Vikings got a steal in former Broncos starting linebacker Todd Davis

The Vikings made a great signing by adding Todd Davis.

Just when Minnesota Vikings fans thought that things couldn’t get any worse to start the 2020 season after Kirk Cousins’ awful game against the Indianapolis Colts, starting linebacker Anthony Barr was lost for the season with a torn pec. The silver lining to Barr’s injury is the fact that Mike Zimmer replaced him with the best free agent linebacker out there in former Denver Broncos starter Todd Davis.

Minnesota snagged one of the best veteran free agents still on the market, inking Davis to a one-year contract after Barr was lost for the season. The Vikings should be jumping for joy, as they managed to snag a starting-quality linebacker for a price well below his market value.

Todd Davis was a solid starter for the Broncos for the last four seasons

Davis fought his way onto the Broncos in 2014, when the team was coached by current Vikings OC Gary Kubiak. Starting in 2016, Davis assumed starting linebacker responsibilities, and he went on to record at least 82 tackles in each of the last four seasons. 2019 was his finest effort to date, as he piled up 134 tackles for Vic Fangio. He was cut this offseason after injuries hampered him in camp.

His coverage skills might not be the best in the world, but it’s not an insult to declare him an inferior coverage player when compared to Barr. At this point, Minnesota needs someone who can line up at multiple positions and stuff the run. 2020 fourth-rounder Troy Dye has shown potential, but Davis is a proven option that

The Vikings have seen the optimism for their season ebb away after getting bulldozed in their first two games, but there is still plenty of time to make up for that slow start. Davis should be able to start next to Eric Kendricks and provide above-average production at a vastly discounted price.