The Minnesota Vikings approached free agency aggressively, a plan influenced by their lack of draft capital. The Vikings have a league-low four picks. To that end, targeting an interior defensive lineman like Derrick Harmon could prove faulty.
Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski pointed to the Vikings signing veterans Javon Hargrave (two years, $30 million) and Jonathan Allen (three years, $51 million) in free agency.
The Vikings gave the duo a combined $50.2 million in practical guaranteed money, per Spotrac.
“Prior to free agency, Oregon’s Derrick Harmon should have been at the top of the Minnesota Vikings’ draft wish list. He’d now be a luxury pick after what the team added to its defensive interior,” Sobleski wrote on April 20.
“Allen and Hargrave are 30 or older, but both signed for longer than one year and can still perform at a relatively high level.
Phillips, 29, is starting a two-year, $15 million contract extension in 2025.
Per Over the Cap, the Vikings rank 14th in spending on their interior defensive line in 2025. They check in at $28.9 million. They project to climb to second in 2026 with $54.4 million due to their defensive front.
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GettyOregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon, #55, sacks UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers, #4.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranked Harmon as IDL2 and the No. 16 overall prospect of the 2025 draft class. That could make him a steal for the Vikings with the No. 24 pick.
“A player who can win in different ways, Harmon forces blockers to attack air with his lateral explosiveness or uses strong, crafty hands to swat away the reach of blockers as he bursts through gaps to close on the ball carrier. Though he led FBS interior linemen in pressures, he also led the position in missed tackles (12) — even the smallest improvements in his backfield finishing ability would have resulted in double-digit sacks,” Brugler wrote on April 9.
“Harmon is a highly active and disruptive big man who consistently finds ways to gain freedom from blocks as a penetrating pass rusher and run stuffer. He projects as a scheme-diverse NFL starter, anywhere from one- to five-tech.”
Passing on Harmon could prove costly for this Vikings team.
In addition to being light on draft capital, they have experienced a fair share of misses in recent draft cycles. Just six picks from general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s first two drafts are on the Vikings’ roster.
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GettyMinnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah speaks to the media during the NFL Scouting Combine.
Allen and Hargrave also combined to play in 11 games in 2024. That is foreboding, given the resources the Vikings have committed to them. The defense figures to be the backbone of a team led by an inexperienced QB in J.J. McCarthy, so being stout is key.
“Harmon would enter the Vikings lineup as a rotational piece before taking over a starting spot a year or two down the road,” Sobleski wrote.
“Whereas, the organization can immediately address the secondary or guard with quality prospects to fill immediate needs, while still maintaining excellent value. Obviously, depth will still be a concern for the D-line, but that doesn’t need to be addressed at the start of the draft class.”
The Vikings’ second pick of the draft is No. 97 overall.
After that, the Vikings have picks Nos. 139 and 187, which fall in the fifth and sixth rounds, respectively. Even in the deepest of classes, that is a significant dropoff in terms of the type of prospect they can expect to find in that range.
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