Potential 25 year old DE free agent we can target

[minny65]

In under two months, the NFL world will be thrust back into its busiest time: free agency.
All 32 organizations will dive head-first into a deep pool of available players in an attempt to find their missing pieces. And although the initial flurry is always focused on the top-end free agents, it’s the second and third wave of players who tend to shore up key loose ends.

In 2021, just as it’s been in each year prior, there will be several under-the-radar players who sign at a discount and go on to make all the difference. Here’s a look at five unrestricted free agents who could very well fit that bill.
© Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports Dec 26, 2020; Detroit Lions defensive end Romeo Okwara (95) warms up before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ford Field. 

4. Romeo Okwara, EDGE
Romeo Okwara entered the league as an undrafted free agent, signing with the New York Giants and playing an extremely limited role until he joined the Detroit Lions in 2018. That season, Okwara flashed some very real talent, recording 7.5 sacks in 15 games. However, he was relegated to a reserve role in 2019, and his sack total dropped to 1.5, leaving many to wonder if the prior season had just been a flash in the pan. But in 2020, Okwara reemerged with a career-high 10 sacks despite starting just nine games for the Lions. He earned an 85.4 pass rushing grade from Pro Football Focus and was credited with an impressive 61 total pressures. At just 25 years of age, it’s entirely possible that Okwara’s best and most dominant football remains ahead of him.

[Guest]

Nice find.

[Guest]

He'll be a priority FA for many teams. He'll end up getting over $10M/yr. 

[Guest]

Nice find. Sure would be nice to restructure a few contracts so that we can squeeze in at least two starting free agents among 3T, DE, G and S. Tight squeeze, cool Breeze. 

[Guest]

At 10M+ year, Out of our price range I would imagine unless we do some serious cap cutting.  

[Guest]

@Magnus10 said:
At 10M+ year, Out of our price range I would imagine unless we do some serious cap cutting.  

I don't think people realize just how much money the Vikings can, and likely will, cut from their cap simply by cutting Rudy, Shamar and Bailey. And there's even more if we move on from Reiff. And even more in likely salary-to-bonus restructures of Thielen and Kendricks, maybe Barr. And even more in potential extensions for Hunter and/or Harry...maybe even Cousins. Plenty of money to be found if we're willing to do it. Just need to find out for sure what the cap comes in at. 

[Guest]

@MaroonBells said:

@Magnus10 said:
At 10M+ year, Out of our price range I would imagine unless we do some serious cap cutting.  

I don't think people realize just how much money the Vikings can, and likely will, cut from their cap simply by cutting Rudy, Shamar and Bailey. And there's even more if we move on from Reiff. And even more in likely salary-to-bonus restructures of Thielen and Kendricks, maybe Barr. And even more in potential extensions for Hunter and/or Harry...maybe even Cousins. Plenty of money to be found if we're willing to do it. Just need to find out for sure what the cap comes in at. 

They "can" cut/find plenty of money. Really your cap is unlimited as long as you have the cash to create it. Ask the Saints the past 3-4 years how they got all of their cap space. 

The issue the Vikings have isn't the 2021 cap, its the bottleneck they're creating in 2022 by spending big this off-season. They'll be able to make moves but I wouldn't imagine the Vikings being big players in free agency. They'll add a few players here but if they go to the extremes and spend they likely can add one player to the top 1/3 of the roster $8M AAV+ (salary wise). Anything else creates long-term issues in the cap plan.  

[Guest]

@"Geoff Nichols" said:

@MaroonBells said:

@Magnus10 said:
At 10M+ year, Out of our price range I would imagine unless we do some serious cap cutting.  

I don't think people realize just how much money the Vikings can, and likely will, cut from their cap simply by cutting Rudy, Shamar and Bailey. And there's even more if we move on from Reiff. And even more in likely salary-to-bonus restructures of Thielen and Kendricks, maybe Barr. And even more in potential extensions for Hunter and/or Harry...maybe even Cousins. Plenty of money to be found if we're willing to do it. Just need to find out for sure what the cap comes in at. 

They "can" cut/find plenty of money. Really your cap is unlimited as long as you have the cash to create it. Ask the Saints the past 3-4 years how they got all of their cap space. 

The issue the Vikings have isn't the 2021 cap, its the bottleneck they're creating in 2022 by spending big this off-season. They'll be able to make moves but I wouldn't imagine the Vikings being big players in free agency. They'll add a few players here but if they go to the extremes and spend they likely can add one player to the top 1/3 of the roster $8M AAV+ (salary wise). Anything else creates long-term issues in the cap plan.  

Vikings can save $11M just by cutting Rudy, Shamar and Bailey. They can cut an additional $12M by moving on from Reiff. So $23M without any can kicking at all. Then there are the extension candidates. I would put Hunter and Harry in that category...on WAY different levels. Obviously, their ages would dictate the length and amount of the extension, but that's not really can kicking either. Sure, you can add to the bottle neck by doing the conversions, but you'd only do that with players you know you're going to keep through the length of their contracts, so obviously Kendricks. Maybe Thielen. Less so Barr, but possibly. 

The biggest bottle neck in '22 comes from Cousins $45M hit. I could be wrong, but I just don't think that's ever going to materialize. He'll either be gone or extended. Probably extended. 

But I agree, we're not going to be big players in free agency. We seldom are. But I think we can probably tap into that 2nd tier for a couple players. 

[Guest]

@MaroonBells said:

@"Geoff Nichols" said:

@MaroonBells said:

@Magnus10 said:
At 10M+ year, Out of our price range I would imagine unless we do some serious cap cutting.  

I don't think people realize just how much money the Vikings can, and likely will, cut from their cap simply by cutting Rudy, Shamar and Bailey. And there's even more if we move on from Reiff. And even more in likely salary-to-bonus restructures of Thielen and Kendricks, maybe Barr. And even more in potential extensions for Hunter and/or Harry...maybe even Cousins. Plenty of money to be found if we're willing to do it. Just need to find out for sure what the cap comes in at. 

They "can" cut/find plenty of money. Really your cap is unlimited as long as you have the cash to create it. Ask the Saints the past 3-4 years how they got all of their cap space. 

The issue the Vikings have isn't the 2021 cap, its the bottleneck they're creating in 2022 by spending big this off-season. They'll be able to make moves but I wouldn't imagine the Vikings being big players in free agency. They'll add a few players here but if they go to the extremes and spend they likely can add one player to the top 1/3 of the roster $8M AAV+ (salary wise). Anything else creates long-term issues in the cap plan.  

Vikings can save $11M just by cutting Rudy, Shamar and Bailey. They can cut an additional $12M by moving on from Reiff. So $23M without any can kicking at all. Then there are the extension candidates. I would put Hunter and Harry in that category...on WAY different levels. Obviously, their ages would dictate the length and amount of the extension, but that's not really can kicking either. Sure, you can add to the bottle neck by doing the conversions, but you'd only do that with players you know you're going to keep through the length of their contracts, so obviously Kendricks. Maybe Thielen. Less so Barr, but possibly. 

The biggest bottle neck in '22 comes from Cousins $45M hit. I could be wrong, but I just don't think that's ever going to materialize. He'll either be gone or extended. Probably extended. 

But I agree, we're not going to be big players in free agency. We seldom are. But I think we can probably tap into that 2nd tier for a couple players. 

Not disagreeing, just trying to temper expectations since everyone wants the tier-1 big names and it is possible to add a big-name player. But they're more likely going to shoot for the 2nd tier players or trade for mid-tier players. 

[Guest]

@"Geoff Nichols" said:
He'll be a priority FA for many teams. He'll end up getting over $10M/yr. 

$13M/yr over 3 years to stay in Detroit. This is actually ok move in the Vikings hunt to add Carl Lawson. Both should come in around the same price.