3 Minnesota Vikings cut candidates who could fit Chicago Bears
As the offseason gets ready to start up Chicago Bears fans will compile their list of favorite free agent targets. However, they always forget that while the list of free agents is long, a good portion will re-sign and be franchise tagged. On the opposite end, teams will also be relating players who may not be living up to their contract.
The club releasing them may save money, but it can help the signing team as well because that player is likely to sign for less with his new team. One team that may be relating some players is the Minnesota Vikings. Would they be a good fit?
3. Michael Pierce, DT
Michael Pierce has a clearly defined role. He is a run stuffer, and when he is healthy and at the top of his game, he is one of the better run stoppers in the NFL. The issue is the health and being on top of his game. Pierce sat out the 2020 season with concerns over the virus.
He came back in 2021, and it looked like he did not lose a step. However, the issues came with his health. He was active for just seven games and played a career-low in snaps. The Vikings thought they got a bargain from Baltimore, but they signed him in 2020, so they barely got any value from the contract.
Now, the Minnesota Vikings can save $8.5M by releasing Pierce. They may want him back, but that number is too much.
When it comes to the Chicago Bears, they could be losing Bilal Nichols to free agency and should be making Eddie Goldman a cut. Essentially, the Bears will save the same amount to release Goldman as the Vikings will to move on from Pierce. So long as they can get Pierce signed for less than he did in 2020, which is reasonable, the team would save money.
You could argue either way as Piece and Goldman have had similar careers, but at this point, Pierce could be seen as an upgrade. When you factor in that the Bears will save money it becomes more intriguing. Pierce comes from a 4-3, which means he may be a better fit than Bilal Nichols as well. It could ease the burden and the amount spent on replacing Nichols while providing a cheaper replacement for Goldman.