Vikings could lose projected $11.5 million free agent target to Browns

Ryan OLeary

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Vikings could lose projected $11.5 million free agent target to Browns image

After their massive haul of free agent signings during the initial wave of free agency, the Minnesota Vikings hit the pause button, even waiting until NFL Draft weekend to address their vacant backup quarterback position.

The main reason for Minnesota’s sudden inactivity was the NFL’s compensatory pick formula. Given their league-low draft capital for 2025, the Vikings wanted to ensure they landed their two projected comp picks for 2026 — a third-rounder for Sam Darnold and a fifth-round for Cam Robinson, per Over the Cap — and that meant a temporary freeze on free agent signings until after draft weekend. 

Signings made after April 29 will no longer count against the comp pick formula, meaning Minnesota can now add to position groups it passed on during the draft, such as boundary cornerback and safety. 

The Vikings have been linked to one free agent in particular, former Los Angeles Chargers second-round pick Asante Samuel Jr., as a potential post-NFL Draft target. Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay, however, predicts Minnesota will lose Samuel to another CB-needy team: the Cleveland Browns.

“Cleveland's 2025 draft class, which includes a pair of elite defensive prospects in No. 5 overall pick Mason Graham and No. 33 overall pick Carson Schwesinger, could be transformative,” Kay wrote. “However, the Browns didn’t bolster their secondary in the draft, and they could use some youth at cornerback to augment star Denzel Ward. With incumbent nickel Greg Newsome II potentially on his way out via trade, Samuel could be the perfect replacement.”

If Minnesota is really in on Samuel, as some wild recent speculation seems to indicate, there will definitely be competition. Samuel's only entering his age-26 season, and he piled up 22 total pass breakups and seven interceptions from 2022-23, before an injury-plagued 2024 season sent him to free agency with a depressed market.

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Spotrac projects Samuel to land in the $11.5 million per year range on his second contract, but at this point, he’s probably looking at a cheaper prove-it deal. A one-year contract at less than $10 million, similar to the Stephon Gilmore deal last summer, could pique Minnesota’s interest after it passed on adding a defensive back in the NFL Draft.

The Browns make sense for Samuel as well, though, and if it comes down to multiple years, the Vikings are probably better off re-signing Shaq Griffin to bolster a cornerback room that now includes Bryron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, Mekhi Blackmon and Jeff Okudah.

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Ryan OLeary

Ryan O'Leary has spent his entire professional career in sports multimedia, working as journalist, editor, podcaster, and in live events as a content manager and show emcee. His career highlights include working as a podcast host and audio editor for USA TODAY Sports Media Group, where he led a series of NFL podcasts for the company’s top-performing NFL sites. A born and raised New Englander, Ryan’s career kicked-off in newspapers after graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in journalism. He developed an affinity for small-town youth, high school and college sports, while also realizing his childhood dream of covering the Patriots in multiple AFC Championship Games. Ryan enjoys kicking it with family and friends, beating his dad and brother in chess, and arguing with anyone crazy enough to insist that Tom Brady isn’t the GOAT.