Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins vehemently cancels a $750 million deal due to…
After a dismal season from Alexander Mattison, the Minnesota Vikings need to bolster their run game, and Alec Lewis of The Athletic suggested that signing Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley would be one of the biggest additions.
Lewis listed eight elite free agents “who make sense if the Vikings” in a piece published on February 6.
swing big” this summer and identified the star of the New York Giants as the perfect free agent to bolster the run game.
It would be an intriguing move for the Vikings to spend money on a proven, dynamic, and aging running back like Barkley, defying league-wide trends in the process. Later this week is Barkley’s 27th birthday. This past season, Barkley’s average yards after contact per rush (2.92) placed him 24th out of 49 qualified running backs. Barkley’s addition to the Vikings’ skill group might have a revolutionary effect on the offense and on him (similar to the 49ers’ acquisition of Christian McCaffrey). It would be a risky stroke for a squad that has no margin for error.
Following a leak indicating the Giants will not be franchise-tagging the former No. 2 overall pick this summer, Barkley is set to become a free agent. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Barkley is expected to sign a two-year contract worth $22 million, which translates to an average yearly value of $11 million each season. This would place him eighth at the position prior to 2024 free agency.
Due in part to a subpar run game, the Vikings finished in the bottom five of teams last season in the red zone with a 47.1% touchdown conversion rate.
