January 5, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Minnesota Vikings tough last Kyle Rudolph. Compulsory Credit: Chuck Cook – USA Today Sports.
Either age quickly caught up with several former Minnesota Vikings players – or a combination of Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer was a quick way to draw talent from the players otherwise not enticed by different teams. The solution may be in the middle.
The 2022 free-agency period is more than two months old, and several former Vikings – many of whom started – are unemployed until mid-May. The size of the list is enough.
Of course, most of the available men are age-related casualties, but not below the trend line. Some players could not play anywhere other than enjoying their best days with the Zimmer and Purple teams.
Here is the first group – men who were sometimes a bit valuable in the Viking system:
- Mackenzie Alexander (CB)
- Anthony Barr (LB)
- Everson Griffin (DE)
- Linval Joseph (NT)
- Riley Reef (OT)
- Sheldon Richardson (DL)
- Kyle Rudolph (TE)
- Xavier Rhodes (CB)
- Bring Owens (CB)
All of these men started the football game for the 2019 Vikings. The two most notable signatories are arguably Anthony Barr and Xavier Rhodes. Bar only 30 and illustrated for commands Something Focus on free agency. Still, he is available to sign anywhere until May 18th. The bar is rumored to be landing with the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Jets.
Rhodes is even more mysterious because he actually played quite well in two seasons with the Indianapolis Colts (especially in 2020) after leaving Minnesota. Still, he’s not too involved with the Baker and Free-Agent Rumor Mill.
The second tier of the former Vikings does not carry too much shock value to those who are available, but it is worth mentioning.
- Chris Herndon (TE)
- Jericho McKinnon (Arabic)
- Ifadi Odenigbo (DE)
- Mike Remarks (OL)
- Shamar Stephen (DT)
- Latavius Murray (Arabic)
- Dead Westbrook (WR)
Harndon and Westbrook played for the 2021 team and were obviously “Spielman friends” because there has been little talk of a 2022 reunion.
For Marr, he’s near the end of the road. He is 32 years old, old enough for an NFL. But the Vikings could thank him for helping keep the ship afloat during the near-storybook 2017 campaign.
Overall, the 15 players mentioned in the 2022 Vikings are unlikely to return – except Bar, Griffin or Rudolph. The three are unlikely to return, but it would not be a surprise if new general manager Quesi Adofo-Mensah welcomed one or the other of them in depth.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to her daily YouTube channel, VikesNow. She Hosts a podcast With Bryant McKinney, which airs every Wednesday Raun Sai And Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking Fandom dates back to 1996. Listed Criminal Pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos’ and The Doors (Band).
