Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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Vikings.com has been using Gregg Rosenthal's list of 101 best available players for the "2021 Free Agency Outlook" series, but it's worth noting that Rosenthal's ranking isn't the only one out there.
ESPN's Kevin Seifert recently rolled out his top 100 free agents for the 2021 season. He wrote:
After seven consecutive years of $10 million increases, teams will have less space to re-sign their own players – and those on the open market will find less interest in precedent-setting new contracts.
What won't change, however, is the level to which teams can remake their short-term fortunes with prudent and targeted decisions. So as the deadline for applying the franchise and transition tags passes, now is the time to rank the NFL's 100 best free agents.
Vikings fans will see a few familiar names in Seifert's top 10, including Yannick Ngakoue, who played five games for Minnesota in 2020, at No. 3; and division rivals, Lions receiver Kenny Golladay (No. 5) and Packers running back Aaron Jones (No. 8).
Seifert ranked Vikings safety Anthony Harris, whom Minnesota franchise-tagged last season but not this year, at No. 26. In 2019, Harris tied for the league lead in interceptions with six.
Like the rest of the Vikings defense, Harris did not match his previous year's performance, and he finished without a single interception. But he remains a smart and savvy defensive back with experience in a successful defense.
Meanwhile, Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson landed at No. 40 on Seifert's list.
Wilson went from being a valuable backup to a 15-game starter in 2020, filling in for the injured Anthony Barr. He has enough good tape, with 122 tackles and three interceptions, to tempt the Vikings to re-sign him as a starter or generate under-the-radar interest on the free-agent market.
Also highlighted was tight end Kyle Rudolph, whom the Vikings recently released after 10 seasons in Purple. The 31-year-old came in 45th on the list.
A uniquely skilled pass receiver for much of his career in Minnesota, Rudolph shifted to more of a blocking role in 2020. The good news is that he proved he can block well in a zone-based scheme. But he'll likely find a team that is more interested in using him as a big red-zone target.