NFC North watch: What the Lions divisional foes have done in free agency

NFC North watch: What the Lions divisional foes have done in the first few days of NFL free agency

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings were destined to be net losers in free agency based on their salary cap situation at the end of the year.

Signed DT Michael Pierce from the Ravens. It’s a lateral move for the team, which lost Linval Joseph to the Chargers in free agency. The 340-pound Pierce is younger and only costs them under a million per year more than what Joseph got to leave.

That’s it. Pierce is their only import so far. Signing a nose tackle pales in comparison to re-signing Kirk Cousins for an additional $66 million over two more seasons. Cousins will be the Vikings starting QB through at least 2021, with total dead cap value over $100 million if they dump the occasionally above-average QB before then.

They did re-sign kicker Dan Bailey and No. 6 offensive lineman Rashod Hill to reasonably priced deals. When you pay a good-not-great QB $33 million per year, those are the choices you get to make.