3 Low-Cost Free Agents the Vikings Should Sign This Offseason

Locked into an NFC Divisional Round matchup with the San Francisco 49ers, the Minnesota Vikings are in the midst of a strong 2019 season.

With a few key players set to become free agents and the importance of staying ahead of the curve, it's not too early to think about free agency, though. With the lowest projected 2020 cap space in the NFL, per Spotrac, the Vikings are going to have to be incredibly thrifty and make every penny count with their offseason signings.

That's where these three low-cost free agents come into play.

3. Vernon Butler, DT, Carolina Panthers

Vernon Butler during a game against the Vikings. / Grant Halverson/Getty Images

Defense has been a strength for the Vikings this year, but the interior defensive line hasn't been much to write home about, and Shamar Stephen checks in with a pretty mediocre rating on ProFootballFocus, having recorded just 2 TFLs and 2 QB hits in 15 starts in 2019. Vernon Butler is coming off his first season as a starter, and he showed some real promise as an interior pass rusher, getting in 6.0 sacks and 8 QB hits to go with 7 TFLs.

2. Randall Cobb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

Randall Cobb runs after a catch against the Lions. / Rob Leiter/Getty Images

Even for a run-first team like the Vikings, Laquon Treadwell and Olabisi Johnson aren't exactly exciting WR3 options. A former division rival, Randall Cobb showed he still has some slot receiving chops in 2019. In his first season with the Cowboys, he bounced back from a down year in 2018 with 55 receptions, 828 yards and 3 touchdowns on 83 targets. With a pair of studs in Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, wide receiver isn't a pressing need for the Vikings, but a low-priced veteran like Cobb could fit in nicely in the offense, especially given Thielen's struggles to stay healthy in 2019.

1. Jimmy Smith, CB, Baltimore Ravens

Jimmy Smith in pass coverage against the Bengals. / Rob Leiter/Getty Images

Jimmy Smith has a high-priced contract expiring, and he certainly comes with a great reputation. But he's a 32-year-old who has seen injuries limit him to 12 games or fewer in each of the last four seasons, so he should be available at a discount. Possibly losing both Mackensie Alexander and Trae Waynes to free agency in the offseason, the Vikings will need to address the CB position, and Smith is a high-risk, high-reward way to do that.

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Jason Schandl is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Jason Schandl also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username Jaymun. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.