Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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The first wave of free agency is over and done with, as NFL teams rushed to sign dozens of players when the 2019 league year opened up last week.
The Vikings chose to keep or add some familiar names to their roster, as they re-signed linebacker Anthony Barr and running back Ameer Abdullah while bringing back defensive tackle Shamar Stephen, whom Minnesota drafted in 2014.
But where should the Vikings add going forward?
ESPN’s stable of NFL beat writers recently took a look at which area each team should focus on going forward in the next wave of free agency and the draft, and Vikings reporter Courtney Cronin opined that Minnesota should keep looking to bolster its offensive line.
Cronin wrote:
The Vikings currently have one guard under contract for 2019: Danny Isidora, who played all of 214 snaps in four games last season. Even after restructuring Everson Griffen's contract, Minnesota doesn't have the space needed to rebuild its offensive line in free agency. They'll likely have to dedicate draft capital there because the interior of the O-line is nonexistent. If Minnesota wants to make a financially sound move to get a starter in free agency, it might be by going after the likes of Josh Kline, T.J. Lang [or] Ben Garland.
The Vikings currently have nine offensive linemen under contract, including 2018 starters Riley Reiff, Pat Elflein and Brian O’Neill.
Aviante Collins, who joined the team as an undrafted free agent tackle in 2017, worked some at left guard during the 2018 preseason before he landed on injured reserve. It remains to be seen what plans the Vikings might have for Collins in 2019.
Minnesota holds the 18th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, which goes from April 25-27.