ESPN has odd free agent recommendation for the Vikings

Could it work?

We’re less than a week away from the start of the free agency season in the National Football League, and despite the fact that the Minnesota Vikings haven’t taken any action to alleviate their salary cap issues, the folks from Bristol still have a bit of an odd free agency recommendation for the purple.

Behind the great E$PN paywall, there’s a list of “perfect” free agent matches for each NFL team. Their recommendation for the Vikings might raise a few eyebrows, as they believe the Vikings need to sign Denver Broncos safety Kareem Jackson. Here’s their commentary on the potential signing.

New Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell has added Jackson’s previous defensive coordinator, Ed Donatell, to his staff in Minnesota. That familiarity makes the Vikings a natural landing spot for Jackson if Denver isn’t looking to bring him back.

Jackson’s ability to stick with receivers in man coverage isn’t going to improve as he pushes toward 34 years old, but he still brings a high football IQ and quality run support to the middle of a defense. He could pair with Harrison Smith for a year before Minnesota looks to get younger at the position.

The signing of a player like Jackson seems a bit curious on the surface because, if he were to sign, he would immediately become one of the oldest players on the roster. He and Harrison Smith would almost certainly make up the league’s oldest safety tandem. . .if the Vikings keep Smith around, which is another potential debate.

I’m not sure what the potential difference in price would be, but I’d probably just as soon see the Vikings make a push to retain Xavier Woods, who put together a fairly solid year for the Vikings in 2021. I’m not sure if either Woods or Jackson would break the bank, but I think Woods would be the better choice if that’s what it came down to.

Do you have any feelings on the Vikings potentially signing Kareem Jackson to help shore up the back half of the defense, folks?