Just like that, NFL free agency is just around the corner.
Team personnel from all around the league congregated this week at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis; and while the focus there is on more than 300 invited athletes entering the 2025 NFL Draft, there's still plenty of chatter around overall plans for teams looking ahead at the upcoming season.
Vikings Entertainment Network's Tatum Everett connected in Indy with several analysts and media pundits, including a number that offered their take on Minnesota's free agency outlook.
That of course includes current Vikings players due to hit the market on March 12, as well as players from 31 other teams who could become available.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero noted that Minnesota's decision on quarterback Sam Darnold could help other pieces fall into place. After just one season in purple but one in which the Vikings won 14 regular-season games and made the playoffs, the team has a few different options.
The Vikings could extend Darnold, let him walk in free agency and receive a future compensatory pick or use the franchise tag on him. And even within the latter option, two sub-choices remain: (A) work out a deal and roll with the QB in 2025 while J.J. McCarthy continues to develop or (B) trade Darnold to a selected bidder.
The deadline for teams to use the franchise or transition tag this year is March 4.
Pelissero told Everett "all options are really still on the table" for Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell and General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, both of whom also are in Indianapolis.
"There's really not another top quarterback out there, certainly not one that's 27 years old, so the Vikings have to consider all the options," Pelissero said. "There's no precedent for a guy at that stage of his career, coming off a 14-win season where, those last two games notwithstanding, he played his best football.
"That's sort of what they've got to sort through," he added. "The focus for Kwesi and Kevin O'Connell is all about, 'How do we make sure we can build a championship-caliber roster around whoever is playing quarterback?' "
Albert Breer of Monday Morning Quarterback also tackled the free agency question and echoed some of Pelissero's thoughts when it comes to Darnold.
Breer said much will depend on the health and readiness of 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy, who missed the entirety of his rookie campaign with a knee injury.
"I think a big piece of this for [the Vikings] is going to be seeing J.J. in the form that he's going to be playing at in September," Breer told Everett. "Where's his weight? Physically, how's he doing? I think those are all things that affect how heavily you may lean into an insurance policy behind him, and whether or not you're going to make a real hard push to keep Sam."
Indications are that McCarthy is doing well in his recovery from a torn meniscus suffered last August in his first preseason game.
Breer added he believes Minnesota is at "a really good spot" heading into free agency, whether at quarterback or other positions.
"They've put themselves in a situation where the financials are clean, and obviously there's a track record of winning there," he said.
Breer pointed to players the Vikings brought in during last year's free agency period, such as Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard, that not only made an immediate impact but also have been vocal about how much they enjoy the culture and situation in Minnesota. Then there's the 2025 NFLPA Report Cards, which came out Wednesday for the 2024 season and once again saw the Vikings place No. 2 overall behind the Dolphins.
It may get pretty cold during the NFL season in Minneapolis, Breer acknowledged, but the Vikings have "done a good job of making it [a destination] as best as they can."
While quarterback may need to be the first domino to fall in free agency, Breer and Pelissero agree the Vikings also need to take a look at running back and defensive back.
"There's not a lot of receivers in the market, which is good, because the Vikings don't really need one of those," Pelissero quipped. "The tight end position, they're fairly stacked. I believe they need to figure out Johnny Mundt and his future there."
Running back Aaron Jones, Sr., is due to hit free agency after one season with Minnesota, and it's believed both parties would like Jones to remain in purple. But will there be a deal that fits? Time will tell.
"There's a lot of good running backs in the draft, but I know they want to get Aaron Jones back," Pelissero told Everett. "They want that guy to be a part of the program."
Breer agreed the best free agency approach to running back would be to extend Jones; otherwise, Minnesota maybe should look toward the draft.
On the defensive side of the ball, Pelissero used a bit of hyperbole in saying "their entire starting secondary is a free agent."
But … he's not that far off.
Cornerbacks Shaq Griffin and Byron Murphy, Jr., both are slated to hit free agency, as is safety Camryn Bynum. And at the other safety spot, the Vikings will need to determine the status of Harrison Smith, who would be entering his 14th NFL season. Joshua Metellus, who technically was not listed as a starter but played 991 snaps across the defense, remains under contract through the 2025 season.
As with everything, it all comes down to roster and salary cap Tetris.
"[Some of] these are guys they'd love to come back, but you can't re-sign everybody. And if you bring back Darnold, it's going to be hard to bring back some of those other guys," Pelissero said. "These are all the different puzzle pieces they're going to have to move around as we move forward here.
"But I would say the biggest thing is not so much about upgrading, but it's about the reality that [most of your defensive back starters] are all up. That's a lot of potential turnover," he said before adding with a grin, "Albeit, for a coach like [Defensive Coordinator] Brian Flores — who's shown he can plug in a lot of different dudes and make it work."
