Two moves in free agency that could make the Vikings competitive again
In 2009, the Vikings had a stellar and young defensive line that helped them earn a spot in the NFC Championship game. For the last few seasons the line has struggled and is aging quickly.
The Vikings should make it a mission to bring younger guys in on the line. To make that happen, the Vikings should sign DE Michael Johnson and linebacker D’Qwell Jackson right away.
At 27, Johnson is still fairly young and pretty talented. He played under Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer when Zimmer was defensive coordinator for the Bengals. Johnson is coming off a season with 11.5 sacks and could be a perfect fit in a Mike Zimmer defense. He understands the defensive structure and can help the other guys on the team get the scheme.
At 30, Jackson would also be a great fit at linebacker for Minnesota. Jackson would fit nicely with middle linebacker Chad Greenway, plus he led the Cleveland Browns in tackles last season and has close ties to offensive coordinator Norv Turner who held the same position with Cleveland last season. D’Qwell wants to be a starter in this league and could come in right away and help the Vikings defense ten times stronger.
This would be two moves that Mike Zimmer would love, and it could make the Vikings better right now.
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