NFL free agency: Predicting the best free agent all 32 teams will sign in 2023
By Ryan Heckman
Predicting the best free agent the Minnesota Vikings will sign: Jonathan Jones, CB
If you ask any Vikings fan what the team needs to do in free agency, the majority of them will tell you that the priority has to be on defense, and specifically secondary and linebacker. Minnesota was one of the worst all-around defenses in the league in 2022, but specifically against the pass.
Only the Titans gave up more passing yards than the Vikings (4,515) during the regular season, and no team gave up more passing first downs (224) all year. For a playoff team, it’s actually stunning that the Vikings ended with the record they did this season. They were quite possibly the easiest team to pass on, in all aspects, in 2022.
Patrick Peterson has had some good moments with the Vikings, but he’s getting up there in age, and seeing Duke Shelley as a long-term answer is tough. Minnesota doesn’t have a future at the cornerback position right now, and that’s why they sign Patriots free agent corner Jonathan Jones.
Finally a full-time starter this past season, Jones enjoyed a career year, picking off four passes and coming up with 11 passes defensed. He also gave up a career-lows in opposing quarterback completion percentage (53.3) and opposing quarterback rating (73.7).