After concluding rookie minicamp , the Minnesota Vikings had two roster spots available for any of the 20 players they invited for a tryout. Two of them have made the 90-man roster, as the Vikings announced the signings of edge rusher Matt Harmon and defensive lineman Elijah Williams.
Vikings sign Matt Harmon and Elijah Williams
The Vikings ending up signing two players on the defensive front is interesting, but also shows how serious they are in fortifying the front from a depth perspective. An undrafted free agent edge rusher has made the team in each of the last three years, plus nose tackle Taki Taimani and defensive end Jalen Redmond as well in 2024.
Adding two players likely means one of three things:
- They want more depth at the position for training camp
- They aren't happy with their current roster
- Harmon and Williams were the best performers at minicamp
The players they did sign do provide some interesting stats. Let's start with Harmon, who played for seven seasons at Kent State. He only played in 49 games, as five of those seasons he played in seven games or less, which explains why he ended up playing seven seasons.
Durings his career, he notched just 4.0 sacks and 13.0 tackles for loss, but seven passes defended and two forced fumbles. Where the intrigue lies is with his size, as Harmon is 6'6 and 240 lbs.
Williams is on the other side of the spectrum. He played just four seasons at Morgan State, but was incredibly productive in those four seasons. He logged a whopping 33 sacks and 52.0 tackles for loss. His pressure rate was 10.38% during his time in college, which is very intriguing.
Now, size is something that Williams doesn't have. He is 6'3, but only 270 lbs. When you are that productive, it's worth taking a longer look, especially since you can't teach production.
One of the intriguing things about these additions is the lack of cornerback Tommi Hill, who was the best player the Vikings brought in on a tryout basis. Could the injury concerns have been that bad? It's certainly possible, but there is a real disappointment that he wasn't added initially.
