6 Players Vikings Must Re-Sign This Offseason

By Andrew Buller-Russ

·January 14, 2024

NFL: Minnesota Vikings at Carolina Panthers — Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Vikings’ offseason mission will eventually turn its focus toward acquiring additional talent, but first, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and the decision-makers atop the organization must decide which pending 2024 free agents the Vikings will re-sign for next year’s roster.

That’s no small task. There are 27 players from the Minnesota Vikings 2023 roster set to enter free agency this offseason. For all intensive purposes, that’s half of a 53-man roster. It’s important to remember, however, that most of those players are not what most fans would consider make or break for the outlook of next season.

Some most certainly are, though. And the more of those key expiring contract they lose, the more difficult it will be for the Vikings to force themselves back into the playoffs one year from now. So if winning is the goal, here are six players Kwesi & Co must re-sign this offseason.

Brandon Powell Proved His Value and Versatility

When the Minnesota Vikings chose Brandon Powell over Jalen Reagor out of training camp, many scratched their heads. Yet, the move was more about coach Kevin O’Connell going with a guy he trusted back from their days together with the Los Angeles Rams.

Over the course of the year, Powell proved to be a capable punt returner, who rarely made mistakes, fumbling just once all season. Yet, once injuries struck, Powell also showed he could contribute on offense, where his speed and ability to gain yards after the catch proved effective.

Already a favorite of the coaching staff, Powell may not get a better offer elsewhere, and re-signing him shouldn’t cost very much at all, but that doesn’t mean the Vikings shouldn’t bring in more punt returning competition for training camp.

Jordan Hicks’ Veteran Leadership Can’t Be Measured

In a perfect world, Brian Asamoah II would be ready to overtake Jordan Hicks’ starting role in Brian Flores’ defense. Yet, we’re just not sure the former third-round pick is prepared for that role. He couldn’t surpass Ivan Pace Jr. a year ago, and so we’re just supposed to suddenly assume he’ll be more equipped in Year 3?

Give me the proven veteran who has already shown he can be an impact player in Coach Flores’ defense over the guy who has just 155 career snaps on defense (36 in 2023). Hicks may not be excellent in coverage (70.1 PFF coverage grade) or as a pass rusher (one sack this season), but the hard-hitting thump he provides on run defense can’t go ignored for a team without enough proven linebacker talent on hand.

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D.J. Wonnum’s Pass-Rushing Ability Can’t Go Overlooked

He may not be nearly as good as Danielle Hunter (who is?), but D.J. Wonnum has shown he’s the second-best pass rusher on the Vikings. Coming off the second eight-sack season of his career, Wonnum has more than lived up to his draft status as a former fourth-round pick, and still just 26, he may not even be at his best yet.

Wonnum deserves another shot to snatch the starting role opposite Hunter next season, but that doesn’t mean the Vikings shouldn’t still bring in more competition among pass rushers. Still, after being willing to spend up to $13 million on Marcus Davenport, the Vikings would be much better off allocating somewhere around half that amount to Wonnum in 2024.

Dalton Risner Quickly Showed That He Belongs In Minnesota

Deciding to trade Ezra Cleveland, the team’s starting left guard, to the Jacksonville Jaguars mid-season for just a sixth-round pick indicated two things. One, they didn’t believe Cleveland would re-sign for a reasonable rate this offseason. Also, they really liked what Dalton Risner could offer as a replacement.

While there were shaky times, Risner lived up to his $3 million contract, and now he should be in line to receive a slight pay raise while re-signing in Minnesota long-term. He’s still just 28, so the Vikings should be able to get at least a few more productive seasons out of Risner, and I fully believe he doesn’t want to play anywhere else.

There’s a reason he wanted to reunite with Chris Kuper, his offensive line coach from his days with the Denver Broncos. Unless the Vikings make coaching changes, expect Risner to come crawling back. Plus, we already know he and his wife love it in Minnesota.

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Danielle Hunter Showed He’s Irreplaceable

We get to one of two players who the Vikings absolutely can not afford to lose. Fans have come after Danielle Hunter in the past simply because he suffered a serious neck injury, but when healthy, there aren’t many pass rushers who are definitively better.

The ‘Madden Create a Player‘ is an elite pass rusher, and as many other teams have learned the hard way, those are hard to find. Usually, you have to spend a first-round pick just to identify a playmaker like Hunter. Somehow, the Vikings found him in the third round, and all he’s ever wanted to do is stick around in Minnesota.

He won’t be inexpensive, but do you really think Hunter is ready to move on after flourishing with 16.5 sacks playing for Coach Flores?

Vikings Can’t Afford to Lose Kirk Cousins

The last, and most important free agent on our list, the Vikings can’t afford to let Kirk Cousins even think about playing anywhere else. What was the most valuable lesson we learned in 2023? It’s that the Vikings can try several different styles of quarterbacks, but none can even come close to replicating the same production or success as Cousins provides.

Josh Dobbs gave fans a chance to see what a mobile QB could do, and we learned that having an accurate passer is still the top priority, especially when your best player is Justin Jefferson. Obviously Jefferson needs to be fed the ball, and having a mobile QB just won’t accomplish that enough.

Nick Mullens, great gunslinger. Honestly, he’s the ideal backup in Minnesota because he actually showed he could still move the ball down the field no matter who was in the lineup with him. Yet, we also saw that players like Mullens have a higher tendency to turn the ball over.

Cousins has already overcome those mistakes and is truly one of the best passers in the NFL. Not to mention, Jefferson has been very vocal about who he wants to catch passes from in the near future, and with contract extension talks coming, the Vikings would be wise to listen to their game-breaking receiver.

It’s hard to imagine the family man wanting to play anywhere else after the time he and his wife have enjoyed in Minnesota, which should lead to a fair rate in free agency. He’s already touched on what’s important to him in free agency, and how will he find a better situation, with better weapons and a better location than Minnesota? Newsflash: He won’t.