Saints’ latest move just reopened a door the Vikings slammed shut

Although free agency has been going on for quite a while now and the NFL Draft is in the past, teams like the Minnesota Vikings need to work hard to accumulate as much talent as possible for the 2025 NFL season.

The Vikings were aggressive in free agency. Two of their notable signings on the defensive line came early in the period when they signed former Washington Commanders defender Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave of the San Francisco 49ers.

Those signings left 31-year-old Jonathan Bullard looking for a new team for the upcoming season. Entering his tenth season in the league, he started all 17 games for Minnesota in 2024, earning 41 combined tackles, three pass defenses, one sack, and three quarterback hits.

The New Orleans Saints have signed former Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard, keeping his NFL career alive.

Bullard lasted a while in free agency, but got scooped up by the Saints when the two sides agreed to terms on Saturday. He had previously visited with New Orleans in June and they must have liked what they saw from the former third-round pick of the Chicago Bears in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Spending the last three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Jonathan Bullard was a consistent contributor. Despite that, players can slip through the cracks and talented players who can help a team succeed can be left looking for a team for nearly the whole season.

Thankfully, NBC Sports' Charean Williams shared this interesting note about Bullard's signing with New Orleans:

"His signing will reunite him with Brandon Staley, an assistant with the Bears when Bullard played in Chicago in 2017-18."

Although Staley was an outside linebackers coach at that time, he is currently the defensive coordinator for the Saints. The connection between Staley and Bullard likely had something to do with New Orleans' interest in the six-foot-three, 290-pound defensive lineman.

Bullard joined the Vikings in June of 2022 and re-signed with the squad twice before becoming a free agent following the 2024 NFL season.

Although Minnesota reloaded in free agency, the Saints will need all the help they can get. Although they have a young team in New Orleans, the surprise retirement of quarterback Derek Carr and a tricky salary cap situation combined with a tough schedule will make winning games a big challenge. Jonathan Bullard could help them be more competitive in 2025.