NFL free agency is off and running, and we're keeping track of every major signing, trade and release of the 2022 offseason, with analysis from our NFL Nation reporters and grades from our experts. The new league year begins Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, which means free-agent signings can be made official after that. The first round of the 2022 NFL draft begins April 28 on ESPN.
Here's a breakdown of every 2021 NFL free-agent signing by the Vikings, and how each will impact the upcoming season:
Patrick Peterson, CB
Peterson is signing a one-year deal to remain with the Vikings, he announced on his All Things Covered podcast.
What it means:Peterson’s leadership was an invaluable asset for the Vikings secondary in 2021, a year when Minnesota again dealt with injuries and turnover at cornerback throughout the season. The future Hall of Fame cornerback said at the end of last season that he wanted to be back with the Vikings at age 32 and reiterated on his podcast that this is another move where he’s betting on himself in hopes of playing for three more seasons before retirement. The Vikings have been in the cornerback market throughout free agency and get to bring back a veteran piece who can occupy one of the outside spots, similar to how Minnesota utilized Peterson last season. With age, Peterson has lost a step with his athleticism and is no longer the shutdown corner who can follow the opponent’s No. 1 receiver, and that’s OK. The Vikings don’t need him to be that guy knowing how he can rely on his instincts and other mental attributes to play the position when they put him in less man-to-man and more zone coverage to succeed.
What's the risk: Injuries are always a concern as players get older. Last season Peterson had a short stint on injured reserve with a hamstring injury and also missed a game due to COVID-19, limiting him to 13 starts. While that’s not necessarily foreshadowing something that will happen again this season, injuries later in a player’s career are always worth taking note. It’s a one-year deal, however, so from a financial perspective, this isn’t a risky move nor one that keeps Minnesota on the hook if it doesn’t work out. -- Courtney Cronin
Jesse Davis, G
What it means: Moving Oli Udoh inside to right guard did not pay dividends for the Vikings last season, so that’s likely where Minnesota expects Jesse Davis to start in 2022. The former Dolphins offensive lineman started 72 of 80 games over the last five years, which included 14 starts at right tackle and two games at left guard in 2021, so that position flexibility should benefit the Vikings in the event they move Davis elsewhere. The interior of the offensive line has long been a work in progress for the Vikings even though the team has tried to remedy it in previous years, like using a third-round pick last year on Wyatt Davis only for the guard to not play a single snap on offense. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah knows that the best Kirk Cousins is one who has ample pass protection. Signing Davis is one way to begin ensuring that.
What's the risk: Davis got cut by the Dolphins last week and is a middle-of-the-pack pass and run blocker. Between his snaps at right tackle and left guard last season, Davis allowed eight sacks. Having a veteran starter can never hurt, though, and Davis’ best two seasons in 2018 and 2020, according to Pro Football Focus, came when he was playing guard. A move back to that spot could pay dividends for both the team and player. -- Courtney Cronin
Za'Darius Smith, OLB
Smith has agreed to a 3-year, $42 million deal.
What it means: Smith will be a key part of the Vikings' efforts to retrofit their defensive personnel to a 3-4 scheme. Outside linebacker Anthony Barr remains a free agent, so at the moment it appears Smith will line up opposite Danielle Hunter to give the team a formidable set of edge pass rushers. That, of course, is contingent on both players remaining healthy. Hunter has played only seven games in the past two seasons because of injuries, and Smith played only 18 snaps in the 2021 regular season because of a back ailment. But Smith recorded 26 sacks during the 2019 and 2020 seasons with the Packers, whose defensive coordinator at the time -- Mike Pettine -- is now the Vikings' assistant head coach.
What's the risk: Smith's injury issues last year must be taken into account as he approaches his 30th birthday. But it's worth noting that early reports of his contract agreement did not include figures for guaranteed money. We'll know the full terms soon enough. But if Smith can't stay healthy, a low level of guaranteed money would allow the Vikings to move on without much of a salary cap impact. With all of that said, however, the Vikings appear to have acquired a high-end pass rusher who fits their new scheme at an annual average salary ($14 million) that is more than reasonable in the current defensive end/linebacker market.
Nate Hairston, CB
What it means: This continues the process of Minnesota filling out its secondary after the team signed fellow cornerback Chandon Sullivan the other day. Hairston has bounced around the league, spending time with the Colts, Jets, Ravens, and most recently, the Broncos. He’s played outside and in the slot throughout his first five seasons in the NFL and could compete at either opening if the Vikings don’t re-sign Patrick Peterson or Mackensie Alexander.
What's the risk: Hairston played under Ed Donatell in Denver, so already knowing the scheme the Vikings are installing on defense never hurts. At worst, the cornerback gives Minnesota an option for its practice squad next season if he doesn’t crack the 53-man roster. -- Courtney Cronin
Tye Smith, CB
What it means: The Vikings liked Smith enough to bring him back as a free agent after he played in five games last season and totaled six tackles. Smith spent most of the 2021 season on the practice squad but is a seasoned veteran whose voice is important in the DBs room.
What's the risk: Nothing. Smith is a non-risky depth addition. -- Courtney Cronin
Sean Mannion, QB
Mannion signed a one-year contract but other terms were not immediately available.
What it means: The Vikings tried to replace Mannion last season as Kirk Cousins' primary backup and soon regretted it. They got Mannion back at the end of the summer after he was released by the Seahawks, and it's interesting to see him return in 2022 even after the Vikings hired a new general manager and coach. Clearly, Cousins likes having Mannion in the quarterback room. Whether he enters the regular season as the No. 2 quarterback is yet to be decided, of course. His contract is not expected to have much in the way of guarantees, and coach Kevin O'Connell is likely going to want to take a look at 2021 third-round pick Kellen Mond.
What's the risk: Cousins hasn't missed a start because of injury since signing with the Vikings in 2018, a streak that has minimized the impact of his backup situation. But he did miss one game last season after testing positive for COVID-19, and Mannion turned in an underwhelming performance at a time when the Vikings needed a victory to keep their playoff hopes alive. Cousins might like Mannion, and coaches might appreciate his football IQ and preparation, but he really hasn't produced any evidence in his career that he's capable of playing winning football.
Jordan Berry, P
Berry signed a one-year deal to return to the Vikings, but exact terms are unknown.
What it means: The Vikings have a chance at some continuity at the position, and on special teams more broadly, after years of playing musical chairs. But with an entirely new coaching staff in place, it's hard to make any long-term projections. In 2021, Berry was the Vikings' fifth punter of the past six years. Last season, he ranked No. 24 in the NFL in percentage of punts that were downed inside the 20-yard line (34.2%); he was No. 18 in net punting (40.1 yards). He did enough to merit a second look, and the recent re-signing of place-kicker Greg Joseph raises the possibility of extended continuity, but there is a long way to go before those decisions need to be made.
What's the risk: Exact contract terms are unknown, but it is not believed the Vikings would owe Berry much if they ended up looking elsewhere for a punter in 2022. It's not uncommon for teams to go through training camp with a punter or place-kicker and then assess the availability of alternatives during final cuts. This deal will allow the Vikings to do just that, as former general manager Rick Spielman did multiple times in recent years, if they want to.
Austin Schlottmann, G
Terms of Schlottmann's deal with the Vikings were not immediately known.
What it means: The Vikings would seem to have three starters locked down along their offensive line: left tackle Christian Darrisaw, left guard Ezra Cleveland and right tackle Brian O'Neill. Based on 2021 performances, at least, it's not out of the question that the Vikings could have open competition at center (Garrett Bradbury) and right guard (Olisaemeka Udoh). As it turns out, Schlottmann played both positions for the Broncos during the past three seasons. At 6-foot-6, he is taller than most centers, but chances are he'll get a chance to compete for a starting job, or at worst, a multi-position backup.
What's the risk: We'll know more when the contract details come in, but Schlottmann's history suggests the Vikings wouldn't need to make much of a financial outlay. He spent portions of two different seasons on the Broncos' practice squad and has appeared in a total of 42 NFL games, with seven career starts. He's an affordable player with upside who won't hurt the Vikings' ledger if he disappoints coaches in training camp.
Johnny Mundt, TE
Mundt agreed to a two-year deal worth up to about $2.5 million. The deal includes a $200,000 signing bonus, and then $50,000 workout bonuses in each of the next two years.
What it means: Mundt was almost certainly signed because of the familiarity that coach Kevin O'Connell has with him. The two were together with the Rams for the past two seasons. Otherwise, he was very much a part-time player for the Rams. He played a total of 77 snaps over six games last season before tearing his ACL. Since entering the league in 2017, he has caught a total of 10 passes and played a total of 382 snaps. The Vikings are potentially in transition at the position, with Irv Smith Jr. coming back from a significant knee injury and 2021 starter Tyler Conklin a free agent, but Mundt will be only part of the solution there.
What's the risk: Signing a player coming off an ACL injury always carries some risk, but the signing bonus is manageable regardless. Assuming he makes a full recovery, Mundt will have a head start in terms of knowing the Vikings' offensive system, thanks to his association with O'Connell, and could prove to be even more than the outside world is bargaining for. O'Connell said last summer, before the injury, that he thought Mundt could develop into a vertical threat.
Jordan Hicks, LB
Hicks and the Vikings agreed to terms on a two-year, $12 million deal.
What it means: The Vikings needed to do some roster retrofitting after focusing their personnel acquisitions on former coach Mike Zimmer's 4-3 defense over the past eight years. New defensive coordinator Ed Donatell has used a 3-4 scheme in most of his recent stops, meaning the Vikings needed a second inside linebacker to pair with Eric Kendricks. Hicks can slide into that role, having played it well for three seasons in Arizona, where he also wore the green dot on his helmet and called defensive signals. Donatell has said he would use the 4-3 as well as the 3-4, but Hicks' acquisition -- and no indication that Kendricks is on the way out -- suggests the 3-4 could be his base.
What's the risk: There isn't much risk here. Hicks will be 30 when the season begins, but he played -- and started in -- every game for the Cardinals after signing there prior to the 2019 season. Plus, it's not as though the Vikings have made a huge financial commitment. Hicks has a strong reputation throughout the league for his character and leadership, and he admirably handled some professional disappointments in Arizona. In consecutive years, the Cardinals drafted players at his position to presumably replace him. In each instance, he plowed through -- and held on to his starting job.
Harrison Phillips, DT
Phillips has agreed to a three-year deal that would max out at $19.5 million, assuming he takes over a starting role.
What it means: Phillips was a backup for much his career with the Bills, but the size of his contract suggested the Vikings had a starting role in mind for him. That was an interesting proposition, because they had two starting defensive tackles on the roster, courtesy of the 2020 and 2021 free agent classes: Michael Pierce and Dalvin Tomlinson. The Phillips signing suggested at least one of them will be leaving the roster, via release or trade, and the Vikings responded on Tuesday morning by releasing Pierce. Phillips proved to be exceptional against the run last season and ranked No. 8 among defensive tackles in ESPN's run stop win rate metric (41.2%).
What's the risk: Phillips has a relatively long history of injuries for a young player (26). He missed 13 games in 2020 because of a torn ACL and played most of the 2021 season with a torn PCL. He also tore his ACL in college at Stanford. The Vikings won't make his signing official until he passes a physical, as is standard procedure, but three significant knee injuries is certainly something to take into consideration when signing a veteran free agent. The good news is that Phillips was able to play through last season's injury and should have a clean bill of health when he gets to training camp this summer.
Chandon Sullivan, CB
It is believed to be a one-year deal, but full terms are not yet known.
What it means: The Vikings have some big holes to fill in the secondary, and to be frank, this signing only starts the process. Starter Patrick Peterson and nickel back Mackensie Alexander remain unsigned, and safety Xavier Woods signed with the Panthers. Sullivan started 20 games over the past two seasons with the Packers, recording a career-high three interceptions in 2021, and would figure to be in the mix to be one of the Vikings' top three cornerbacks when training camp opens. But for context, Pro Football Focus did not list Sullivan among its top 200 free agents available this spring.
What's the risk: There isn't much risk here, to be honest. The Vikings aren't believed to have guaranteed much of his contract. We are long past the point where players get deals that truly bind them to a team for more than one year. So the only word of caution here is believing that Sullivan will eliminate the Vikings' deficiencies at the position. They'll need to continue pushing, in free agency, in the draft and probably when roster cuts begin this summer, to restock the their secondary in general and cornerback in particular.