The Minnesota Vikings showed signs of improvement in 2014, posting a 7-9 record behind the play of rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Star running back Adrian Peterson missed essentially the entire season as he dealt with child abuse charges, and he should be back to help this team.
Minnesota is eyeing a return to the playoffs next season, but the wrong free agent signing could send them in the opposite direction. Here are the free agents they need to avoid:
S Nate Allen
Safety is the Vikings biggest priority, but in a weak free agency class at the position, Nate Allen is one of the better options. He should be entering the prime of his career at age 27 that will likely cause a team to overpay for his services even though he's not that good. Allen allowed a 106.2 passer rating, five touchdowns, and a terrible 17.5 yards per completion for the Eagles last season, making it clear that he's not a consistent starting-caliber guy.
DE Greg Hardy
Even though his domestic violence charges were settled in a civil suit, investing even a fraction of Hardy’s $13 million franchise tag value from 2014 would come with intense scrutiny and major risk - and Minnesota doesn't want to deal with another year of that. The Vikings do need help on the defensive line, but Minnesota will be better off finding 80-85% of his talent with 90% less baggage on the free agent market.
WR Michael Crabtree
Crabtree hasn’t lived up to his status as the elite receiver over the past two season, but he has proven he can be a reliable weapon. He doesn’t come with any off-field issues, but his poor attitude and lack of leadership would make him just as toxic to the locker room – something Minnesota doesn’t need after dealing with the Adrian Peterson fiasco last year. There are plenty of other options for the Vikings in free agency and in the draft that would fit better with the team.
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