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Vikings Signing Very Familiar Free Agent Linebacker
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- Vikings Signing Very Familiar Free Agent Linebacker
William Glasheen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
If you thought the Minnesota Vikings were going to spend this weekend kicked back, appreciating the incredible amount of work they got done during the first few days of NFL free agency, you were wrong.
Even after pundits around the league have already crowned them as the winners of this free agent cycle, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O'Connell are again on the hunt for more talent Friday, trying to improve further one of the most impressive offseasons in recent MN Vikings history.
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Minnesota Vikings signing a linebacker you might recognize
Today at TCO Performance Center in Eagan, they are hosting possible future WR3 , former Arizona Cardinals 2nd round pick, Rondale Moore . This, after it took only two days for the front office to fix the Vikings' desperate need for interior offensive line talent, by signing former top tier Colts beef, Ryan Kelly and Will Fries .
Related: Minnesota Vikings Free Agency Signings – 2025
And to add more depth to a defense that now looks like one of the best in the NFL, given the additions of interior defensive linemen, Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave , the Vikings reportedly agreed to terms Friday morning with a linebacker whose name may sound familiar, 30-year-old Cincinnati Bearcat alum, Eric Wilson .
Sounds like the Vikings have agreed to terms with former Packers LB Eric Wilson, per source. Wilson played more than 500 defensive snaps last year in GB, key special teamer as well. Vikings needed depth with Kamu Grugier-Hill becoming FA.
— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) March 14, 2025
Not only is Eric Wilson a familiar name, because he played for Minnesota's biggest rival, the Green Bay Packers, each of the past three seasons , but because he was drafted by the Vikings in 2017 and spent the first four seasons of his career (through 2020) in purple. In 2021, he played for Philly and Houston , before finding a more permanent home in Green Bay from 2021 to 2024.
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Throughout the course of his 8-year NFL career , Wilson has mostly been a depth linebacker for the teams he has played for. He's also considered an elite special teams player. But in a pinch, Eric has proven capable of taking on a starting role, which is something he's been called upon to do multiple times with different teams.
What does Eric Wilson bring back to the Vikings?
Wilson had to start 15 games for the Minnesota Vikings in 2020, and he performed admirably, totaling 122 tackles (8 TFL), 3 sacks, 3 interceptions and 3 forced fumbles. Last year, he started 12 games for the Packers, racking up 72 tackles (7 TFL), 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 1 interception.
CLUTCH interception by Eric Wilson! @Vikings have the ball and the lead in the 4th!
(via @NFL ) pic.twitter.com/2pQUuQRYi8— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 12, 2020
Eric Wilson is signing with the Vikings…
We will always have this moment Eric 🙌
pic.twitter.com/GHobid6U1S— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) March 14, 2025
Given the group of middle linebackers that the Vikings have right now, with fellow former Bearcat, Ivan Pace Jr and former one of us Gopher alum, Blake Cashman holding down starting foels, Wilson looks like he will slot in as the perfect 3rd option to those two.
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Related: Minnesota Vikings Add New Tackle to Offensive Line
Now in his 30's, Eric Wilson will make a weekly noticeable impact on special teams for the Minnesota Vikings, when he's not needed for regular snaps on defense. But without a doubt, this is a dude who has also proven he can fill in as a starter without defensive coordinator Brian Flores' scheme having to skip a beat.
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