:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60367591/usa_today_10223079.0.jpg)
We are officially two weeks from the start of Minnesota Vikings training camp in Eagan, folks, and while the Vikings’ roster appears to be pretty set, it’s always worth looking to see if there are any more players in free agency that could potentially help the purple out.
Over at the mothership, they’ve put together a list of the 50 best players remaining on the free agent market with camp right around the corner. Are there guys that could potentially help the Vikings out? Well, at their positions of greatest need. . .not many, no.
As far as offensive linemen, which I think we can all agree is the big issue for the Vikings at this point, the only player that’s listed under the heading of “good depth option” is former Jacksonville Jaguars and Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman Luke Joeckel. Joeckel is a former #2 overall draft choice, having been selected there by the Jaguars in 2013. However, after flaming out in Jacksonville, he moved on to Seattle where. . .well, he didn’t exactly tear it up there, either. His Pro Football Focus grade from last year was 44.5, and without the ability to go back to previous years I’m not sure if that’s the norm for him. I’m not sure that he’s a guy that could immediately come in and help out a whole lot.
None of the other available offensive linemen are terribly intriguing either. There’s former Giants tackle Will Beatty, along with guards such as Richie Incognito, Alex Boone, and Jahri Evans.
If you think the Vikings need a running back, there are players out there like Adrian Peterson (who has just about no chance of returning to Minnesota) and Alfred Morris. There’s Eddie Lacy, too, I guess. But nobody wants that.
I’ve got to be honest. . .with as deep as the Vikings’ roster is at the moment, I don’t really see a whole lot of names on that top 50 list that are terribly intriguing. And if those are the 50 best guys left, it’s sort of scary to think who’s out there behind them.
Is there anyone on that list of the top 50 remaining free agents that catches anyone’s eye?