The Vikings.com 2017 Free Agency Primer series uses ***NFL.com’s Top 101 Free Agents list** to break down this year's class. We will count down the player position groups until March 9 when free agency is scheduled to open.*

Note: The rankings may end up changing prior to free agency opening, but this breakdown is updated to the time of post.

Schedule:

LB, DB – Thursday, March 9

OL, DL – Wednesday, March 8

WR, TE – Tuesday, March 7 | Click **here*** *

QB, RB – Monday, March 6 | Click **here**

Thirty-six linemen (15 on offense and 21 on defense) are included in today's grouping, including five on each side of the ball who are listed in the top 25.

Five offensive linemen who will become free agents tomorrow are currently with NFC North teams, including Vikings tackle Matt Kalil, who underwent hip surgery after Week 2 last year and missed the remainder of the season.

Packers center J.C. Tretter and tackle T.J. Lang are on the list, and the Lions will need to make decisions on tackle Riley Reiff and guard Larry Warford.

On the defensive side of the ball, a number of teams are faced with multiple defensive linemen reaching the end of their contracts, including the Super Bowl LI champs. The Patriots have three defensive ends slated to become free agents: Alan Branch, Chris Long and Jabaal Sheard.

Offensive linemen

G Kevin Zeitler, Cincinnati Bengals | No. 772 games/71 games started over five seasons; Zeitler was a first-round draft pick (27th overall) by Cincinnati in 2012 and has since started all but one game that he's played for the Bengals. Zeitler has been a full-time starter at right guard, including in four playoff games during his time in Cincinnati, including 2012-13 when Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer was the Bengals defensive coordinator.

T T.J. Lang, Green Bay Packers | No. 14119 games/94 games started over eight seasons; Lang has spent his entire career in Green Bay, during which he's missed only nine games. Lang has played right guard for the past four seasons but has also lined up at left guard and at both tackle positions.

T Andrew Whitworth, Cincinnati Bengals | No. 17168 games/164 games started over 11 seasons; Whitworth has spent more than a decade with the Bengals, but the three-time Pro Bowler hasn't shown much evidence of slowing down, having played every regular-season game for the past three seasons. Whitworth and Zimmer were in Cincinnati together for eight seasons.

T Riley Reiff, Detroit Lions | No. 1977 games/69 games started over five seasons; in his rookie season with the Lions, Reiff primarily served as a blocking tight end in addition to starting one game at left tackle. Reiff became a starting left tackle in 2013 and showed his versatility when he transitioned to right tackle for the 2016 season.  

G Larry Warford, Detroit Lions | No. 2157 games/ 57 games started over four seasons; drafted in the third round by Detroit in 2013, Warford became an immediate full-time starter at right guard and has been there since. He was named the Pro Football Focus Offensive Rookie of the Year after his performance in 2013.

T Ricky Wagner, Baltimore Ravens | No. 2762 games/47 games started over four seasons; Wagner played both tackle and tight end during his NFL debut season before become a full-time starter at right tackle for Baltimore in 2014.

T Russell Okung, Denver Broncos | No. 4588 games played/88 games started over seven seasons; Okung has missed only five games over the past three seasons after missing half of the 2013 season due to injury. He was picked sixth overall by the Seahawks in 2010, making him only the second Oklahoma State offensive lineman ever picked in the first round of an NFL Draft, along with John Ward, who was selected 25th overall by the Vikings in 1970. Okung received a Pro Bowl nod in 2012 and played in Super Bowl XLVIII and Super Bowl XLIX with Seattle before joining the Broncos for the 2016 season.

G Ronald Leary, Dallas Cowboys | No. 4748 games/47 games started over five seasons; after spending the majority of his rookie season on the Cowboys practice squad, Leary became a full-time starter at left guard for the 2013 season and remained in that role until 2015 when he struggled to return in full form from an injury and was inactive for 10 straight games. After being inactive for the first two games of 2016, Leary played in Week 3 and then returned to a starting role with arguably the NFL's best offensive line for the remainder of the season. 

G Chance Warmack, Tennessee Titans | No. 5748 games/48 games started over four seasons; Warmack was drafted 10th overall by the Titans in 2013 and started every game at right guard for his first two seasons before missing two games in 2015. During the 2016 season, Warmack was placed on injured reserve in September with a hand injury.

T Matt Kalil, Minnesota Vikings | No. 6166 games played/66 games started over five seasons; the Vikings selected Kalil fourth overall in the 2012 NFL Draft, and he proceeded to start all 16 games at left tackle and be named to the Pro Bowl. Kalil played 66 games straight before undergoing hip surgery and being added to injured reserve after Week 2 of the 2016 season.

C Nick Mangold, New York Jets (released on Feb. 25) | No. 65164 games/164 games started over 11 seasons; Mangold went his first five seasons without missing a start, helping the Jets make consecutive appearances in AFC title games after 2009-10, and was named All-Pro after each of those seasons. The 33-year-old former first-round pick never missed more than one start in a season before landing on injured reserve and missing eight starts in 2016. He was recently released by the Jets.

T Kelvin Beachum, Jacksonville Jaguars | No. 6659 games/54 games started over five seasons; A seventh-round selection by Pittsburgh in 2012, Beachum started 39 of the 44 games he played for the Steelers, including 28 of 31 from 2013-14 before missing 10 games in 2015. Beachum started 15 games for the Jaguars in 2016 after signing a one-year deal.

C J.C. Tretter, Green Bay Packers | No. 6931 games/10 starts over three seasons; Tretter suffered an ankle injury that occurred in Green Bay's first organized team activity practice of 2013. The former fourth-round pick was in line to become the starter in 2014 but missed the first half of his second season because of a knee injury that occurred in a preseason game. Tretter played in all 16 games in 2015 and started all seven he played in 2016. He has experience at center, left guard and both tackle positions.

T Ryan Clady, New York Jets | No. 74107 games/106 games started over eight seasons; Clady spent his first seven pro seasons with the Broncos, during which he was a four-time Pro Bowler (2009, 2011-12, 2014) and was named All-Pro in 2009 and 2012. Clady suffered a torn ACL prior to the 2015 season and was placed on the Jets injured reserve list with a shoulder injury in November 2016.

T Mike Remmers, Carolina Panthers, No. 7638 games/37 games started over five seasons; after spending his first two seasons bouncing between teams – including a brief stint with the Vikings in 2013 – Remmers has been with the Panthers for the past three seasons. He helped Carolina to its appearance in Super Bowl 50.

Defensive linemen

DE Calais Campbell, Arizona Cardinals | No. 2138 games/120 games started over nine seasons; still only 30 years old, Campbell has played his entire career thus far for the Cardinals. The 6-foot-8 lineman has tallied 496 tackles (373 solo), 56.5 sacks, 42 passes defended, eight forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries (one for a touchdown), three interceptions and two safeties. Campbell is a two-time Pro Bowler, being invited to the all-star game in 2014 and 2015.

DT Brandon Williams, Baltimore Ravens | No. 355 games/46 games played in four seasons; over his career, Williams has recorded 164 tackles (101 solo), 4.5 sacks, three passes defensed, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Williams has primarily played nose tackle for the Ravens, although in 2014 he also appeared as a defensive end.

DT Dontari Poe, Kansas City Chiefs | No. 1078 games/76 games started in five seasons; having received Pro Bowl nods in two of his five seasons (2013, 2014), Poe has recorded 202 tackles (156 solo), 13 sacks, 12 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery for the Chiefs. Poe was the 11th overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft.

DT Johnathan Hankins, New York Giants | No. 1152 games/41 games started in four seasons; Hankins has totaled 140 tackles (89 solo), 10 sacks, four passes defensed and three forced fumbles during his time with the Giants. He became a full-time starter in 2014 but missed the final six regular-season games of the 2015 season with a pectoral injury.

DE Alan Branch, New England Patriots | No. 21139 games/79 games started in 10 seasons; over his career, Branch has recorded 274 tackles (174 solo), 10.5 sacks, 12 passes defensed, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Selected 33rd overall by the Cardinals in 2007, Branch has played for four teams, most recently spending 2014-16 – and winning Super Bowls XLIX and LI – with the Patriots.

DE Chris Baker, Washington Redskins | No. 2678 games/42 games started in seven seasons; over his career, Baker has tallied 168 tackles (97 solo), 12.5 sacks, four passes defensed, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Baker became a full-time starter with Washington in 2014 and over the past two seasons has been the team's most disruptive defensive lineman.

DE Jabaal Sheard, New England Patriots | No. 2989 games/59 games started in six seasons; after spending four seasons with the Browns, Sheard transitioned to New England, where he earned Super Bowl rings in 2015 and 2016. Sheard has recorded 260 tackles (170 total), 36 sacks, 18 passes defensed, two fumble recoveries and an impressive 11 forced fumbles over his career.

DT Nick Fairley, New Orleans Saints | No. 3077 games/46 games played in six seasons; over his career, Fairley has tallied 170 tackles (113 solo), 20.5 sacks, three passes defensed, five forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries, including one for a touchdown. Fairley was a first-round draft pick (13th overall) by the Lions in 2011 and spent four years in Detroit before playing for the Rams in 2015 and the Saints in 2016.

DT Bennie Logan, Philadelphia Eagles | No. 3759 games/51 games started in four seasons; Logan became a full-time starter during his second NFL season and has totaled 167 tackles (124 solo), 5.5 tackles, a pass defensed, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries over his time in Philadelphia.

DE Charles Johnson, Carolina Panthers | No. 44131 games/103 games started in 10 seasons; over his tenure in Carolina, Johnson has recorded 310 tackles (224 solo), 67.5 sacks, 24 passes defensed, 17 forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. In 2010, 2012 and 2013, Johnson notched 10-plus sacks.

DE Jared Odrick, Jacksonville Jaguars (released on Feb. 20) | No. 4987 games/63 games started in seven seasons; Odrick has spent his entire career in Florida, most recently playing back-to-back seasons for the Jaguars after five years with the Dolphins. He's recorded 170 tackles (136 solo), 23 sacks, 15 passes defensed, five forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and an interception and has played defensive end, defensive tackle and linebacker.

DE Lawrence Guy, Baltimore Ravens | No. 5467 games/20 games started in five seasons; over his career, Guy has tallied 129 tackles (69 solo), 6.5 sacks, seven passes defensed, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. Guy has bounced around the league, playing for the Colts, Chargers and Ravens. He was more heavily utilized by the Ravens defense in 2015 and 2016, starting 17 games and notching 74 tackles 5.5 sacks.

DE Mario Williams, Miami Dolphins | No. 56158 games/150 games started in 11 seasons; over his career, Williams has totaled 399 tackles (317 total), 97.5 sacks, 22 passes defensed, 16 forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries, including one for a touchdown. Williams has five seasons with 10-plus sacks and is a four-time Pro Bowler (2008-09; 2013-14). He was also named All-Pro in 2014.

DE Dwight Freeney, Atlanta Falcons | No. 59209 games/157 games started; Freeney has been a defensive force in the NFL for 15 seasons, during which he has totaled 330 tackles (281 solo), 122.5 sacks, 16 passes defensed and a safety. He also has 23 fumble recoveries (one for a score) and 46 forced fumbles. Freeney started his career with four straight seasons of 10-plus tackles and later had a three-year streak from 2008-10. He is a nine-time Pro Bowler (2003-05 and 2008-11) and was named All-Pro in 2004, 2005 and 2009. The defensive end spent the majority of his career with the Colts but since 2013 has played for the Colts, Cardinals and Falcons. Freeney helped the Colts to a Super Bowl XLI victory and also played in Super Bowl XLIV (Colts) and in Super Bowl LI (Falcons).

DE Andre Branch, Miami Dolphins | No. 6767 games/24 games started over five seasons; over his career, Branch has totaled 139 tackles (96 solo), 19.5 sacks, 12 passes defended, seven forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and one fumble return touchdown. Selected in the second round by Jacksonville in 2012, he started 13 of 51 games he played in four seasons, posting a career-best 6.0 sacks in 2013. He joined the Dolphins on a one-year deal and started 11 of the 16 games he played for the Dolphins, recording 5.5 sacks.

DE Devin Taylor, Detroit Lions | No. 8961 games/18 games started over four seasons; Taylor was drafted 132nd overall by the NFC North rival Lions in 2013. Since then, he has recorded 93 tackles (70 solo), 15.0 sacks, three passes defensed, four forced fumbles and a safety.

DT Terrell McClain, Dallas Cowboys | No. 9166 games/27 games started over six seasons; McClain has 89 tackles (58 solo), 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries over his career McClain started all 12 games he played as a rookie for Carolina in 2011 and did not start a game again until 2016, when he started 15 games for the Cowboys in the most productive season of his career.

DE Karl Klug, Tennessee Titans | No. 9294 games/7 games started over six seasons; over his career in Tennessee, Klug has totaled 110 tackles (74 solo), 20.0 sacks, eight passes defensed, five forced fumbles and one fumble recovered and returned for a touchdown. Klug, who shares the hometown of Caledonia, Minnesota, with Vikings wide receiver Isaac Fruechte, is coming off a torn Achilles tendon suffered in Week 15 of last season.

DE Chris Long, New England Patriots | No. 94130 games/102 games started over nine seasons; over his career, Long has recorded 282 tackles (217 solo), 58.5 sacks, 11 passes defensed, nine forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries, including one for a touchdown. Long spent eight seasons with the Rams before playing for New England in 2016, during which he led the Patriots defense in snaps and quarterback pressures and helped them to a Super Bowl LI victory.

DE Margus Hunt, Cincinnati Bengals | No. 9744 games/0 games started in four seasons; since being drafted 53rd overall by the Bengals in 2013, Hunt has seen limited game action, totaling 28 tackles (14) solo, 1.5 sacks and three passes defensed.

DT Sylvester Williams, Denver Broncos | No. 10160 games/48 games played in four seasons; a first-round draft pick (28th overall) in 2013, Williams has been a full-time starter for the Broncos over the past three seasons. Over his career, he has totaled 98 tackles (69 solo), 5.5 sacks, two passes defensed and a fumble recovery. Williams helped the Broncos to a 24-10 win over the Panthers in Super Bowl 50, during which he recorded two tackles.