Post by Purple Pain on Feb 5, 2021 15:24:13 GMT -6
Some work from Chad Graff at The Athletic:
The Anthony Barr dilemma: What will the Vikings do with their $15.5M LB?
theathletic.com/2345150/2021/01/26/anthony-barr-vikings-contract-cut/
The Kyle Rudolph dilemma: With role diminished, is Vikings’ TE heading out?
theathletic.com/2347817/2021/01/28/kyle-rudolph-vikings-contract-cut/
The Riley Reiff dilemma: Is he too pricy for the cap-strapped Vikings to keep?
theathletic.com/2362748/2021/02/04/riley-reiff-vikings-contract-cut/
The Anthony Barr dilemma: What will the Vikings do with their $15.5M LB?
Where things stand
It may feel like ages ago, but it was only in March of 2019 that Barr spurned the New York Jets and returned to the Vikings on a contract that was worth less than what the Jets offered him. He said he felt sick to his stomach after agreeing to a deal with the Jets and wanted to return to the Zimmer-led Vikings.
But even if that contract isn’t halfway completed, Barr’s status is quite unclear. There are essentially three options for the Vikings. They could cut Barr, which would save $7.7 million against the cap but create $7.8 million in dead cap space for a team near the bottom of the league in cap room. Barr’s 2021 contract guarantees $7.1 million of his salary on the third day of the league year, which is March 19, so the Vikings will need a decision before then (and likely before March 17, which is the start of free agency). The Vikings could also try to re-structure Barr’s contract, which could help them lower Barr’s cap hit, but would also likely mean guaranteeing Barr more money in the short term. Or, lastly, the Vikings could leave his contract untouched and plan on returning Barr, who turns 29 in March. They could cut him after June 1 to save $12.9 million against the cap, but that seems unlikely because, at that point, they’d have little use for their newfound cap space.
The Vikings have not yet contacted Barr’s camp to express their plan, according to a source, but a decision looms in the coming weeks.
Why it’s a tough decision
Barr is one of Zimmer’s favorite players. He was the first player the Vikings drafted after Zimmer was hired, making Barr the No. 9 pick in the 2014 draft. And the respect is mutual. Barr enjoys playing for Zimmer so much that he turned down extra money with the Jets to stay with Zimmer.
While it’s true that the value of linebackers has diminished in the NFL in recent years with teams placing more of an emphasis on passing the ball and stopping the passing game, Zimmer still sees a lot of value in Barr. He has Barr occasionally practice with defensive linemen in order to continue to improve as a pass rusher. He trusts Barr to slow an opponent’s tight end or running back. And Barr can certainly stop the run much better than Wilson, the linebacker who played opposite him.
So, no, most teams would not see fit to have two linebackers with a combined cap hit of more than $28 million, as would be the case if the Vikings return Barr and middle linebacker Eric Kendricks on their current deals. But the Vikings aren’t like most teams. Zimmer does see value in having both of them, even on expensive deals.
Yet, at the same time, the Vikings need to find cap savings somewhere. They’re already among the teams closest to the cap, still need to account for signing their draft class, and have holes at safety, defensive tackle, and the offensive line.
The most likely outcome
There aren’t a lot of good options for the Vikings here. They need Barr to take a pay cut, but that’s a lot easier said than done. If they cut him, the cap savings isn’t that great and then they need a new linebacker for a position group that already doesn’t have much depth. If they keep him at the same cap hit, they’re spending nearly $30 million on two linebackers.
Plus, it’s hard to re-structure the contract of a player coming off a serious, season-ending injury. There’s always more risk in guaranteeing money to a player (which the Vikings would presumably have to do to re-structure Barr’s contract), but the Vikings are in a position where they have few other options. They’ve usually reserved re-structured contracts for players coming off strong seasons, typically treating it as a reward.
They’ll probably have to explain to Barr that in order to remain with the team, he needs to take a pay cut. That, obviously, is a big risk. If Barr agrees, it’s a huge win that allows you to return one of your most trusted players at a lower cap hit. But it can backfire if Barr is offended and tells the team to release him or keep him at the current deal. There just no way to know how he’ll react, especially since he’s already turned down more money to stay with the Vikings once.
It may feel like ages ago, but it was only in March of 2019 that Barr spurned the New York Jets and returned to the Vikings on a contract that was worth less than what the Jets offered him. He said he felt sick to his stomach after agreeing to a deal with the Jets and wanted to return to the Zimmer-led Vikings.
But even if that contract isn’t halfway completed, Barr’s status is quite unclear. There are essentially three options for the Vikings. They could cut Barr, which would save $7.7 million against the cap but create $7.8 million in dead cap space for a team near the bottom of the league in cap room. Barr’s 2021 contract guarantees $7.1 million of his salary on the third day of the league year, which is March 19, so the Vikings will need a decision before then (and likely before March 17, which is the start of free agency). The Vikings could also try to re-structure Barr’s contract, which could help them lower Barr’s cap hit, but would also likely mean guaranteeing Barr more money in the short term. Or, lastly, the Vikings could leave his contract untouched and plan on returning Barr, who turns 29 in March. They could cut him after June 1 to save $12.9 million against the cap, but that seems unlikely because, at that point, they’d have little use for their newfound cap space.
The Vikings have not yet contacted Barr’s camp to express their plan, according to a source, but a decision looms in the coming weeks.
Why it’s a tough decision
Barr is one of Zimmer’s favorite players. He was the first player the Vikings drafted after Zimmer was hired, making Barr the No. 9 pick in the 2014 draft. And the respect is mutual. Barr enjoys playing for Zimmer so much that he turned down extra money with the Jets to stay with Zimmer.
While it’s true that the value of linebackers has diminished in the NFL in recent years with teams placing more of an emphasis on passing the ball and stopping the passing game, Zimmer still sees a lot of value in Barr. He has Barr occasionally practice with defensive linemen in order to continue to improve as a pass rusher. He trusts Barr to slow an opponent’s tight end or running back. And Barr can certainly stop the run much better than Wilson, the linebacker who played opposite him.
So, no, most teams would not see fit to have two linebackers with a combined cap hit of more than $28 million, as would be the case if the Vikings return Barr and middle linebacker Eric Kendricks on their current deals. But the Vikings aren’t like most teams. Zimmer does see value in having both of them, even on expensive deals.
Yet, at the same time, the Vikings need to find cap savings somewhere. They’re already among the teams closest to the cap, still need to account for signing their draft class, and have holes at safety, defensive tackle, and the offensive line.
The most likely outcome
There aren’t a lot of good options for the Vikings here. They need Barr to take a pay cut, but that’s a lot easier said than done. If they cut him, the cap savings isn’t that great and then they need a new linebacker for a position group that already doesn’t have much depth. If they keep him at the same cap hit, they’re spending nearly $30 million on two linebackers.
Plus, it’s hard to re-structure the contract of a player coming off a serious, season-ending injury. There’s always more risk in guaranteeing money to a player (which the Vikings would presumably have to do to re-structure Barr’s contract), but the Vikings are in a position where they have few other options. They’ve usually reserved re-structured contracts for players coming off strong seasons, typically treating it as a reward.
They’ll probably have to explain to Barr that in order to remain with the team, he needs to take a pay cut. That, obviously, is a big risk. If Barr agrees, it’s a huge win that allows you to return one of your most trusted players at a lower cap hit. But it can backfire if Barr is offended and tells the team to release him or keep him at the current deal. There just no way to know how he’ll react, especially since he’s already turned down more money to stay with the Vikings once.
theathletic.com/2345150/2021/01/26/anthony-barr-vikings-contract-cut/
The Kyle Rudolph dilemma: With role diminished, is Vikings’ TE heading out?
Where things stand
It’s a delicate situation because of how long Rudolph has been with the Vikings and how well respected he is by coaches and teammates. As such, the team wants to make sure they handle this situation with respect regardless of the decision they make.
Plus, it’s not even clear where they stand. Rudolph seemed annoyed a year ago that he was forced to answer so many questions about why his name was in trade rumors but proclaimed that he showed up to spring workouts because he was a leader. By the end of the season, he seemed to realize that it was possible he may not return to Minnesota.
Yet it’s also worth noting that there are three years remaining on his contract, and cutting him doesn’t simply make the Vikings’ tough cap situation go away. The $5 million-plus they’d save by releasing him before June 1 would cover signing the draft class with a little more than $1 million left over.
It would become much more advantageous for the Vikings to cut Rudolph next season when releasing him would save $7.35 million on the cap and only cost $2.9 million in dead cap. But can the Vikings wait until then?
While Rudolph declined to chat with reporters after the season ended, he made his first public comments in a podcast with Ben Leber posted Monday where his tone sounded like someone who either wants a larger role in the passing game or wants to be cut so he can head somewhere who will give him one.
“I want to be a reason why we win a championship, but I don’t just want to be a swing tackle,” Rudolph said. He later added: “I just block every play pretty much. I think I’m more than capable as a pass-catcher and I don’t get to do it anymore, quite honestly.”
Why it’s a tough decision
We outlined some of the reasons above, including that Rudolph is well respected by the team and has worked with his charity to help serve the community. But here’s another reason it’s a tough decision. The Vikings simply use more tight ends than most teams.
Even if Smith Jr. and Conklin could adequately serve as the team’s top two players at the position, there’s little depth behind them and an injury to either of them would put the Vikings in a tough spot.
If they did cut Rudolph, the Vikings would almost certainly have to use a mid-round draft pick on a tight end and they already have a lot of priorities in the draft. Can they afford to add another?
On the flip side, the Vikings need to clear cap space as they prepare for the salary cap to drop due to the pandemic. Is it worth keeping Rudolph over someone like Riley Reiff or Anthony Barr?
“I’m realistic, and I see both sides,” Rudolph said on the podcast with Leber. “If I were the Wilfs, if I were (general manager) Rick (Spielman), I’m looking at this situation like, ‘Hey, we’re paying this guy a lot of money and you’re not using him. So why are we continuing to pay him a lot of money?’ … I talked about the salary cap before. We don’t know what it’s going to come down to, but for the first time in I don’t know how long, it’s not going to go up. And certainly, a lot of these contracts that were signed over the last few years, they were all signed assuming that the salary cap was going to go up maybe $10 million like it has every year for the last 10 years. So I certainly get it. I understand. With that being said, I think I’m worth every dime of my contract. That doesn’t mean that I’m used to my potential and I’m used to do what I do well. So it will be interesting over the next few months.”
The most likely outcome
This could still go either way, but after listening to Rudolph on Leber’s podcast, I’d guess it’s more likely that Rudolph is cut.
Plus, it’s certainly possible that Rudolph could force their hand by asking out before free agency begins in March so that he can find a new team in a more pass-happy offense. After all, Rudolph doesn’t sound willing to take a pay cut and definitely doesn’t seem enthralled about the idea of playing in the same role.
Toward the end of the podcast, Leber posed Rudolph a hypothetical question. If the Vikings found a way to keep you on the roster but it was in the same blocking-focused role, what would you say?
“It wouldn’t happen,” Rudolph said.
It’s a delicate situation because of how long Rudolph has been with the Vikings and how well respected he is by coaches and teammates. As such, the team wants to make sure they handle this situation with respect regardless of the decision they make.
Plus, it’s not even clear where they stand. Rudolph seemed annoyed a year ago that he was forced to answer so many questions about why his name was in trade rumors but proclaimed that he showed up to spring workouts because he was a leader. By the end of the season, he seemed to realize that it was possible he may not return to Minnesota.
Yet it’s also worth noting that there are three years remaining on his contract, and cutting him doesn’t simply make the Vikings’ tough cap situation go away. The $5 million-plus they’d save by releasing him before June 1 would cover signing the draft class with a little more than $1 million left over.
It would become much more advantageous for the Vikings to cut Rudolph next season when releasing him would save $7.35 million on the cap and only cost $2.9 million in dead cap. But can the Vikings wait until then?
While Rudolph declined to chat with reporters after the season ended, he made his first public comments in a podcast with Ben Leber posted Monday where his tone sounded like someone who either wants a larger role in the passing game or wants to be cut so he can head somewhere who will give him one.
“I want to be a reason why we win a championship, but I don’t just want to be a swing tackle,” Rudolph said. He later added: “I just block every play pretty much. I think I’m more than capable as a pass-catcher and I don’t get to do it anymore, quite honestly.”
Why it’s a tough decision
We outlined some of the reasons above, including that Rudolph is well respected by the team and has worked with his charity to help serve the community. But here’s another reason it’s a tough decision. The Vikings simply use more tight ends than most teams.
Even if Smith Jr. and Conklin could adequately serve as the team’s top two players at the position, there’s little depth behind them and an injury to either of them would put the Vikings in a tough spot.
If they did cut Rudolph, the Vikings would almost certainly have to use a mid-round draft pick on a tight end and they already have a lot of priorities in the draft. Can they afford to add another?
On the flip side, the Vikings need to clear cap space as they prepare for the salary cap to drop due to the pandemic. Is it worth keeping Rudolph over someone like Riley Reiff or Anthony Barr?
“I’m realistic, and I see both sides,” Rudolph said on the podcast with Leber. “If I were the Wilfs, if I were (general manager) Rick (Spielman), I’m looking at this situation like, ‘Hey, we’re paying this guy a lot of money and you’re not using him. So why are we continuing to pay him a lot of money?’ … I talked about the salary cap before. We don’t know what it’s going to come down to, but for the first time in I don’t know how long, it’s not going to go up. And certainly, a lot of these contracts that were signed over the last few years, they were all signed assuming that the salary cap was going to go up maybe $10 million like it has every year for the last 10 years. So I certainly get it. I understand. With that being said, I think I’m worth every dime of my contract. That doesn’t mean that I’m used to my potential and I’m used to do what I do well. So it will be interesting over the next few months.”
The most likely outcome
This could still go either way, but after listening to Rudolph on Leber’s podcast, I’d guess it’s more likely that Rudolph is cut.
Plus, it’s certainly possible that Rudolph could force their hand by asking out before free agency begins in March so that he can find a new team in a more pass-happy offense. After all, Rudolph doesn’t sound willing to take a pay cut and definitely doesn’t seem enthralled about the idea of playing in the same role.
Toward the end of the podcast, Leber posed Rudolph a hypothetical question. If the Vikings found a way to keep you on the roster but it was in the same blocking-focused role, what would you say?
“It wouldn’t happen,” Rudolph said.
theathletic.com/2347817/2021/01/28/kyle-rudolph-vikings-contract-cut/
The Riley Reiff dilemma: Is he too pricy for the cap-strapped Vikings to keep?
Where things stand
Reiff turned 32 in December and now prepares to enter the final season of the five-year contract he signed with the Vikings in 2017. They brought him in to stabilize the line and be a veteran voice in the locker room. O’Neill is among the players that has credited Reiff for his development.
But Reiff’s contract is also structured such that it would be easy (and potentially prudent) to release him. If the Vikings cut Reiff (regardless of whether it was before or after June 1), they’d save $11.75 million against the cap while only incurring $2.2 million in dead cap.
That’s a whole lot of savings with little penalty for a team that’s already among the closest to the cap and is expecting the salary cap to drop this offseason due to the pandemic. Both sides expect conversations to take place in the coming month. It’s possible that during those talks, the Vikings ask Reiff to take another pay cut.
But what’s unknown is what Reiff thinks. He already begrudgingly took a pay cut before the season started just because the Vikings had traded for a defensive end that they only had for six games before trading away. We know he wasn’t thrilled the first time the Vikings demanded a pay cut. Would he really be willing to accept a second pay cut in seven months?
Why it’s a tough decision
Reiff’s contract is one of the easiest for the Vikings to cut without facing penalty. In most situations, he’d be an obvious cap casualty. But the Vikings are in the process of trying to improve their offensive line, not make it worse. So they’re left with the unenviable task of deciding whether it’s worth making your offensive line worse to save $11.75 million.
If they do decide to cut Reiff, they need a backup plan. They drafted Cleveland to take over for Reiff, but the fact that they only trusted Cleveland to play guard as a rookie raises some concerns. Oli Udoh likely isn’t ready to be a full-time left tackle. Rashod Hill is another option, but he’s a pending free agent and could have options elsewhere. Or the Vikings could draft another offensive lineman, but that would mean waiting to address their other positions of need, including at defensive tackle, defensive end, safety, cornerback and linebacker.
Cleveland did have some moments of impressive play as a rookie, but he also had some struggles. It would be a big ask (and a bit of a risk) if the Vikings moved him to the offensive line’s most important position. Plus, if they did, they’d have to replace both guard positions.
On the other hand, they constrain themselves if they return Reiff on his current contract. They have a lot of positions that they need to address after getting cap compliant, and that’s not easy if Reiff returns with a $13.9 million cap hit. That would be the fourth-highest cap hit on the Vikings and the 11th-highest among left tackles.
The most likely outcome
I would be surprised if Reiff agreed to yet another pay cut. I would also be surprised if the Vikings found his $13.9 million cap hit palatable.
Because of that, I think the most likely outcome is Reiff being cut to save more than $11 million, allowing the Vikings room to sign a veteran safety and a veteran defensive tackle. There’s still a chance that Reiff expresses interest in returning on a lower cap hit. And I’m not ready to rule out the possibility that the Vikings return Reiff on his current deal out of fear of making the offensive line worse.
But if we’re talking about the most likely outcome, that would be the Vikings moving on from Reiff. It’s a tough call because of the fact that Reiff did play pretty well last season. But with a tough salary cap situation, the Vikings are going to need to make some difficult decisions, and this is one of them.
Reiff turned 32 in December and now prepares to enter the final season of the five-year contract he signed with the Vikings in 2017. They brought him in to stabilize the line and be a veteran voice in the locker room. O’Neill is among the players that has credited Reiff for his development.
But Reiff’s contract is also structured such that it would be easy (and potentially prudent) to release him. If the Vikings cut Reiff (regardless of whether it was before or after June 1), they’d save $11.75 million against the cap while only incurring $2.2 million in dead cap.
That’s a whole lot of savings with little penalty for a team that’s already among the closest to the cap and is expecting the salary cap to drop this offseason due to the pandemic. Both sides expect conversations to take place in the coming month. It’s possible that during those talks, the Vikings ask Reiff to take another pay cut.
But what’s unknown is what Reiff thinks. He already begrudgingly took a pay cut before the season started just because the Vikings had traded for a defensive end that they only had for six games before trading away. We know he wasn’t thrilled the first time the Vikings demanded a pay cut. Would he really be willing to accept a second pay cut in seven months?
Why it’s a tough decision
Reiff’s contract is one of the easiest for the Vikings to cut without facing penalty. In most situations, he’d be an obvious cap casualty. But the Vikings are in the process of trying to improve their offensive line, not make it worse. So they’re left with the unenviable task of deciding whether it’s worth making your offensive line worse to save $11.75 million.
If they do decide to cut Reiff, they need a backup plan. They drafted Cleveland to take over for Reiff, but the fact that they only trusted Cleveland to play guard as a rookie raises some concerns. Oli Udoh likely isn’t ready to be a full-time left tackle. Rashod Hill is another option, but he’s a pending free agent and could have options elsewhere. Or the Vikings could draft another offensive lineman, but that would mean waiting to address their other positions of need, including at defensive tackle, defensive end, safety, cornerback and linebacker.
Cleveland did have some moments of impressive play as a rookie, but he also had some struggles. It would be a big ask (and a bit of a risk) if the Vikings moved him to the offensive line’s most important position. Plus, if they did, they’d have to replace both guard positions.
On the other hand, they constrain themselves if they return Reiff on his current contract. They have a lot of positions that they need to address after getting cap compliant, and that’s not easy if Reiff returns with a $13.9 million cap hit. That would be the fourth-highest cap hit on the Vikings and the 11th-highest among left tackles.
The most likely outcome
I would be surprised if Reiff agreed to yet another pay cut. I would also be surprised if the Vikings found his $13.9 million cap hit palatable.
Because of that, I think the most likely outcome is Reiff being cut to save more than $11 million, allowing the Vikings room to sign a veteran safety and a veteran defensive tackle. There’s still a chance that Reiff expresses interest in returning on a lower cap hit. And I’m not ready to rule out the possibility that the Vikings return Reiff on his current deal out of fear of making the offensive line worse.
But if we’re talking about the most likely outcome, that would be the Vikings moving on from Reiff. It’s a tough call because of the fact that Reiff did play pretty well last season. But with a tough salary cap situation, the Vikings are going to need to make some difficult decisions, and this is one of them.
theathletic.com/2362748/2021/02/04/riley-reiff-vikings-contract-cut/
... and neither is this Chris guy.