We are a little over a month away from the start of the new league year in the National Football League, and it will be marked by the start of free agency. Although the free agency for the Minnesota Vikings has been a bit foolish over the past few years, there is no rule to prevent them from participating in the signing frenzy.
Behind the huge E $ PN paywall, Jeremy Fowler ranked the top 50 available free agencies and found homes for them with teams across the NFL. He’s just one of the players on his way to Minnesota because he tapped the Cincinnati Bengals’ defensive end, Carl Lawson, to get to Mike Zimmer’s defense.
The Vikings have to rush a passion that struggled when Danielle Hunter missed last season. It’s not uncommon to see Minnesota ranked 28th in team tackles. Lawson fits Mike Zimmer’s style as a heavyweight 263-pounder who can win with physicality and strength. On top of that, he comes from the Bengal defense tree that Zimmer knows well.
Lawson was a fourth-round pick from the Bengals from Auburn in the 2017 NFL draft. He led all the NFL rookies in sacks this season with 8.5, but missed half of his second season with a torn ACL. Over the past two seasons, he has collected 10.5 bags for the Bengals.
In his rookie season, Lawson played for Paul Guenther, who was then the Bengal’s defense coordinator and had just been signed by the Vikings to be a senior defense assistant. Fowler’s article was written before Guenther came to the Twin Cities, but now there is a real connection between the team and the player.
As we know, the Vikings’ pass rate last season was absolutely unlucky, with Danielle Hunter with an injury and Everson Griffen leaving in Minnesota freelance. Lawson is the kind of second-hand contractor with whom the Vikings might be able to make a real development. As long as Andre Patterson is in Minnesota to coach the defensive lineouts, I firmly believe that any defensive line that has potential will realize that with the Vikings.
I do not know what kind of contract Lawson is going to claim in free agency, but the Vikings should look at all possible ways to try to strengthen their pass and help their young secondary players.
What do you think of Carl Lawson to Minnesota?