Minnesota Vikings: 4-Round 2019 mock draft following free agency
By Joe Kipp
The Minnesota Vikings are in the midst of a pivotal offseason. Here’s a 4-round mock draft following the first wave of free agency.
One year removed from signing Kirk Cousins to the first fully-guaranteed contract in NFL history, the Minnesota Vikings have been arguably just as aggressive in the current free agency period. The team’s offseason moves could help us gauge which positions they could be targeting in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Minnesota’s biggest splash came in the form of re-signing outside linebacker Anthony Barr to a five-year deal, just hours after Barr committed to joining the New York Jets. Other notable moves include the signings of right guard Josh Kline, who figures to replace the recently released Mike Remmers, and defensive tackle Shamar Stephen, who spent last season with the Seattle Seahawks.
Minnesota also elected not to exercise Andrew Sendejo’s team-option in his contract and restructured Everson Griffen’s current deal. Both moves helped create ample cap space for Barr’s, Stephen’s and Kline’s new deals. The Vikings also re-signed kicker Dan Bailey and running back Ameer Abdullah to much smaller contracts.
The Vikings still have a strong team on paper, even after losing some key veterans – namely Sheldon Richardson, Latavius Murray, Nick Easton and Marcus Sherels. Still, general manager Rick Spielman will need to re-tool the roster through the draft. Here’s a list of Minnesota’s current selections in the upcoming draft:
Round 1, Pick 18
Round 2, Pick 50
Round 3, Pick 81
Round 4, Pick 120
Round 6, Pick 190
Round 6, Pick 209 (compensatory selection)
Round 7, Pick 247 (compensatory selection)
Round 7, Pick 250
Here, we go through a 4-round mock draft using The Draft Network’s mock draft simulator. The Vikings picked up some much needed O-line help, a dynamic receiving threat, and a couple key pieces to shore up the defense.