After a porous 2022, Minnesota went into last season presumed to have one of the worst defenses in the NFL. Despite not having an influx of talent, the unit took a surprising jump under first-year Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores. Minnesota’s front office certainly did not take a passive approach this offseason in building on that success as evidenced by a strong group of Vikings defensive free agents.
In all, the Vikings brought in three defenders on multi-year deals during the legal tampering period. Edge rushers Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel along with off-ball linebacker Blake Cashman are all presumed starters that fill critical holes for the Vikings’ defense. Let’s assess how big of an impact each player will have on Minnesota going forward and how the team did from a value standpoint on the signings. After all, it is free agency grading season!
Cashman’s Impact on Vikings Defense Could be Most Profound
The Vikings raided Houston’s defense early and often to start free agency. Although he plays a position that’s largely been devalued, Blake Cashman may be the most important signing of Minnesota’s offseason. By inking Cashman to a three-year $22.5M deal Minnesota solidifies their strength up the middle with Cashman lining up next to second-year stud Ivan Pace along with a trio of star safeties. For the Vikings’ defense to become a unit that can elevate the team this season, they had to solidify their identity. Building on their ultra-aggressive showing from a year ago by stacking the middle of the field with playmakers was the right step in that direction.
The middle of the field is so important for the Vikings to control given Flores’ propensity for heavy blitzing. Quarterbacks facing Minnesota are routinely looking for short outlets in that part of the field with the rush bearing down. Adding another instinctual player in Cashman will make it that much more difficult and dangerous. The Vikings should envision a solid jump in turnovers and drive-killing plays if all goes according to plan. While it may still feel like they paid a premium for an off-ball linebacker, his scheme fit and his potential impact on the Vikings’ defense should make the price worth paying. It’s the type of signing and philosophy that could change the win-total calculus for the Vikings in 2024.
Grade: A-
Greenard Faces Big Expectations Replacing Vikings Stalwart
Jonathan Greenard was the first domino that dropped for the Vikings shortly after the tampering period opened. The Vikings were able to secure one of the market’s top pass rushers on a reasonable four-year $76M deal. It seemed like a formality at the start of free agency, but Greenard’s signing officially put a bow on Danielle Hunter’s tenure in Minnesota. As a result, Greenard steps into some big shoes taking over for the longtime Viking edge rusher. Another wrinkle is that the Texans ultimately signed Danielle Hunter to replace Greenard. It will be interesting to see which team ends up with the better deal.
Glancing at Greenard’s production from a season ago, he looks like a player primed to take another step towards stardom. Why then did a team, in the Texans, who had ample cap space not use the Franchise Tag on Greenard? It could simply be a case of Greenard not being healthy enough to make an impact before last season. 2023 was the first time he managed to appear in more than 13 games in a season, and he still battled injuries down the stretch.
The other question Greenard will have to answer is how he will fare as the Vikings’ primary edge rusher. Did he flourish in Houston because of the presence of rookie stud Will Anderson? The good news for the Vikings is that the stats at least support that Greenard was a close 1A to Anderson. Greenard finished sixth in pass rush win rate, three spots below Anderson, while facing a similar number of double teams. That should give the Vikings hope that Greenard can indeed shoulder the load. However, given the injury risk, there has to at least be some concern built into this signing’s grade.
Signing Grade: C+
Van Ginkel Comes in as Best Value of Vikings Defensive Free Agents
Andrew Van Ginkel became an analytics darling last season when he started stepping in as an edge rusher for Miami. Like Greenard, Van Ginkel managed to crack the top 20 in pass rush win rate off the edge. That stat is particularly impressive given the Swiss Army knife role he played for the Dolphin defense. PFF gave him an elite grade in every facet of his defensive game, which seems absurd for a lesser-known player. NFL teams were still clearly a bit skeptical given that Minnesota got him for $10M guaranteed over two years.
Looking at his history it might make sense that the Vikings were able to get Van Ginkel inked to reasonable terms. His 2023 production was indeed a bit of an outlier. However, he’s been trending up the past few years and has had his role change over that period. Minnesota can at least hope that his transition to edge might make his jump in production sustainable. Brian Flores is also known for his ability to creatively deploy his players. Van Ginkel has the pedigree of a player who should be able to strive in that sort of environment. If he is able to even come close to maintaining his 2023 production the deal should be a steal for the Vikings for a player at a premium position.
Signing Grade: A
Main Photo: [Jamie Sabau] – USA Today Sports
