The Minnesota Vikings have undergone some big changes this offseason.
They have a new general manager, a new quarterback, and several new starters. The team missed the playoffs last season, and it will be hard to make the playoffs again in a very tough NFC North.
When looking at this roster, there’s a clear weakness- the defensive line. Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen are gone, and the team seems set to rely heavily on a couple of rookies. However, that may not be the best decision, so there’s a veteran free agent who would be worth checking out.
should be interested in DaQuan Jones
It’s late July, so most of the big free agents have signed. There are still some key contributors without teams though, like defensive lineman DaQuan Jones.
Jones spent the previous four seasons with the Buffalo Bills and was a reliable starter on the defensive line. Now, Jones is looking for a new team at the tail-end of his career.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report recently identified landing spots for the top defensive free agents. For Jones, Knox thinks the Vikings are a perfect landing spot. Knox offered the following analysis:
Jones started 12 games for the Buffalo Bills last season, finishing with 22 tackles, three sacks, and three tackles for loss. He still possesses a strong anchor in run defense with penetration ability to boost an interior pass rush.
The Vikings parted with both Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen early this offseason. While they did sign Isaiahh Loudermilk while drafting Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange, adding DaQuan Jones would round out the defensive rotation while adding veteran leadership to the group.
Jones started 12 games for the Buffalo Bills last season, finishing with 22 tackles, three sacks, and three tackles for loss. He still possesses a strong anchor in run defense with penetration ability to boost an interior pass rush.
The Vikings parted with both Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen early this offseason. While they did sign Isaiahh Loudermilk while drafting Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange, adding DaQuan Jones would round out the defensive rotation while adding veteran leadership to the group.
As Knox mentioned, Jones is still a reliable player who provides adequate run stopping and pressure from the interior.
In 2025, Jones played in 12 games with 12 starts and collected 22 tackles, three tackles for loss, and three sacks. Pro Football Focus gave Jones a very solid 75.5 grade, which ranked 10th out of 134 qualified defensive linemen.
It’s impressive that Jones is still playing at such a high level at his age. That implies that he can still be a useful player in 2026, so Minnesota would be a perfect landing spot.
In Minnesota, Jones could line up next to rookies Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange. The Vikings’ line is very thin on veteran depth, so Jones would be a key presence on and off the field.
The Vikings have their work cut out for them if they want to contend in 2026. Much of their success will depend on quarterback play, and the hope is that veteran Kyler Murray can step in and raise the floor.
It will also be interesting to see if the Vikings’ defense can be as good as it has been. Hargrave and Allen are gone, and so is veteran stalwart Harrison Smith and edge rusher Jonathan Greenard. That’s a lot of production to try and replace, but defensive coordinator Brian Flores is considered one of the best in the game for a reason.
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