Two Free Agents to Visit

With the Vikings still with an estimated $19 million in available salary cap money, the free-agent visits are continuing as the team looks to shore up depth and special teams.

The Vikings are welcoming a pair of free agents to Winter Park. Cornerback Nathan Jones, who spent the previous four years with the Cowboys primarily as a special teams player, was in town Wednesday as well as linebacker Derrick Pope, formerly of the Dolphins.

Each of the players has a Vikings connection. Jones played for special teams coach Paul Ferraro at Rutgers when Ferraro was the defensive coordinator and Pope was a seventh-round draft pick of the Dolphins when Rick Spielman was the team’s general manager.

While the free agent spending has slowed to a drip, the Vikings are still an estimated $19 million under the 2008 salary cap. While $3 million is likely needed to provide money for the rookie pool of talent the Vikings will draft and sign, they once again find themselves in a position to squirrel away millions of dollars toward the 2009 salary cap, meaning that, after this season, if the Vikings again want to be free spenders, they should have the money to do so once again.