Free Agent grades

@"minny65" said: CBS sports:Minnesota Vikings: D-Key additions: TE Josh Oliver (Ravens), DE Marcus Davenport (Saints) The Vikings currently have the second-least amount of cap space in the entire NFL outside of the Saints, so there's not a whole lot they can do. However, giving former New Orleans Saint Marcus Davenport $13 million on a one-year deal even though he's coming off what may be the worst season of his career at 26 years old in 2022 is a whiff.  The signing of former Baltimore Ravens tight end Josh Oliver to a three-year, $21 million contract with a career stat line of 26 catches for 230 receiving yards and two touchdowns at 25 years old is insanity. Unless Minnesota plans to make an out of nowhere run at Lamar Jackson, this signing makes even less sense than the Davenport money. 

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"minny65" said: CBS sports:Minnesota Vikings: D-Key additions: TE Josh Oliver (Ravens), DE Marcus Davenport (Saints) The Vikings currently have the second-least amount of cap space in the entire NFL outside of the Saints, so there's not a whole lot they can do. However, giving former New Orleans Saint Marcus Davenport $13 million on a one-year deal even though he's coming off what may be the worst season of his career at 26 years old in 2022 is a whiff.  The signing of former Baltimore Ravens tight end Josh Oliver to a three-year, $21 million contract with a career stat line of 26 catches for 230 receiving yards and two touchdowns at 25 years old is insanity. Unless Minnesota plans to make an out of nowhere run at Lamar Jackson, this signing makes even less sense than the Davenport money. 

Leave it to CBS to give us a stat line for a blocking tight end. 

Sports Coverage Grade

CBS Sports: F-

@"Kentis" said: Sports Coverage Grade

CBS Sports: F-

Sporting News:

NFL free agency 2023: Grading the latest signings, tradesTop 60 overall free agent signings

• Browns sign Vikings DT Dalvin Tomlinson for 4 years, $57 million

• Steelers sign Vikings CB Patrick Peterson for 2 years, $14 million

• Vikings sign Saints DE Marcus Davenport for 1 year, $13 million

How about an “Incomplete,” grading moves before the league year even starts is an exercise in futility…  B) 

Walters:

Vikings sign TE Josh Oliver (3 years, $21 million): D Grade
What in the world are the Vikings doing? This is a horrible signing, and it has nothing to do with the talent of Josh Oliver. I'm actually an Oliver fan; he's an excellent blocker and an underrated receiver. He was buried on Baltimore's depth chart, so I liked him as an under-the-radar signing for a team that needed a tight end.

The Vikings, however, did not need a tight end. I get that they can use two-tight end formations with T.J. Hockenson, but the Vikings had so many other pressing needs, particularly on defense. For a team with as many defensive holes as the Vikings possess, making a move like this is il-responsible, as my sixth-grade English teacher used to say.

Vikings sign DE Marcus Davenport (1 year, $13 million): A- Grade
I criticized the Vikings for giving a big contract to a tight end, so I automatically have to like this contract more. The secondary is a disaster, but a better pass rush will help the team's ability to stop the pass.

Anyone looking at Marcus Davenport's stats might be confused about how he could help a pass rush, given that he logged just half a sack last year. However, Davenport played better than that stat indicates, and Davenport had nine sacks in 2021. He should be able to rebound, and I like that he'll be trying his hardest so he can get a long-term deal next offseason.

Vikings re-sign C Garrett Bradbury (3 years, $15.75 million): A+ Grade
Garrett Bradbury struggled to start his career, but has since improved markedly. He was so good, in fact, that the Vikings' offense sputtered late during the 2022 season when he was injured. Things improved when he returned for a playoff start, but the defense couldn't hold up its end of the bargain.

Given how important Bradbury became for Minnesota's offense, the team absolutely had to re-sign him. I'm actually surprised Bradbury didn't get more than this, so this signing deserves to be graded very highly.

Fox:

Marcus Davenport, DE, Vikings
2022 stats: 29 total tackles, 8 QB hits. 0.5 sacks
Reported terms: One year, $13 million 
Previous team: Saints
The Saints pass-rusher didn’t have much of a market, even with limited edge options available, and signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the Vikings. They’re counting on him to return to his 2021 levels — nine sacks — and not a disappointing 2022 in which he finished with 0.5 sacks and had just two tackles for loss in 490 defensive snaps. The Saints had a top-10 defense and cap issues, so it’s smart to try to find help there. —Greg Auman
Grade: C+

You bored Minny?  B) 

@"Kentis" said: You bored Minny?  B) 

I wasn't expecting big splashy signings, just some serviceable dudes. Maybe they are more active in the 2nd wave. I also know that they will have more money to play around with next year 

Since 2018, Davenport ranks 4th in pressures and DCs always say they care more about pressures than sacks. Can he stay healthy? I don't know but that's why you're getting him for $13M instead of $25M. I think the Vikings now have the three biggest bargain edges in the NFL (though I don't expect Z to stay and the Vikings will give a big bag to Hunter at some point this year). But what if they throw a bone to Z and somehow keep him? That's a nasty rotation. 

But I have to be honest, I'm actually more excited about the blocking tight end that everyone hates. 

I think they’re being a bit hard on Davenport. He had 34 pressures last year with 26 hurries. Obviously he’s active, so why aren’t the sacks following? If the Vikings believe they can fox whatever that issue is, this is a great signing. When I see those kind of numbers, I immediately want to see how he’s finishing as well as how the scheme is porentiwlly impacting the sack numbers. 
I looked up his PFF scores and they really like him. It’s one source of course, but I like how they cut through hype and at least try to process every play. Pass rush and run stop both rated what I would consider “very good”. 
His 2021 ratings were elite, so that tells me, he a guy that can get there with the right opportunity. Hopefully he really brings it this year. The talent is certainly proven to be there. 

On Josh Oliver, I think sticker shock (definitely was for me) may be playing a big part in how he’s viewed. I’m not sure of all the details of the contract, but his cap hit is only $3.5 million. So it appears to be a team friendly deal with a lot of performance incentives. This seriously changes how I view he signing. 

@"Havoc1649" said: On Josh Oliver, I think sticker shock (definitely was for me) may be playing a big part in how he’s viewed. I’m not sure of all the details of the contract, but his cap hit is only $3.5 million. So it appears to be a team friendly deal with a lot of performance incentives. This seriously changes how I view he signing. 

If we cut him after one year, we pay him 8.25M.  If we cut him after 2 it's 13M.  unless there's some hidden way the money disappears, we're paying #1 TE money to a more #2 type guy.  Hope he crushes it though.

@"medaille" said:

@"Havoc1649" said: On Josh Oliver, I think sticker shock (definitely was for me) may be playing a big part in how he’s viewed. I’m not sure of all the details of the contract, but his cap hit is only $3.5 million. So it appears to be a team friendly deal with a lot of performance incentives. This seriously changes how I view he signing. 

I struggle with it still.

If we cut him after one year, we pay him 8.25M.  If we cut him after 2 it's 13M.  unless there's some hidden way the money disappears, we're paying #1 TE money to a more #2 type guy.  Hope he crushes it though.

This is a big, strong kid. Just 25 years old. They obviously have plans for the offense and the way to attack. Hock and Oliver both 6'5" and long wingspans. Going to create some problems and of course, Oliver's obvious pass/run blocking is off the chart. 

He was an athletic, pass catching TE in college & has 10.75” hands (same as Rudolph).
I think he can be more than just an outstanding blocker, & the team probably does too…

@"Kentis" said: He was an athletic, pass catching TE in college & has 10.75” hands (same as Rudolph). I think he can be more than just an outstanding blocker, & the team probably does too…

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/josh-oliver/32004f4c-4952-4360-2a59-44a3fa93d63f

The Oliver signing was one that not anyone I know of predicted. If you have that on your free agency wish list bingo card then hats off.

His cap hit is 3.5M this year and the team could get out of his deal next year and save 7.123M.
https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/josh-oliver-29105/

When you consider he is replacing someone making at least 750K in the top 51 calculation for cap hits, he really is only costing about 2.7M this year.

The draft is very strong at tight end and they could still draft one provided they get some extra picks.

Who knows, maybe they are hedging their bets in case they cannot agree on an extension number with Hockenson?