Defense was the name of the game for the Minnesota Vikings for much of the 2023 season. When Kirk Cousins went down mid-season and the offense sputtered, the defense was left to pick up the slack. And pick it up they did!
The 2023 Minnesota Vikings defense was a much-improved unit under the tutelage of former Miami Dolphins head coach and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Flores’ defensive scheme kept opposing offenses guessing all season, and the defense is the primary reason why the Vikings were (at least theoretically) still in the NFC playoff picture until the last two weeks of the season.
For better or worse, the Vikings have a lot of talent on the defense that is scheduled to hit the open market during the NFL’s free agency period this year. The biggest name is EDGE rusher Danielle Hunter, but there are a couple of key names – whether starters or depth pieces – with him that could leave.
Whether they leave or re-sign with the Vikings, Minnesota is going to have to be active in the NFL’s free agency period in some capacity to fill out the roster. A roster that could have several large holes, particularly at EDGE rusher. Here are six players who could help plug the hole at that position.
Danielle Hunter
Vikings OLB Danielle Hunter had an incredible season in 2023. He set a franchise record in tackles for loss, and set new career highs in both tackles and sacks. Hunter was an integral part of a much-improved Vikings defense, and the scheme that Brian Flores has implemented in Minnesota doesn’t run the same without his contributions.
To say that Hunter should be a priority for the Vikings in free agency would be an understatement.
But Hunter is in line for a significant pay raise, and that’s something that general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah may not be willing to shell out for. Especially with other guys like Marcus Davenport (whom we’ll talk about in a second) and D.J. Wonnum also scheduled to hit free agency – and don’t forget about the situation with Kirk Cousins.
With the other holes on the team and the need to sign the NFL draft class, there simply may not be enough money to go around.
Marcus Davenport
Keeping things in-house for a minute, we move on to the OLB opposite Danielle Hunter, Marcus Davenport. Davenport was supposed to be a big-time free agent signing for the Vikings last season and set up a dynamic duo of pass rushers with Hunter.
Unfortunately for both Davenport and the Vikings, that never panned out. Davenport was injured for a majority of the season and was never able to fully show his talents on the field.
In the brief time that Davenport was able to see the field, he was productive, showing a proof of concept that the talent is there. Is what Davenport showed this season worth taking another shot on him? Will they allow him to walk and let another team take the gamble on his health?
I would be surprised if the Vikings don’t at least explore the option of bringing Davenport back, especially since he could save the team money on the 2024 salary cap. When he was on the field, Davenport flashed why the Vikings signed him. If he can get healthy, he should be a relatively cheap and productive option.
Za'Darius Smith
Starting our look at EDGE options outside the Vikings clubhouse, we have a name that should be familiar to a lot of Vikings fans: Za’Darius Smith. Smith was a key factor on the 2022 Vikings defense and had one of the best seasons of his career for the purple and gold. Smith had his third 10+ sack season and finished the season with his second-best year in both TFLs and solo tackles on his way to his third Pro Bowl.
Minnesota let him walk after the season and he went to the Browns where he had a pedestrian season and is back on the market. A reunion could be in the best interest of both parties, as it could rekindle some of the magic for Smith.
On the Vikings end, with Smith being now 32-years-old and coming off a down season, he could provide a cheaper option than some of the more high-profile names on the market, yet has the potential to provide just as much production.
Yannick Ngakoue
We started off our look at the EDGE rushers available in free agency with two current Minnesota Vikings, and now we’re following it up with two former Vikings. Next up on our list is Yannick Ngakoue, who has been something of a journeyman in the NFL after spending his first four seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
After leaving the Jags, Ngakoue had a brief stint with the Vikings in 2020 before spending time with the Ravens, Raiders, Colts, and most recently the Chicago Bears.
Ngakoue has been a prolific pass rusher throughout his career, notching eight or more sacks every season of his career – save for last season with the Bears. Some of that production dip could be due to health, as Ngakoue missed four games last season.
It could also be due to scheme, or the fact that Ngakoue is aging. Whatever the explanation, the talent is still there, and Ngakoue is still on the right side of 30. All of which makes him a potential low-risk, high-reward candidate for the Vikings.
Chase Young
It’s rare that elite talent at a premium position is allowed to hit the open market, and when it does, it’s usually due to a history of underperformance or injury. In the case of Chase Young, it’s a little bit of column A, little bit of column B.
Young came into the NFL with so much promise as the second overall selection in 2020. After his first season in Washington, Young finished with 7.5 sacks on his way to winning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and being named to the Pro Bowl. The draft pick was paying off in a big way.
And then injuries and poor play derailed what could have been with Young. Over the next two seasons, Young played a total of 12 games, only totaling 1.5 sacks through those games. Eventually Washington cut bait with Young and traded him to the San Francisco 49ers for their Super Bowl run.
The talent is still there with Young, and he showed it in flashes with the 49ers. The championship experience is an added element that should boost Young’s value at least a little. He’s not going to command a high-dollar contract, but for a team that needs pass rushers – a team like the Vikings – he could provide a great option who has the potential to far out-play his contract.
Brian Burns
The last player on our list is a bit of an interesting case. Brian Burns has been highly productive for the Carolina Panthers since coming into the league in 2019. Burns has never had a season below 7.5 sacks, and has had two seasons of 9 and one of 12.5 sacks. He’s been named to one Pro Bowl, and probably had a case for one or two more. So why are we talking about him as an option?
For whatever reason, the Panthers have been dragging their feet on extending Burns. They’ve had several trade offers over the years for Burns, but they have turned down every deal – including some very lucrative ones. So it’s clear that the Panthers value Burns to at least some extent. Burns is eligible for the franchise tag, and it’s likely that the Panthers opt for that route to get Burns under contract for at least another year.
However, if the Panthers do decide to let Burns pursue other teams, the Vikings should pounce at the idea of adding him to the defense. Burns would make for a great piece in Coach Flores’ defense, whether that’s as a Hunter replacement or as a running mate on the opposite side of him.
