The Minnesota Vikings traded Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday night and drafted no wide receivers during the event. Those circumstances make the team’s current free-agent board pretty damn clear: Minnesota needs a WR and OLB — at least two.
The roster is thinner in two obvious spots, and Minnesota can still patch both before training camp.
Ranked from good signing to best, this is the Vikings’ theoretical free-agent pecking order. Note: The Vikings obviously won’t sign all of these players.
Hill’s existing relationship with Frank Smith, his offensive coach for four seasons in Miami and now Minnesota’s assistant head coach, presents a significant advantage if Hill’s free agency takes off. Additionally, Hill’s childhood as a Vikings fan creates a natural appeal.
If his medical checks clear, general managers will act swiftly. While his dastardly 2025 injury complicates the timing, a verdict should be near on Hill’s availability for 2026. If he receives clearance, Minnesota should pursue him aggressively; a hypothetical trio of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Tyreek Hill would be magnificent.
This offseason, the Vikings hired Ryan Nielsen as their defensive run game coordinator. Nielsen, a well-traveled coach, most recently served as a senior defensive assistant for the Bills in 2025. There, he worked with Epenesa, a former 2nd-Round pick now in his sixth season.
Epenesa remains unsigned, is currently in the mid-tier free-agent market, and is likely available for approximately $4–7 million. His role is well-defined: given sufficient playing time, he consistently generates pressure on quarterbacks. He typically records around six sacks per season, making him a solid rotational depth piece behind Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner.
Pro Football Focus‘s pass-rushing grades illustrate his performance:
Epenesa’s primary weakness is his run defense, an aspect of his game that has not significantly improved over the years. That lack of development likely contributes to his current market value and explains Buffalo’s reluctance to re-sign him. Nevertheless, he remains a valuable asset as a situational pass-rusher.
In Minnesota, the Vikings have Jalen Redmond, Caleb Banks, and Domonique Orange for run defense. They just need an extra pass rusher.
Bosa played 64% of defensive snaps last year in Buffalo and 50% in Los Angeles (Chargers) the year before that. Truth be told, with Greenard’s departure to the Eagles, that’s what Minnesota needs — a third pass rusher who can play on passing downs or start if something happens to Van Ginkel or Turner.
The four-time Pro Bowler has 10 sacks in the last two seasons. Why not add five more in Minnesota as Bosa embarks on his 30s? It could work.
Kyler Murray, entering his eighth season, has never been known for a deep-ball-heavy offense, although Murray certainly has the arm for it. If the Vikings build their offense around his obvious strengths — a strategy they absolutely should pursue — Samuel would be a highly sensible target.
Samuel excels with the ball in his hands, typically operating near or just beyond the line of scrimmage. At his peak with the San Francisco 49ers, he even functioned as a part-time running back, transforming short receptions into game-changing plays.
His age, turning 30 this year, is a factor. Samuel will likely seek a team with a legitimate chance at a Super Bowl. With Murray now leading the charge, Minnesota wouldn’t be a long-shot destination. The Vikings could offer a concrete quarterback plan, a dynamic offensive scheme from Kevin O’Connell, and a roster poised for contention.
Pro Football Network‘s Austin Swaim on Samuel to the Vikings: “Imagine telling someone at the start of 2023 that Deebo Samuel would be combining with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. That would be discussed as perhaps the greatest wide receiver room ever. Samuel’s ‘decline’ being a season in which he still crested 700 receiving yards despite quarterback issues might mean that becomes a reality, especially as the Vikings look to give either Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy all the assistance they can get.”
“Minnesota has holes at cornerback, safety, running back, offensive line, and potentially EDGE if they end up dealing Jonathan Greenard. I just don’t think they can invest a quality pick into a reliable No. 3 receiver, and Samuel is a great complement in the slot to Jefferson and Addison’s ability to get vertical.”
Clowney played 373 defensive snaps for the 2025 Dallas Cowboys and tabulated 8.5 sacks. He’s 33, so he assuredly isn’t a long-term solution, but let’s face it: with Greenard gone and Van Ginkel scheduled for free agency next offseason, Minnesota will probably have to draft an EDGE rusher early in 2027. In the meantime, Clowney makes sense as a patchover OLB, a man who can start if Van Ginkel or Turner battle injuries.
The former first-overall pick (2014) never quite lived up to his billing, but he’s had staying power in the league, and if he were anything other than a first-overall pick, his career would be considered a resounding success.
He’d probably cost the Vikings $5 million. A bargain.