Vikings Are the Big Winners of 2 Veteran Swaps

The Minnesota Vikings entered free agency with an aggressive mindset, signing not only one but two defensive tackles with the ability to get after the quarterback and a pair of offensive linemen to fix another issue. Of course, essential starters Aaron Jones and Byron Murphy Jr. were kept in the mix, too.

Vikings Are the Big Winners of 2 Veteran Swaps

On the other hand, some guys departed from the organization. Sam Darnold is undoubtedly the most prolific player in that category. He agreed to become the new signal-caller in Seattle.

On the offensive line, Dalton Risner and Cam Robinson, two second-half-of-the-season starters, are still available, but for now, they have exited the building. Jonathan Bullard and Jerry Tillery, two veterans of the NFL, have joined them.

That’s where things get fascinating.

The Vikings used a ton of money to swap Bullard and Tillery for Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. Minnesota’s defensive front had been craving some interior pass-rush, and here they are, a couple of former Pro Bowlers.

They are both coming off injury-riddled campaigns. Hargrave just turned 32 and missed most of the 2024 season with a partially torn triceps. The subsequent surgery was season-ending. A reason for optimism is that Hargrave had never played less than three games in any other season of his nine-year career.

Allen, meanwhile, partially tore his pectoral muscle and missed about half the season. He later returned for Washington’s playoff run. He played only five games in his rookie season in 2017 but had also logged at least 15 games in every other campaign prior to 2024.

Aging players suffering from injuries can be used as a red flag, but there’s some potential. What if they are fine and play at a high level for another two or three years? There’s no doubt that if healthy, their floor and ceiling are in a totally different stratosphere than Bullard’s and Tillery’s.

From 2021 to 2023, Hargrave logged at least 50 QB pressures in each season. His pass-rush grade on PFF hasn’t dipped below 70 since 2017 and was among the league’s best in those three aforementioned years.

Allen produced comparable numbers. From 2020 to 2023, the long-time Commanders defender registered at least 47 QB pressures per season, with an outstanding high of 67 in 2021.

In Minnesota, Tillery just had 17 QB pressures in 2024, and Bullard only had six. One note should be that the latter might be a superior or at least comparable run-stopper to the two newcomers, and the passing game isn’t his strength.

Still, there’s a reason why the new duo went to multiple Pro Bowls while Bullard and Tillery are journeymen, although Bullard’s three-year tenure with the Vikings was quite solid. Allen and Hargrave combine for 87.5 career sacks, the departed players for 19.

Going from the two departed 2024 Vikings to the two new 2025 Vikings is a huge upgrade, and Brian Flores, Minnesota’s third-year defensive coordinator, can finally get some pressure from his interior. If just one of Hargrave or Allen can play at their top level, the defensive unit will be a problem.

Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.

Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt