AGREED TO TERMS | RE-SIGNED | EXTENDED | EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS | UFAs | SIGNED ELSEWHERE | RELEASED | WAIVED
EAGAN, Minn. — The NFL's New League Year opened on March 15, 2023.
Over the next several months, this Vikings 2023 Free Agency Tracker page will serve as a one-stop shop for official transactions made by the team. It will include updates and analysis for each move.
We also will update the tracker with players who are returning to Minnesota through re-signings, extensions and the signing of exclusive rights deals.
AGREED TO TERMS
CB Joejuan Williams
WR Brandon Powell
Former Teams: Lions (2018), Falcons (2019-20) and Rams (2021-22)
What it means: Powell is coming off a career-high 24 receptions for 156 yards on 290 offensive snaps. Seventeen of his 20 rush attempts occurred in 2022. He also has made a mark in the return game with 470 yards, including a 61-yard touchdown at Minnesota in 2021, on 49 punts and 1,199 yards on 57 kickoff returns.
Article:
Photos:
LB Troy Reeder
Former Teams: Rams (2019-21) and Chargers (2022)
What it means: Reeder adds experience on defense (25 starts) and special teams. He's appeared in 66 regular-season NFL games and helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI.
Article:
Photos:
DL Jonathan Bullard
What it means: Bullard was a solid addition for the Vikings a year ago, starting seven of 12 games before dealing with an injury that caused him to miss Weeks 14-17. He returned at Chicago in the regular-season finale and then recorded a sack in Minnesota's playoff game.
Photos:
OL Olisaemeka Udoh
What it means: The Vikings are continuing their string of retaining their own offensive linemen. Minnesota has every lineman who finished the season on the 53-man roster or Injured Reserve (Brian O'Neill and Austin Schlottmann) set to return. The moves have included bringing back Garrett Bradbury, Austin Schlottmann and Blake Brandel to go along with players who were already under contract. Udoh has experience at tackle and guard.
Photos:
DL Dean Lowry
Former Team: Packers (2016-22)
What it means: Minnesota will be able to add a player with 80 career regular-season starts who has played well against the Vikings to help fill the void created up front by Dalvin Tomlinson's departure in free agency.
Article:
Photos:
Video:
OL Austin Schlottmann
What it means: The Vikings continued their efforts to return players from the 2022 squad that won the NFC North. Schlottmann filled in well for Garrett Bradbury in four starts before suffering an injury in Week 17.
Photos:
RB Alexander Mattison
What it means: Although Mattison recorded a career-low 74 carries, he rushed for a personal-best five touchdowns in 2022. Coaches appreciate his ability to keep the entire offense available when he's in the game.
Photos:
CB Byron Murphy, Jr.
What it means: Murphy, who started every game as a rookie in 2019 and 48 of 56 while with Arizona, brings playmaking, versatility and physicality in addition. He is only 25 years old.
Former Team: Cardinals (2019-22)
Articles:
Photos:
Videos:
OLB Marcus Davenport
What it means: The addition of Davenport, who had 9.0 sacks in nine starts in 2021 but 0.5 in the same number of starts in 2022, could provide an interesting pass rush element in base and special packages.
Former Team: Saints (2018-22)
Article:
Photos:
Video:
TE Josh Oliver
What it means: Known more for his blocking, Oliver could help boost Minnesota's run game and help the team reduce its number of negative runs. He also could be deployed in sets with multiple tight ends in the passing game.
Former Teams: Jaguars (2019-20) and Ravens (2021-22)
Articles:
Photos
Videos:
K Greg Joseph
What it means: The Vikings are able to keep together the combination of long snapper Andrew DePaola, holder Ryan Wright and Joseph that worked in conjunction on five game-winning kicks in 2022. Joseph last season became the first Viking to score more than 100 points in consecutive seasons since Blair Walsh (2012-15).
Photos:
LS Andrew DePaola
What it means: The Vikings are returning their First-Team All-Pro long snapper, providing veteran leadership to a locker room that has gotten younger with some free agency departures. In addition to being on-point with his snaps, DePaola helped support kicker Greg Joseph and rookie punter Ryan Wright in 2022 and garnered significant respect from teammates.
Photos:
C Garrett Bradbury
What it means: Bradbury is back after starting all 57 games in which he's played for Minnesota over his first four seasons. He missed five games while dealing with a back injury in 2022 but returned for the Vikings Wild Card game. Coaches credited his command of the playbook and leadership from the pivot.
Photos:
QB Nick Mullens
What it means: Mullens' return provides familiarity with the offense and starting QB Kirk Cousins for the second consecutive year. He played in limited action and did well with his time on the field but made an even bigger contribution to the team's success through his behind-the-scenes work.
Photos:
RE-SIGNED
TE Ben Ellefson
What it means: The Hawley native is staying in his home state and coming back for a third season with Minnesota. He's been limited in each of the past two seasons by injuries but appeared to do well primarily in a blocking role on offense.
Photos:
OLB Kenny Willekes
What it means: Willekes missed his rookie and third seasons with injuries, but in 2021 he flashed multiple times as an edge rusher in Minnesota's previous 4-3 base, recording 2.5 sacks in six games. How will he look in Brian Flores' 3-4 base?
Photos:
EXTENDED
FB C.J. Ham
What it means: Ham was entering the final year of his current deal before signing a two-year extension. Ham rushed for two touchdowns in 2022 and served as a season-long special teams captain.
Photos:
Video:
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS
T Blake Brandel
What it means: Brandel provided quality depth and versatility for the Vikings offensive line in 2022. Although the Vikings appear set at both starting tackle spots with Christian Darrisaw and Brian O'Neill, Brandel showed he could fill in for Darrisaw by making three starts and taking significant snaps in two other games.
DL Khyiris Tonga
What it means: Tonga proved to be a quality under-the-radar addition for the Vikings, who signed them from the Falcons practice squad in October. He had joined Atlanta after being released by Chicago, which drafted him in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Tonga recorded career highs of 28 tackles, four passes defensed and two quarterback hits with Minnesota.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
Note: We will post about Vikings unrestricted free agents who sign with other clubs but only after those transactions are announced by the respective teams.
Minnesota has the option of circling back with any of the below players who remain unsigned after testing the free agency market.
Bisi Johnson
Chandon Sullivan
SIGNED ELSEWHERE
CB Kris Boyd
April update: The Cardinals announced the signing of Boyd
TE Irv Smith, Jr.
What it means: Smith's time with the Vikings started with great promise, but injuries the past two seasons sidelined him, and the Vikings traded for T.J. Hockenson last season to be the team's primary receiving option at the position.
March 27 update: The Bengals announced the signing of Smith
CB Duke Shelley
What it means: The Vikings will be without a player who started five of 11 games played in his lone season with Minnesota. Shelley played 397 defensive snaps, recorded eight passes defensed and an interception at Chicago against his previous team.
March 23 update: The Raiders announced the signing of Shelley.
CB Patrick Peterson
What it means: Minnesota will have to replace the leadership that Peterson provided to a young cornerbacks room. He's also coming off a season with five interceptions, the second-most he's recorded in a season. Two years after bringing Peterson to Minnesota from Arizona, the Vikings signed his former Cardinals teammate, Byron Murphy, Jr.
March 15 update: The Steelers announced the signing of Peterson.
DT Dalvin Tomlinson
What it means: The Vikings liked Tomlinson and were interested in bringing him back, but his price tag was well beyond Minnesota's salary cap situation. The Vikings must offset a the loss of the strongman who started 29 games over the past two seasons.
March 15 update: The Browns announced a multi-year contract with Tomlinson.
RELEASED
LB Eric Kendricks
What it means: There will be a new man in the middle of Minnesota's defense after the team released the eight-year starter, 2019 All-Pro and Pro Bowler and 2020 Vikings Community Man of the Year. The release of the 2022 team captain and leading tackler provided substantial relief against the salary cap. The timing allowed Kendricks to get a head start on evaluating possible suitors.
March 14 update: The Chargers announced Kendricks signed a multi-year contract.
Photos:
Video:
WR Adam Thielen
What it means: For the first time since 2016, the Vikings will have a starting opening at wide receiver not held by Thielen, who recorded 70 catches for 716 yards and six touchdowns on 107 targets in 2022. The number of targets tied for 34th in the NFL last season. Justin Jefferson led the league with 184, and T.J. Hockenson combined for 129 during his time with the Lions and Vikings, which ranked 18th in the NFL. K.J. Osborn was targeted 90 times last season.
March 19 update: The Panthers announced they agreed to terms with Thielen.
Photos:
Videos:
WAIVED
CB Cameron Dantzler Sr.
What it means: The Vikings opted to trim cap space and move on from Dantzler, a 2020 third-round pick entering the final year of his rookie contract. He was claimed via waivers on March 13 by Washington. He played in 35 of a possible 50 regular-season games with 26 starts.
March 10: Vikings Waive CB Cameron Dantzler, Sr.
March 13 update: The Commanders announced they claimed Dantzler off waivers.
