At some point, the money runs out. The Vikings are projected to have somewhere around $63 million in cap space […]
At some point, the money runs out.
The Vikings are projected to have somewhere around $63 million in cap space for free agency. The amount is going to dwindle when some of the internal options get re-signed, but there’s also the possibility to open up more cap space. As the open room in the budget goes back and forth, consider a trio of bargain NFL free agents who could plausibly be of interest to the Vikings (shout out to the PFF FA list).
3 Bargain NFL Free Agents
Free Agent #1 — Teair Tart, Defensive Tackle
Contract Projection: One-Year Deal, $2.5 Million
Consider what PFF has to say about Tart: “Tart’s talent has never been in question, and he put his abilities against the run and pass on full display in defensive coordinator Jesse Minter’s defense. Tart will seemingly be a rotational player who bounces around on short-term contracts, but if you get a locked-in season from him, its tremendous upside on your investment.”
Sounds like someone worth considering, right? The GM loves “tremendous upside” on an investment.
The defensive tackle stands at 6’2″ and weighs 315 pounds. Last year, Tart had 29 tackles, 1 sack, 5 QB hits, 5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 2 passes defended, and 1 forced fumble. He snagged these stats in just 348 snaps, less than a third of the playing time on defense.
Sending along a prove-it deal to an upside defensive tackle would perfectly fit within Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s past moves (Ross Blacklock, Dean Lowry, Jerry Tillery).
Free Agent #2 — Isaiah Rodgers, Corner
Contract Projection: One-Year Deal, $3 Million
Memories of Duke Shelley?
Rodgers is a smaller corner, coming in at 5’10” and weighing just 170 pounds. The odd detail is that he’s primarily an outside corner, not someone who lives in the slot. Again, a bit like Shelley.
The upside is that he’s 27 and coming off a Super Bowl season in Philly. Last year, PFF gave him a 76.0 grade for his efforts, 20th among 223 corners considered. He finished his season with 328 snaps across fifteen games, picking up 26 tackles, 4 passes defended, and 1 forced fumble.
He missed all of the 2023 season due to being suspended (gambling). In 2020, Rodgers was a 6th-Round selection.
Free Agent #3 — Trystan Colon, Guard
Contract Projection: Two-Year Deal, $3 Million/Season
Never heard of him? No problem.
Colon got his career off the ground playing for the Baltimore Ravens (2020-22) before putting in work for the Arizona Cardinals (2023-24). His career has involved soaking up snaps at left guard (323), center (257), and right guard (425). He has even been sprinkled in as a jumbo tight end on occasion (26 snaps). Do the Vikings love versatile linemen?
Most recently, Colon was operating as a right guard for the Cardinals. He earned a sturdy 71.0 PFF grade for his work. He didn’t allow a sack but did surrender 3 QB hits and 12 pressures. Not flawless, but pretty solid.
He stands at 6’4″ and weighs 313 pounds. Trystan Colon is 26.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on social media (Bluesky & Twitter). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.
