2024 Free Agents

[CharVike]

Here is CBS top 50 list of free agents. Cousins is #2 and Hunter is #11. They also provide a projected earnings. Just something to get the ball rolling for this period. I'd like to see both signed. Risner and Woonan should also be kept. I know you can't keep everybody but these 4 would be difficult to replace. We don't have a roster full of all pros so just cut some guys for the cap. Since we can't draft well we will need to hit this again.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2024 ... ne-top-50/

[CharVike]

Key dates coming up.
There isn't much time for a post-Super Bowl breath. The NFL combine starts in two weeks. Let's take a closer look, starting with a review of the NFL's key dates over the next six months.

Feb. 20: First day to designate franchise and transition tags

Feb. 27-March 4: Scouting combine in Indianapolis

March 5 (4 p.m. ET): Franchise/transition tag deadline

March 11-13: Negotiating period for pending unrestricted free agents

March 13 (4 p.m. ET): Free agent deals can be signed, trades can be officially consummated, June 1 cuts can be designated and the deadline for qualifying offers to restricted free agents.

March 24-27: Annual league meeting in Orlando, Florida

April 1: Teams with new head coaches can begin offseason conditioning programs

April 15: Remaining teams can begin offseason conditioning programs

April 19: Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets

April 25-27: NFL draft in Detroit

May 2: Deadline for teams to pick up fifth-year options for 2021 draft class

May 3-6 or May 10-13: Teams can stage rookie minicamps

May/June: Teams can stage OTAs and mandatory minicamp

Late July: Training camps open

[VikingLord]

Here is CBS top 50 list of free agents. Cousins is #2 and Hunter is #11. They also provide a projected earnings. Just something to get the ball rolling for this period. I'd like to see both signed. Risner and Woonan should also be kept. I know you can't keep everybody but these 4 would be difficult to replace. We don't have a roster full of all pros so just cut some guys for the cap. Since we can't draft well we will need to hit this again.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2024 ... ne-top-50/

I don't see them keeping Hunter for three reasons:

1) Hunter wants to be paid as a top defensive end. It is unlikely the Vikings will have the ability to pay him at that level given other high profile players (like JJ) they probably value more highly.

2) This year's draft should be heavy on defensive edge talent where the Vikings are picking in the 1st round. It's very possible the Vikings will end up with their pick of the top edge talent when #11 rolls around, and even if they don't have their pick among that group, they'll be able to get a very good prospect who will be young and will play on a rookie deal.

3) Along the lines of the above, the stats suggest that Hunter's most productive days are behind him given his age and years playing in the league. The surest way to tank a team's long-term chances of remaining competitive is to over-invest in declining veteran players. Hunter's view of his worth at his age directly contravenes what years of statistics say about the likelihood he will continue to perform at a high level. KAM surely knows what those stats say as well. I think KAM will pass on keeping him, although there is a chance Hunter won't find a taker in free agency at the salary level he wants. In that event he could return, but I think he will find a taker somewhere.

[cmoss84]

If Hunter is too rich for their blood, I hope they take a shot at Winfield!

[CharVike]

If Hunter is too rich for their blood, I hope they take a shot at Winfield!

Winfield will probably get tagged.

[CharVike]

Here is CBS top 50 list of free agents. Cousins is #2 and Hunter is #11. They also provide a projected earnings. Just something to get the ball rolling for this period. I'd like to see both signed. Risner and Woonan should also be kept. I know you can't keep everybody but these 4 would be difficult to replace. We don't have a roster full of all pros so just cut some guys for the cap. Since we can't draft well we will need to hit this again.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2024 ... ne-top-50/

I don't see them keeping Hunter for three reasons:

1) Hunter wants to be paid as a top defensive end. It is unlikely the Vikings will have the ability to pay him at that level given other high profile players (like JJ) they probably value more highly.

2) This year's draft should be heavy on defensive edge talent where the Vikings are picking in the 1st round. It's very possible the Vikings will end up with their pick of the top edge talent when #11 rolls around, and even if they don't have their pick among that group, they'll be able to get a very good prospect who will be young and will play on a rookie deal.

3) Along the lines of the above, the stats suggest that Hunter's most productive days are behind him given his age and years playing in the league. The surest way to tank a team's long-term chances of remaining competitive is to over-invest in declining veteran players. Hunter's view of his worth at his age directly contravenes what years of statistics say about the likelihood he will continue to perform at a high level. KAM surely knows what those stats say as well. I think KAM will pass on keeping him, although there is a chance Hunter won't find a taker in free agency at the salary level he wants. In that event he could return, but I think he will find a taker somewhere.

As you posted somebody will take Hunter even with the age. We also have Harrison who is way beyond the age deal. Maybe Hunter missing 2 seasons saved some wear and tear on the body. If he goes for a ton of money maybe we get a comp pick.

[Cliff]

https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethe ... d-contract

The Vikings appear to be hesitant, perhaps unwilling, to give quarterback Kirk Cousins a fully guaranteed deal, according to a report from Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.

Breer reported on Monday that the Vikings’ front office “really likes Cousins, but it’s also been made clear that they’re not going to go contractually where the previous regime did twice, and give Cousins a fully guaranteed deal.”


There appears to be a theme from the Vikings of being hesitant to dish out guaranteed money. Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio recently reported that the impasse with a contract extension for Justin Jefferson has been Minnesota's unwillingness to guarantee money beyond the first year of the new contract.

[CharVike]

https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethe ... d-contract

The Vikings appear to be hesitant, perhaps unwilling, to give quarterback Kirk Cousins a fully guaranteed deal, according to a report from Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.

Breer reported on Monday that the Vikings’ front office “really likes Cousins, but it’s also been made clear that they’re not going to go contractually where the previous regime did twice, and give Cousins a fully guaranteed deal.”


There appears to be a theme from the Vikings of being hesitant to dish out guaranteed money. Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio recently reported that the impasse with a contract extension for Justin Jefferson has been Minnesota's unwillingness to guarantee money beyond the first year of the new contract.

What they say and what the do don't line up. They already gave Cousin a one year fully guaranteed extension. Cousins is playing out a one-year extension he signed with the Vikings during the 2022 NFL offseason. The extension is worth $35 million and was fully guaranteed. Cousins' extension was tacked onto the end of a previous two-year extension that he had signed with Minnesota.Sep 14, 2023. I think some of that is laying on the books for this year. If KAM is looking for a non guaranteed contract even with a rookie 1st rounder who get guaranteed money then he's in the wrong business or don't understand the business he is in. IMO they need to unload JJ. The Panthers need a WR bad and are in a great draft slot. That team is stupid take advantage now. Giving JJ 30+ mill a year is not the way I would go. We were 5-2 without him. Him out didn't kill us. Him in didn't save us either.
The NFL is becoming a guaranteed money league. That's great for the players. If KAM can't see that then he should step down now and do us all a favor. He already killed his time frame of the rebuild when he struck out with his 1st draft.
Hock contract.
T.J. Hockenson signed a four-year, $66 million extension with the Vikings on August 31, 2023. Hockenson has $42.5 million guaranteed, of which $29.292 million is fully guaranteed at signing. Hockenson received an $18 million signing bonus and his 2023 and 2024 base salaries are guaranteed, with his 2025 salary guaranteed for injury before vesting to a full guarantee in 2024. There are annual per game bonuses worth up to $500,000 per year. Another $2.5 million in incentives are available. Details courtesy of Brad Spielberger.

[cmoss84]

If Hunter is too rich for their blood, I hope they take a shot at Winfield!

Winfield will probably get tagged.

You're probably right, but it would be sweet!

[CharVike]

Maybe they will look at bringing in Drew Lock who is a FA. He was another of my favorites who fell flat on his face. He's only 27 so maybe there's still a chance.

[cmoss84]

Ya'll see the soon-to-be FA running back market??? Crazy!

Might be better off signing 2 bell cows and beefing up o-line rather than signing an expensive QB (cousins)/JJ.

[halfgiz]

Ya'll see the soon-to-be FA running back market??? Crazy!

Might be better off signing 2 bell cows and beefing up o-line rather than signing an expensive QB (cousins)/JJ.

This is also supposed to be a good year for drafting running backs. Should be able to pick up a decent back in the draft.

[VikingsVictorious]

It was seeming that Fields to Atlanta was a done deal and all of a sudden this comes out.

According to Zach Klein of WSB TV, Blank wants to add Cousins by any means necessary.

“All eyes, all arrows everything points towards Kirk Cousins,” Klein said during an appearance on 92.9 The Game. “Arthur Blank has basically told this front office, ‘Do what you got to do. Pay what you’ve got to pay. Get it done.’”

“Everybody I’ve talked to, agents, other coaches and scouts, that is what they are saying,” added Klein. “What they are hearing is that the Falcons will put all their attention on Kirk Cousins moving forward.”

Atlanta mired through a miserable 2023 campaign as far as its quarterback situation was concerned.

It began the year with Desmond Ridder under center, but Ridder was ultimately replaced by Taylor Heinicke midway through the season. The two signal-callers kept trading places for the remainder of the year, with neither player inspiring any sort of confidence moving forward.

In spite of the Falcons’ poor circumstances at quarterback, they still contended for the NFC South division title.

Perhaps with Kirk Cousins taking snaps, Atlanta would stand a great chance of making the playoffs for the first time since the 2017-18 campaign.

https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles ... 0_40038520

[Cliff]

It was seeming that Fields to Atlanta was a done deal and all of a sudden this comes out.

According to Zach Klein of WSB TV, Blank wants to add Cousins by any means necessary.

“All eyes, all arrows everything points towards Kirk Cousins,” Klein said during an appearance on 92.9 The Game. “Arthur Blank has basically told this front office, ‘Do what you got to do. Pay what you’ve got to pay. Get it done.’”

“Everybody I’ve talked to, agents, other coaches and scouts, that is what they are saying,” added Klein. “What they are hearing is that the Falcons will put all their attention on Kirk Cousins moving forward.”

Atlanta mired through a miserable 2023 campaign as far as its quarterback situation was concerned.

It began the year with Desmond Ridder under center, but Ridder was ultimately replaced by Taylor Heinicke midway through the season. The two signal-callers kept trading places for the remainder of the year, with neither player inspiring any sort of confidence moving forward.

In spite of the Falcons’ poor circumstances at quarterback, they still contended for the NFC South division title.

Perhaps with Kirk Cousins taking snaps, Atlanta would stand a great chance of making the playoffs for the first time since the 2017-18 campaign.

https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles ... 0_40038520

If Atlanta will fully guarantee his contract and the Vikings won't he's gone.

[VikingsVictorious]

It was seeming that Fields to Atlanta was a done deal and all of a sudden this comes out.

According to Zach Klein of WSB TV, Blank wants to add Cousins by any means necessary.

“All eyes, all arrows everything points towards Kirk Cousins,” Klein said during an appearance on 92.9 The Game. “Arthur Blank has basically told this front office, ‘Do what you got to do. Pay what you’ve got to pay. Get it done.’”

“Everybody I’ve talked to, agents, other coaches and scouts, that is what they are saying,” added Klein. “What they are hearing is that the Falcons will put all their attention on Kirk Cousins moving forward.”

Atlanta mired through a miserable 2023 campaign as far as its quarterback situation was concerned.

It began the year with Desmond Ridder under center, but Ridder was ultimately replaced by Taylor Heinicke midway through the season. The two signal-callers kept trading places for the remainder of the year, with neither player inspiring any sort of confidence moving forward.

In spite of the Falcons’ poor circumstances at quarterback, they still contended for the NFC South division title.

Perhaps with Kirk Cousins taking snaps, Atlanta would stand a great chance of making the playoffs for the first time since the 2017-18 campaign.

https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles ... 0_40038520

If Atlanta will fully guarantee his contract and the Vikings won't he's gone.

Of course.