The Minnesota Vikings have the funds to make one more splashy move before the upcoming draft — and that final move could round out the team’s needs and position the Vikings to take the best player available come Day 1 of the draft.
Minnesota spent most of its free agency reinforcing its defense. The additions of outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith, defensive tackle Harrison Phillips and linebacker Jordan Hicks, along with four signings at cornerback, hope to turn around the unit that allowed the sixth-most points in the league last year.
Meanwhile, the offense hasn’t seen a single surefire starter signed yet, but that could change soon.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) recently listed landing spots for the league’s top remaining free agents, connecting the Vikings to an elite pass-blocker who could cure the offense’s struggle on the offensive interior line.
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Vikings Linked to J.C. Tretter
PFF’s Brad Spielberger ranked the remaining free agents ahead of the draft on April 28 and linked former Cleveland Browns center J.C. Tretter to Minnesota.
Tretter, 31, posted the second-highest PFF pass-blocking grade of 83.7 last season despite battling knee and ankle injuries throughout the season. The president of the NFL Players Association, Tretter, is a high-character veteran who could immediately impact the Vikings’ offensive line.
From Spielberger:
The NFLPA president has been a leader on and off the field throughout his career and was a salary-cap casualty of the Cleveland Browns this offseason despite still playing at a very high level.
For the Miami Dolphins or Minnesota Vikings, Tretter would represent a significant upgrade at the center position. Tretter’s 83.7 pass-blocking grade in 2021 — his seventh straight season finishing above 80.0 — was almost 30 points better than Miami’s centers for the season and over 40 points better than Minnesota’s. While he’s not as prolific as a run blocker, he’s proven to be an above-average run blocker in an outside zone rushing attack, which both Miami and Minnesota are expected to utilize in 2022.
Tretter is also connected to Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who worked in the Browns front office during the 2020 season.
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Tretter a Significant Upgrade at Center
In 2021, Tretter was the seventh-best center in the league with a 78.7 offensive PFF grade. Minnesota’s presumptive starter entering this season, 2019 first-round pick Garrett Bradbury, ranked 46th with a 60.2 PFF grade.
The Vikings have shown no indication of exercising Bradbury’s fifth-year option, which would cost $13.2 million for the 2023 season.
PFF estimated that Tretter, a former fourth-round pick, will garner a two-year deal worth $12 million. At $6 million a year, Tretter could provide veteran experience at center during a volatile time for the franchise.
Upon taking over as general manager, Adofo-Mensah opted for a “competitive rebuild,” bringing back many of the team’s veterans. The most telling move: committing to Kirk Cousins through the 2023 season with a one-year contract extension this offseason.
The plan assumes Minnesota has the talent to compete now, and the Vikings can no longer ignore the offensive line if they hope to elevate Cousins.
Tretter’s two-year deal would align with the duration of Cousins’ current contract, leaving opportunities to keep pushing towards contending or rebuilding available after the 2023 season.
Bradbury remains rostered and could still compete for his starting role this season in the meantime while the team assesses what they’d be willing to re-sign him for beyond the 2022 season.
Vikings Linked to Elite Pass-Blocker in Free Agency