Vikings: What should the Minnesota Vikings do with Anthony Barr?
This offseason is going to be crucial for the Minnesota Vikings. Anthony Barr has missed a lot of games over the years, but would it be a smart decision to bring him back on a one-year deal?
Barr has been a member of the organizations for so many years, and seeing him in a different uniform would be weird. The former UCLA star was selected ninth overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, but more importantly, he was ex-head coach Mike Zimmer’s first pick.
Now that Zim is gone, would Barr prefer to play for another team? That is unfortunately the unknown.
Barr has been hesitant and almost difficult to deal with when it comes to restructuring his contract. I understand that he wants to get paid and wants the respect that he deserves, but a lot of players in the past have done it without it being an issue.
At 29 (30 in March), Barr has had a hard time staying on the field. Since 2018, he’s missed 25 games. This year he missed a total of six.
You mix in the injuries, age and reluctance to help the team, and you’re faced with a pretty easy answer.
However, Barr has the physical makeup to be one of the best linebackers in the NFL.
In eight seasons, he’s been selected to the Pro Bowl in half of them. If you ignore 2020 (played two games), then you’re looking at four in seven seasons. He’s also 6-foot-5 and 257 pounds.
A player that’s built for strength and speed should be a menace on defense. Last season he finished with three interceptions, 2.5 sacks and 72 tackles.
With Zimmer gone, Minnesota will change its defense from a 4-3 to 3-4. Essentially this means that the Vikings will be utilizing three linemen and four linebackers.
This will allow Barr to play as an edge rusher rather than in coverage. This is a perfect role for him because, with that kind of strength and speed, he should be a guy who gets upwards of 10 sacks a year.
When Barr was at UCLA, he was primarily used as an edge rusher. Which is why he recorded 23.5 sacks in two years.
Barr is an unrestricted free agent, and according to Pro Football Focus, they project him to land a 2-year deal worth $7.25 million per season. I wouldn’t hate that deal, but I wouldn’t do it.
The only way I’d consider bringing him back would be on a one-year deal.
At times, Barr doesn’t look like he’s the most engaged. At the end of the games, I’m left with wanting more from him. When he was out with a pectoral injury in 2020, I was quick to say that Eric Wilson should be the starter.
Moving forward, I’d like to see the Vikings re-sign Barr to a one-year deal. Minnesota has been misusing him for the last eight years, and seeing what he could do in a 3-4 defense as a pass rusher is intriguing. If he can revitalize his career, then keeping him is in the team’s best interest.
