The Minnesota Vikings have continued to stay close to home looking for free agents. Recently, the team has announced that they had signed former Green Bay Packers first-rounder Datone Jones, which is just the latest in a string of links between the NFC North rivals.

Datone Jones is an athletic and talented linebacker who can truly contribute to the Vikings on the defensive end. According to Pro Football Rumors, Jones' deal with the Vikings is a one-year, $3.75 million contract, which can also go up to $5 million through incentives and bonuses, as tweeted by NFL.com's Mike Garafolo.

The 26-year-old Jones spent the 2016 NFL campaign playing outside linebacker in Green Bay's 3-4 front after playing in the early part of his career as a defensive end. The Vikings, currently, are running a 4-3 scheme, so he might be in store for a return to the defensive end.

Through four seasons with the Packers, the former first-round pick appeared in 59 total games but has only started in seven of them. Last year, Jones recorded totals of one sack and 22 tackles on 548 defensive snaps, placing him 61st in the league's most elite defenders among 109 qualifiers

Many analyst event rank Jones as the ninth-best free agent edge defender heading into the offseason. The Vikings are projected to start Brian Robison and Everson Griffen at defensive end.

According to Pro Football Talk, the team also have Danielle Hunter, Stephen Weatherly, and Tom Johnson under contract as reserves. The linebacker division, meanwhile, is looking very slim, with just five players under contract.

Jones, who has converted from defensive end to outside linebacker, is expected to be a defensive end in the Vikings' 4-3 defense. In other potential signings, Minnesota also had Packers former running back Eddie Lacy in for a few workouts, as well as intending to bring the tight end, Jared Cook, in if he gets out of Seattle without a deal.

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