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MN Vikings Trying to Add More EDGE Talent?
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- MN Vikings Trying to Add More EDGE Talent?
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Minnesota Vikings will officially move into a new phase of their offseason on Tuesday, when they begin mandatory minicamp out at TCO Performance Center in Eagan. Practices over the next few days won't be full pads, but they will be more intense than what we saw at OTAs.
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We'll see if we get any answers at quarterback , but that is far from the only answer MN Vikings coaches and executives will start looking for this week.
That's because, new general manager Nolan Teasley has an upcoming break between the end of minicamp practices and the start of training camp, in late-July to make additions that are very much needed, before regular season games are played again.
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Vikings on the hunt for free agent EDGE rushers?
Where might the new GM be looking to add more talent, and where is he trying to find it? Well, MN Vikings beat writer and insider Alec Lewis wrote Tuesday at The Athletic , that one position Teasley is likely to improve upon is at defensive EDGE, now that Jonathan Greenard is a Philadelphia Eagle.
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Alec didn't mention a trade, though, instead pointing specifically to free agency, where there is a plethora of established, veteran talent EDGE talent for defensive coordinator Brian Flores and his new general manager to choose from.
Trading Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles places major responsibility on third-year edge rusher Dallas Turner . It also emphasizes the depth behind Turner and Van Ginkel. The scheme can only go so far. When one-on-one pass-rush opportunities present themselves, the Vikings need edge rushers who can win.
The Vikings have around $13 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap, and some enticing free-agent edge rushers remain.The Vikings could wait until training camp to make a move. But from a competitiveness standpoint, supplementing this position group seems paramount.
Related: Vikings O-Line Looks Locked In; Darrisaw Injury Update Positive Too
A quick look at the NFL free agency list confirms the amount of capable pass rushing talent still available to any team willing to meet their price tag. All of them are semi-affordable, when considering the full $13 million budget the Minnesota Vikings are currently playing with.
Free agents the Vikings could be targeting at EDGE
Some of the most intriguing EDGE rushers still waiting to find their new team include Joey Bosa (30.8 y/o), Cameron Jordan (36.8 y/o), Von Miller (37.2 y/o)and Jadeveon Clowney (33.2 y/o).
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If you get much cheaper than those guys (per Spotrac's projected AAV), the Vikings would be signing depth options, below Dallas Turner (who had 5 sacks and 16 QB hits last season), as opposed to a veteran who could challenge Minnesota's former first round pick for starting reps.
| Free Agent |
Age |
GP |
Sacks |
QB Hits |
Proj. AAV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Turner |
22 |
17 (MIN) |
5 |
16 |
—- |
| Joey Bosa |
30.8 |
15 (BUF) |
5 |
16 |
$13.7M |
| 33.8 |
15 (ATL) |
4 |
11 |
$8.9M |
|
| Cameron Jordan |
36.8 |
17 (NO) |
10.5 |
15 |
$6.7M |
| AJ Epenesa |
27.7 |
16 (BUF) |
2.5 |
9 |
$6.4M |
| Von Miller |
37.2 |
17 (WAS) |
9 |
15 |
$5.8M |
| Jadeveon Clowney |
33.2 |
13 (DAL) |
8.5 |
10 |
$5.7M |
| 31.7 |
13 (TB) |
2.5 |
6 |
$4.9M |
|
| 29.0 |
9 (2TM) |
4 |
5 |
$4.7M |
|
| 29.9 |
17 (HOU) |
5 |
10 |
$4.4M |
|
| 35.2 |
15 (BAL) |
2 |
9 |
$3.5M |
via Spotrac.com and Pro-Football-Reference.com
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