These Four Free Agent Signings Should Lead to a More Physical Brand of Play for Vikings
Vikings' brass made bold moves to infuse physicality into trenches
The Vikings made it clear at the beginning of this offseason that they wanted to be a more physical team at the line of scrimmage. In other words, they wanted to beef up their defensive line and offensive line.
In free agency, the Vikings put their money where their mouth was.
On defense, they signed a pair of defensive tackles to replace last year’s starters. On offense, they signed a new center and a new right guard, both of whom will replace starters from last year.
Here’s a look at these four signings and some reasoning as to why Vikings fans should expect a more physical brand of football from their team at the line of scrimmage.
Defensive Tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave
Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave will essentially replace the snap share of Jonathan Bullard and Jerry Tillery. Both Bullard and Tillery were respectable contributors for the Vikings but neither is the caliber of player of Allen or Hargrave.
From a height-weight standpoint, the tale of the tip is relatively close. Allen measures in at 6-3, 300 pounds and Hargrave at 6-2, 305 pounds. The tandem trumps that of Bullard (6-3, 291 pounds) and Tillery (6-6, 295 pounds) by a total of three inches and 19 pounds.
But while the physical differences are borderline marginal, the difference in production in the trenches is significant.
As Star Tribune columnist Mark Craig simply yet profoundly pointed out, Allen has played in 109 career games and in that time has tallied 42.0 sacks and 118 quarterback hits. Bullard and Tillery, meanwhile, have played a combined 212 games and have 18.5 sacks and 65 quarterback hits.
Hargrave has also outproduced Bullard and Tillery on his own and in fewer games. Hargrave has 130 games played, which is 82 fewer games than Bullard and Tillery, yet he has 45.5 sacks and 79 quarterback hits.
There is no doubt that Allen and Hargrave represent the kind of physical and production-related upgrade over their predecessors that should empower the Vikings’ defensive line to kick it up a notch in terms of physical play at the line of scrimmage.
RG Will Fries and C Ryan Kelly
The upgrade that Ryan Kelly and Will Fries represent for the Vikings at center and right guard, respectively, is just as pronounced as is the improvement along the defensive line.
Kelly measures in at 6-4, 307 pounds, which tops Garrett Bradbury, the former starting center in Minnesota, who stood at 6-3, 300 pounds. Fries, meanwhile, measures in at 6-6, 305 pounds, which is a slight upgrade over Ed Ingram (6-3, 307) and similar to Dalton Risner (6-5, 312).
As is the case with Allen and Hargrave, though, the on-field production and quality of play is where the improvement will show.
In the last two seasons combined, Kelly allowed only 18 pressures, one quarterback hit and 2.0 sacks. Bradbury, meanwhile, allowed 60 pressures and 11 hits in that same span, plus 4.0 sacks just last season alone.
It’s more difficult to compare production for Fries versus that of Ingram and Risner because Fries missed all but five games last season while Ingram was replaced in the lineup by Risner after nine games. With that being said, through five games last season Fries had earned an 86.9 overall (4/139) grade and an 84.9 run blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, figures that ranked him fourth and fifth, respectively, out of 139 graded players at left guard and right guard.
The Vikings struggled mightily in overall and run blocking grades at right guard in 2024.
When Will Final Judgment Be Rendered?
Sitting here, March 24, it’s plain to see the Vikings intended to upgrade their defensive line and offensive line. It’s similarly clear that the personnel additions should yield that improvement.
But should is the operative word.
While the newcomers have performed better than their predecessors in the past, the Vikings’ success hinges on their ability to perform in superior fashion in the present.
All four of the players mentioned above missed significant time with injuries last season. And none of the four can be categorized as young players. They are all either in the middle of the prime or past the apex.
The smart money would be on these personnel changes proving effective. The Vikings had one of the best free agency hauls a year ago, suggesting the synergy between scouting and coaching is strong in the Vikings’ building.