The Vikings.com 2018 Free Agency Primer series uses ****NFL.com’s Top 101 Free Agents list*** to break down this year's class. We will count down the groups of players until March 14 when free agency is scheduled to open. *
The list was composed by Gregg Rosenthal and Chris Wesseling of NFL.com. Career stats are taken from NFL.com and/or pro-football-reference.com and apply to regular seasons, unless noted.
Note: The list may end up changing prior to free agency opening, but this breakdown is updated as of March 5.
Schedule
91-101: Monday, March 5
81-90: Tuesday, March 6
71-80: Wednesday, March 7
61-70: Thursday, March 8
51-60: Friday, March 9
41-50: Saturday, March 10
31-40: Sunday, March 11
21-30: Monday, March 12
11-20: Tuesday, March 13
1-10: Wednesday, March 14
There are no NFC North players in the opening list of free agents, but there are a few names the Vikings have seen over the years.
A trio of running backs headline the list, while there are also three offensive linemen to keep an eye on.
There is also a quarterback who has played 14 career games against Minnesota.
91. DE Brent Urban, Baltimore Ravens
25 career games; three starts; 25 total tackles; 3.0 sacks; three passes defensed
Originally a third-round pick in the Canadian Football League in 2013, Urban landed in the NFL when the Ravens used a fourth-round pick on him in 2014. He has battled multiple injuries. A torn ACL, torn biceps muscle and Lisfranc foot injury caused him to miss 39 of 64 games in his four-year career.
92. K Graham Gano, Carolina Panthers
122 games played; made 210 of 257 career field goals (81.7 percent); made 276 of 288 career extra points (95.8 percent)
Gano led all NFL kickers in field goal percentage in 2017 by hitting 29 of 30 tries (96.7 percent). He spent the first three years of his career with Washington and has been with Carolina the past six seasons. Gano has made at least 29 field goals in each of the past four seasons.
Update: The Panthers announced they re-signed Gano on March 6.
93. RB LeGarrette Blount, Philadelphia Eagles
116 games played; 54 starts; 1,341 career carries for 5,888 yards (4.4 yards per carry) and 51 rushing touchdowns; 54 career receptions for 387 yards and two touchdowns
Blount has won back-to-back Super Bowls with the Eagles and Patriots, respectively. He led the NFL with 18 rushing touchdowns in 2016 but has just two scores on the ground this past season. Blount began his eight-year career as an undrafted free agent with Tennessee out of Oregon in 2010, but he didn't play for the Titans. He debuted with Tampa Bay.
94. LB Derrick Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs
182 career games; 169 career starts; 1,151 total tackles; 27.5 sacks; 14 interceptions; 4 defensive touchdowns; 23 forced fumbles; eight fumble recoveries
Johnson is Kansas City's all-time leading tackler, but he had two of his past four seasons cut short due to separate Achilles injuries. He has 14 career interceptions, including four that he returned for touchdowns.
95. RB Darren Sproles, Philadelphia Eagles
171 games played; 28 starts; 686 career carries for 3,366 yards (4.9 yards per carry) and 22 rushing touchdowns; 532 career receptions for 4,656 yards and 30 touchdowns; 290 punt returns for 2,792 yards (9.6 yards per return) and seven touchdowns; 331 punt returns for 8,350 yards (25.2 yards per return) and two touchdowns
One of the most versatile players in NFL history, Sproles missed the majority of the 2017 season after tearing his ACL and breaking his arm on the same play. Sproles' seven punt returns for scores are tied for the seventh-most in NFL history. He has played for the Chargers, Saints and Eagles during his 12-year career.
96. C/G Matt Slauson, Los Angeles Chargers
108 career games; 108 starts; one fumble recovery; one touchdown
A former sixth-round pick, Slauson has carved out a solid career with three teams over the past eight seasons. A former standout at the Air Force Academy, Slauson has primarily played left guard but has also played center during his NFL career.
97. DE/OLB Junior Galette, Washington Redskins
80 career games; 30 starts; 148 total tackles; 34.5 sacks; six passes defensed; six forced fumbles; two safeties recorded
Galette racked up double-digit sacks in back-to-back seasons with New Orleans in 2013 and 2014. But he missed the next two seasons due to separate Achilles tears. Galette played in all 16 games in 2017 and tallied 3.0 sacks.
98. G Senio Kelemete, New Orleans Saints
58 career games; 22 starts; one catch for 10 yards
A fifth-round pick by Arizona in 2012, Kelemete spent the past four seasons with the New Orleans Saints. He made 17 starts over the past two seasons with New Orleans and started both of the Saints playoff games in 2017.
99. OL Chris Hubbard, Pittsburgh Steelers
40 career games; 14 starts
Hubbard has seen an uptick in playing time in each of his four seasons. He started a career-high 10 games and played in every game during the 2017 season. Hubbard was originally an undrafted free agent out of Alabama-Birmingham, and he has played multiple spots on the offensive line in Pittsburgh.
100. RB Frank Gore, Indianapolis Colts
196 games played; 182 starts; 3,226 career carries for 14,026 yards (4.3 yards per carry) and 77 rushing touchdowns; 443 career receptions for 3,672 yards and 17 touchdowns
Gore is a likely Hall of Famer. The 13-season veteran is the NFL's active rushing leader and ranks fifth on the all-time rushing list. Gore has been a model of consistency over his career as he has at least 960 rushing yards in 11 of his 13 seasons.
101. QB Jay Cutler, Miami Dolphins
153 games played; 153 starts; completed 3,048 of 4,920 career attempts (62.0 percent) for 35,133 yards with 227 passing touchdowns and 160 interceptions; 85.3 career quarterback rating
Cutler, who ranks 10th among active quarterbacks in passing yards, snagged the final spot on this list. He spent the majority of his career in Chicago before landing in Miami a month before the start of the 2017 season. The former first-round pick of Denver threw for 2,666 yards with 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions for the Dolphins.
