Vikings Free Agents Xavier Woods, Mason Cole Sign Three-Year Deals Elsewhere

On the opening day of the NFL's legal tampering period, the Vikings made one move to sign a free agent (former Bills DT Harrison Phillips) and let three players who started at least seven games for them last season head elsewhere. Michael Pierce was released after the Phillips signing made him expendable, and two unrestricted free agents landed three-year deals with other teams.

Safety Xavier Woods agreed to a contract worth $15.75 million over three years with the Carolina Panthers. Center/guard Mason Cole, interestingly enough, got the exact same amount on a three-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. That's two players who the Vikings acquired for cheap last year — Woods was a one-year deal worth $2.25 million, Cole was acquired for a sixth-round pick in a trade — who played well and turned that tape into nice contracts.

The Vikings may have had some interest in bringing Woods and/or Cole back, but not at the price tag they ultimately received.

Woods had a solid bounce-back season in 2021 after a rough 2020 campaign with the Cowboys. He played every single defensive snap for the Vikings across 17 games, recording 108 tackles, 3 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and a sack. Woods' tackling and run defense were excellent, but his coverage was somewhat inconsistent.

Now that he's gone, the Vikings need a new starting safety next to Harrison Smith once again. The logical in-house candidate is second-year player Camryn Bynum, who impressed in limited action last season when Smith was on the COVID list. Bynum showed flashes of immense potential in starts against the Ravens and Chargers. If he can emerge as a quality starting option at that spot, it would give the Vikings a big boost. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will presumably bring in some inexpensive competition for that job via free agency or the draft.

Cole was another player who had some good moments as a fill-in starter for the Vikings last season. Traded from the Cardinals to the Vikings a year ago, he took over at center when Garrett Bradbury hit the COVID list and played well enough to keep the job even when Bradbury returned. Cole started four games at center, then the next three at right guard, before suffering a season-ending elbow injury.

The Vikings need to figure out who their center and right guard will be this season. Bradbury is an option at center, but his time with the Vikings could be coming to an end. The former first-round pick almost certainly won't have his fifth-year option picked up this offseason. Oli Udoh and Wyatt Davis are the primary in-house candidates at right guard, although the Vikings seem likely to add at least one interior offensive lineman this offseason.

Free agent guard Dakota Dozier, who started all 16 games in 2020, has been informed by the Vikings that he won't be brought back, according to KSTP's Darren Wolfson.

The Vikings still have 18 other free agents whose futures are uncertain, including Anthony Barr, Patrick Peterson, Sheldon Richardson, Mackensie Alexander, Everson Griffen, Tyler Conklin, Nick Vigil, and Jordan Berry.