rodgers: B+

Contract: 2 years, $11 million ($8M guaranteed, incentives up to $15M)

This addition will be overshadowed by the bigger names the Vikings brought in, but I think it has a chance to be looked back on as a very savvy move. Rodgers is just 27 years old and has earned PFF grades above 70 across 420-520 defensive snaps as a rotational outside cornerback in each of his last three seasons, first with the Colts and then last year with the Eagles. He's a speedy corner with coverage ability and playmaking chops (3 INTs, 2 FFs, 4 FRs in his career) who should play a significant role for the Vikings, even if they bring in more competition at the position. Although Rodgers is still relatively unproven, his best football might be in front of him.

C Ryan Kelly: A

Contract: 2 years, $18 million ($9M guaranteed)

Credit to the Vikings for not being satisfied with mediocrity. Garrett Bradbury has been relatively fine as their starting center for the last six seasons, but he's had just one year (2022) where he's been even slightly above average in pass protection. Kelly is a clear upgrade at a very reasonable price. The Colts' center for the past nine seasons, he has seven seasons with a pass-blocking grade above Bradbury's best mark (63.8). Kelly's been above 70 in five of those years, including each of the last two. Yes, he's 32 years old and missed some time to injury last season, but the four-time Pro Bowler is a very good center who should help out McCarthy and raise the floor of the Vikings' entire offensive line.

CB Byron Murphy Jr: C

Contract: 3 years, $54 million ($34.8M guaranteed, incentives to $66 million)

Some may feel this is harsh, but I don't think it would be interesting analysis if I just gave out A's to every move the Vikings have made. Murphy is coming off of a very strong season where he picked off six passes and made the Pro Bowl. He also, per PFF, was in the top five among corners — and not in a good way — in targets (109), receptions (77), and yards allowed (779) in his coverage. His 16 missed tackles were tied for seventh-most at the position. The Vikings had a big need at corner, and I think Murphy is a good player. I just don't know if he's a great one, which is why his APY doubling from $8.75 million to $18 million gives me some cause for concern. I would've probably preferred Carlton Davis or Charvarius Ward, who also signed for $18M per year.

DT Jonathan Allen: A-

Contract: 3 years, $51 million ($31.3M guaranteed, incentives to $60M)

I've spent the past several years wanting to see the Vikings add a true pass-rushing defensive tackle. They went out and got Allen (and then didn't stop there), and I think it's going to make a huge difference for the ceiling of their defense. The former Commanders star was one of the better DTs in the league from about 2018 to 2022, peaking with 67 pressures and nine sacks in '21. He's now 30, missed a big chunk of time with a pectoral injury last season, and hasn't graded well as a run defender over the past couple of years — and yet, I'm not overly worried about any of that. Allen can still rush the passer from the interior at a very high level, and I think he's in line for a major bounce-back year in the Vikings' defense. Plus, it's functionally just a two-year deal.

G Will Fries: B

Contract: 5 years, $88 million (exact details TBA)

On the surface, that's a lot of years and a lot of money for a guard, especially one who was merely serviceable in his first couple seasons as a starter before looking like he had taken a huge leap in five healthy games to begin last season. It'll be interesting to learn about the structure of the deal, and specifically how much is guaranteed and how early the Vikings could realistically get out of it if Fries isn't who they believe him to be. I don't mind this gamble from Adofo-Mensah, knowing the importance of the guard position and how much the Vikings have struggled there for so long. Fries is just 27 years old, and his tape — in both pass protection and run blocking — is a lot of fun to watch. It's a risk, but I think the Vikings' huge bet on Fries' ascension has a good chance to pay off.

Javon Hargrave: A

Contract: 2 years, $30 million ($19M guaranteed)

This may have been my favorite move of the bunch. After signing Allen, the Vikings were probably set at defensive tackle, right? Nope. They splurged for another two-time Pro Bowl DT who was released by his most recent team. Hargrave is 32 and played in just three games last year before a torn triceps ended his season. When healthy, though, he's an absolute menace for offenses to deal with. Across his last three full seasons, from 2021 to '23, he racked up 25.5 sacks and 170 pressures, earning a PFF pass rush grade above 87 each time. Like Allen, he probably isn't much of a run defender anymore, but the Vikings have Harrison Phillips for that. They addressed a huge need by landing two proven pass-rushing weapons from the interior, and I'm all for it. How are you going to stop a pass rush that has those two in the middle and Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel coming off the edge?

This Vikings defense is absolutely loaded — and the offseason is far from over.

(Players in bold have made at least one career Pro Bowl appearance) pic.twitter.com/ejXaypOLHO

— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) March 13, 2025

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