Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell made a mandate that the interior offensive line needed improvement after Sam Darnold took a playoff-record nine sacks in a season-ending loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC wild-card round.
However, the guard market was volatile, resulting in a risky $88 million bet by Minnesota.
The Kansas City Chiefs re-signed Trey Smith. The Chicago Bears traded and extended Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, while the Green Bay Packers signed Aaron Banks to a massive deal.
There were few viable options remaining in free agency, prompting Minnesota to bet on former Indianapolis Colts guard Will Fries, recovering from a broken tibia, to the tune of a lucrative five-year, $88 million deal.
According to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times, the Seattle Seahawks wanted Fries to come in for a physical on the Wednesday that free agency opened, but he did not want to wait. The Vikings offered a deal without a physical, which was signed after Fries passed it upon arriving in Minnesota later.
On the first day of voluntary organized team activities (OTAs), head coach Kevin O'Connell offered an update on Fries, saying he won't be a full participant this spring but that he is optimistic about Fries being ready for training camp.
"I don’t know if we’ll see him fully active this spring," O'Connell said on May 28. "But I have no hesitation to say that I’m really excited to see him when he’s able to get out there, more than likely, for training camp. There’s still a chance we could see him in some bits and pieces of work over the next two weeks. But he’s in a good spot.”
The concerns around Fries may age poorly; there is immense upside. As a 2021 seventh-round pick, Fries has surpassed his draft status incredibly, playing like a top-five guard before his injury last year. His contract's average annual value ranks 10th at the position.
However, Fries has started all 17 games just once in his four-year career so far and graded poorly by Pro Football Focus (PFF) metrics in every season before 2024.
The Vikings baked this uncertainty into his contract, which looks more like a two-year deal with a potential out in 2027 -- cutting him with a $12 million dead cap charge but also saving $9.5 million in cap space.
Overall, the Vikings made the right call. Few guards entering their prime were available once free agency opened.
But the optics of the $88 million deal will be a lightning rod for criticism if Fries cannot stay on the field.
