The Minnesota Vikings have been among the NFL’s most aggressive teams this offseason in adding outside free agents.
You could argue, though, that GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and company are still a player or two short on defense.
The Vikings could use another defensive back, as their depth at both corner and safety is questionable at best entering training camp. One of their better options is now off the table, too, as Shaq Griffin is reportedly signing a one-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks worth $3 million.
Several solid veteran options remain unsigned, headlined by Stephon Gilmore, Justin Simmons, Asante Samuel Jr. and Rasul Douglas. ESPN’s Andy Schatz predicts an alternate route, however — former Patriots and Falcons EDGE Matthew Judon.
Here’s why Schatz is urging Minnesota to add Judon to a group that already features Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner:
The Vikings are set with their starting edge rushers, Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel. They have 2024 first-round pick Dallas Turner waiting in the wings. And then after that, well ... who is Bo Richter? Answer: He's a second-year undrafted free agent who played 29 defensive snaps last season and is probably currently the No. 4 Edge on the Minnesota depth chart.
The Vikings could really use a veteran to provide depth and rotate in every so often. Judon had a disappointing 2024 season with just 5.5 sacks for the Falcons, and he seems to be on the decline (he turns 33 in August). Still, he can get after the passer, and some reps as a backup might really rejuvenate his career.
Spotrac projects Judon to cost about $4.2 million on a one-year deal. He was an impact player during his time in New England with Bill Belichick, whose defense shares concepts with that of Vikings DC Brian Flores. But Judon's little more than a veteran flier at this point for a team like the Philadelphia Eagles — an established contender with a need for EDGE depth.
The Vikings aren’t that team, as it’s hard to see them inviting more competition for Turner, their No. 17 overall pick in 2024, to stay on the field. Turner only played 310 total defensive snaps as a rookie, and while the departure of Pat Jones II should help that number improve drastically in 2025, the presence of Greenard and Van Ginkel is impossible to ignore. Minnesota could look to deploy all three guys on the field together at times this season, just to get Turner more reps.
Adding a big-name player like Judon to the mix doesn’t make a ton of sense, unless he’s willing to sign a veteran minimum contract as purely a situational pass rusher. He’s been more of a three-down EDGE defender throughout his career, so it’s hard to see this prediction coming to fruition.
If the Vikings make another training camp signing, as they’ve done in recent years, look for them to address Flores’ secondary. Gilmore is the name to watch if guys like Mekhi Blackmon or Jeff Okudah struggle early in camp.
