Team Cap Space and Draft Capital

It just concerns me when they failed to pick up anybody decent last year

They didn't want to pick up anybody decent last year, because Poles wanted to reset the salary cap and get a head start on reshaping the roster to suit the schemes the new coaches were going to implement. Ownership green lighted that plan. It was common knowledge and outlined in many press reports.

opted to cut some young players with upside (Tonga / Shelley)

Maybe because they didn't fit the new schemes or the profile of what the new coach wanted.

and the regime's new players mostly consisted of mediocre vets who had experience with Eberflus' defense who stunk and aren't usable in 2023

Really?

PLAYER	POS.	SNAP COUNT	ACQUIRED
Jaquan Brisker	DB	88%	2022 draft. Bears Rd 2 #48
Kyler Gordon	CB	80%	2022 draft. Bears Rd 2 #39
Jaylon Jones	CB	43%	2022 UDFA Bears
Eddie Jackson	SS	64%	2017 draft Bears Rd 4 #112
DeAndre Houston-Carson	FS	38%	2016 draft Bears Rd 6 #185
Kindle Vildor	CB	49%	2022 draft Bears Rd 5 #163
Nicolas Morrow	LB	99%	2022 Free Agent (2017 UDFA Raiders)
Travis Gipson	LB	60%	2020 draft Bears Rd 5 #155
Joe Thomas	LB	38%	2022 Free Agent (2014 UDFA Packers )
Justin Jones	DT	68%	2018 draft Chargers Rd 3 #84
Armon Watts	DT	49%	2019 draft Vikings Rd 6 #190
Dominique Robinson	DE	51%	2022 draft Bears Rd 5 #174
Al-Quadin Muhammad	DE	56%	2017 draft Saints Rd 6 #196

So there is a list of defensive guys who played a significant amount of snaps.
I see rookies, I see players the previous regime drafted, what I don't see is "mostly vets with experience in Eberflus system"
Perhaps you could fill in the gaps with all the guys who followed Eberflus from the Colts?

and they gave away the #32 pick for Chase Claypool,

Who came in half way through the season and had to learn a new scheme with a new QB.
They liked the player and didn't want to fight for him in free agency this year, so they traded a pick for him. Did they pay too much? Maybe, but I'll hold off until I see what Claypool does in 2023 before I say Poles screwed up.

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Team Cap Space and Draft Capital Mar 11, 2023 22:30:49 GMT -6

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Post by Danchat on Mar 11, 2023 22:30:49 GMT -6

Mar 11, 2023 21:56:49 GMT -6 @aussie61 said:

They didn't want to pick up anybody decent last year, because Poles wanted to reset the salary cap and get a head start on reshaping the roster to suit the schemes the new coaches were going to implement. Ownership green lighted that plan. It was common knowledge and outlined in many press reports.

The one big contract they did attempt to hand out was DL Larry Ogunjobi on a $15M a year deal, but they voided it after his physical, and from what we saw with him from the Steelers, that would not have been a wise use of their money.

Mar 11, 2023 21:56:49 GMT -6 @aussie61 said:

what I don't see is "mostly vets with experience in Eberflus system"
Perhaps you could fill in the gaps with all the guys who followed Eberflus from the Colts?

Looking more into it, there weren't many vets who actually had experience in Eberflus' system, so I was wrong about that. But the vets I was referring to were Al-Quadin Muhammad, Angelo Blackson and Mike Pennel (those two being cited as the reasons they felt comfortable releasing Tonga), Justin Jones, and Joe Thomas. Also the WRs they brought in like Pringle, Pettis, St. Brown, and Harry.

Mar 11, 2023 21:56:49 GMT -6 @aussie61 said:

Who came in half way through the season and had to learn a new scheme with a new QB.
They liked the player and didn't want to fight for him in free agency this year, so they traded a pick for him. Did they pay too much? Maybe, but I'll hold off until I see what Claypool does in 2023 before I say Poles screwed up.

That sounds like excuses to me... we'll see next year, but his production was so scant you have to be worried.

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Team Cap Space and Draft Capital Mar 12, 2023 11:08:53 GMT -6 Funkytown and Danchat like this

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Post by MidwinterViking on Mar 12, 2023 11:08:53 GMT -6

Mar 11, 2023 21:56:49 GMT -6 @aussie61 said:

Link:

purpleptsd.com/2023/vikings/top_news/vikings-3rd-largest-cap-hit/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

and they gave away the #32 pick for Chase Claypool,

Who came in half way through the season and had to learn a new scheme with a new QB.
They liked the player and didn't want to fight for him in free agency this year, so they traded a pick for him. Did they pay too much? Maybe, but I'll hold off until I see what Claypool does in 2023 before I say Poles screwed up.

What are you talking? As soon as they gave up that 2nd round pick the guy came in and immediately dominated. Not only did he pick up the playbook on the way into town but had to compete for looks with a dudes who had multiple offseason with the QB to the point that he set the team's single game record for receptions.

oh, wait...

Never mind. That was the guy the Vikings traded a 2nd round pick for.

Yeah. Claypool was a disaster. 14 catches / 140 yards / 0 TDs in 7 games is an embarrassment. That's 2 games for TJ Hockenson (but only if Hockenson leaves the 2nd game at halftime). Jalen Nailor put up 146/1 TD in 2 games... while playing 42 snaps in those two games combine.

If the excuse is "needed to learn the playbook" then every concern about Claypool being a head case is warranted and that was a horrible play eval by the Bears and Poles deserves to get roasted for it.

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Team Cap Space and Draft Capital Mar 13, 2023 9:46:20 GMT -6

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Post by Funkytown on Mar 13, 2023 9:46:20 GMT -6

oldbeagle - Currently, the Vikings’ 3rd-Largest Cap Hit is…Dead Money

The wild thing is that as of right now, the Vikings’ 3rd-largest cap hit doesn’t belong to a player. Instead, it belongs to the leftover money of players who used to be on the roster. Dead money – when added all together – comes in at 3rd.

Kirk Cousins, of course, is coming in at the top spot. His $36.25 million cap hit in 2023 easily dwarfs all other options, far surpassing Brian O’Neill’s – a restructure candidate – nearly $19.7 million hit. The next individual player is Harrison Smith, but his current $19.1 million hit is actually the 4th-most expensive hit on the books.

The dead money gets the bronze medal, coming in at a whopping $19,522,661.

The wild thing is that the number is likely to grow. What happens if the Dalvin Cook trade speculation isn’t all for nought? If the veteran RB gets shipped out of town, the Vikings will add on another $6,202,545 in dead money.

And what about the Za’Darius Smith situation? Perhaps the likeliest outcome is a trade given his self-professed desire to play with a different team. A departure for the still-strong EDGE would leave behind $3,333,334.

We could go on, dissecting the chances of piling on $11,747,648 from a Harrison Smith cut, $187,695 from a D.J. Wonnum departure, and/or $1,500,000 from a Jordan Hicks subtraction. Failing to extend Dalvin Tomlinson will kick another $7,500,000 on the pile.

A couple seasons ago, the Los Angeles Rams won the Lombardi Trophy with a truly ghastly dead cap bill: a stunning $49+ million. Kevin O’Connell was the offensive coordinator on that team, so Minnesota understands that huge dead money isn’t necessarily the death knell of a team’s competitive chances.

Nevertheless, it’s hard to ignore the huge money that exists on the sidelines (so to speak). Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has had to navigate a tricky budget since taking over – in a lot of ways, it’s what he signed up for – so the current situation isn’t anything new.

Hopefully, the GM has a few tricks up his sleeve. The roster needs a lot of work and money isn’t particularly abundant. As the day proceeds, we’ll get further clarity on the purple budget for 2023 and beyond.

Last Edit: Mar 13, 2023 9:47:30 GMT -6 by Funkytown

Funkytown Owner Purple Pain Big Dog Posts: 67,627 Likes: 31,559 Fan Since: 1998 Member is Online	Team Cap Space and Draft Capital Mar 14, 2023 7:39:25 GMT -6 via mobile Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Funkytown on Mar 14, 2023 7:39:25 GMT -6

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Team Cap Space and Draft Capital Mar 14, 2023 7:57:31 GMT -6 NoresemanSam, Brandon, and 1 more like this

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Post by diehardtwinsfan on Mar 14, 2023 7:57:31 GMT -6

Mar 14, 2023 7:39:25 GMT -6 Funkytown said:

This isn't too surprising. When you push contracts into the future, at some point you have to pay the piper. I'm glad the FO isn't messing around with some of it. Clearing that space means we'll have space to make a better run down the road.

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Team Cap Space and Draft Capital Mar 14, 2023 8:16:36 GMT -6 via mobile Danchat, comet52, and 2 more like this

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Post by FSUVike on Mar 14, 2023 8:16:36 GMT -6

Mar 14, 2023 7:39:25 GMT -6 Funkytown said:

This isn't too surprising. When you push contracts into the future, at some point you have to pay the piper. I'm glad the FO isn't messing around with some of it. Clearing that space means we'll have space to make a better run down the road.

Yep. This is the 'tear the bandaid off' offseason that so many wanted last year. And yet it's not a complete rebuild.

I'm starting to hope that Kwesi gets 2024 picks for Z and Cook so he has more ammo to move up to get the QBOTF.

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Team Cap Space and Draft Capital Mar 14, 2023 8:19:44 GMT -6

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Post by diehardtwinsfan on Mar 14, 2023 8:19:44 GMT -6

This isn't too surprising. When you push contracts into the future, at some point you have to pay the piper. I'm glad the FO isn't messing around with some of it. Clearing that space means we'll have space to make a better run down the road.

Yep. This is the 'tear the bandaid off' offseason that so many wanted last year. And yet it's not a complete rebuild.

I'm starting to hope that Kwesi gets 2024 picks for Z and Cook so he has more ammo to move up to get the QBOTF.

Not a bad strategy, but how high of picks do you think either will get? I doubt either gets much more than a mid rounder to be honest. Perhaps I'm underestimating things a bit, but I cannot imagine Cook getting more than a 5th.. Maybe a 4th for Smith as he's going to want a new contract to go with. Neither would amount to much in terms of moving around in (presumably) the 1st.

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Team Cap Space and Draft Capital Mar 14, 2023 8:34:01 GMT -6 via mobile Josey Wales likes this

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Post by FSUVike on Mar 14, 2023 8:34:01 GMT -6

Mar 14, 2023 8:19:44 GMT -6 diehardtwinsfan said:

Yep. This is the 'tear the bandaid off' offseason that so many wanted last year. And yet it's not a complete rebuild.

I'm starting to hope that Kwesi gets 2024 picks for Z and Cook so he has more ammo to move up to get the QBOTF.

Not a bad strategy, but how high of picks do you think either will get? I doubt either gets much more than a mid rounder to be honest. Perhaps I'm underestimating things a bit, but I cannot imagine Cook getting more than a 5th.. Maybe a 4th for Smith as he's going to want a new contract to go with. Neither would amount to much in terms of moving around in (presumably) the 1st.

An anonymous Assistant GM was quoted yesterday saying the entire Free Agent RB Market is on hold until Teams see if and where Cook goes. The NFL views Dalvin differently than Vikings fans.

But even 2 mid-round picks in '24 helps Kwesi. The more ammo the better to jump to fringe Top 10 territory where Jordan Travis or Pennix, Jr. or Jayden Daniels or Sam Hartman or maybe even Spencer Rattler will be available. Minnesota won't have a shot at Caleb Williams or Drake Maye, but they will have a shot at the logjam or guys in the tier right under them. I have all of them rated higher than Will Levis or Anthony Richardson currently.

Funkytown Owner Purple Pain Big Dog Posts: 67,627 Likes: 31,559 Fan Since: 1998 Member is Online	Team Cap Space and Draft Capital Mar 14, 2023 8:55:09 GMT -6 via mobile Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Funkytown on Mar 14, 2023 8:55:09 GMT -6

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Team Cap Space and Draft Capital Mar 14, 2023 8:56:12 GMT -6 via mobile

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Post by Funkytown on Mar 14, 2023 8:56:12 GMT -6

Mar 14, 2023 8:34:01 GMT -6 FSUVike said:

An anonymous Assistant GM was quoted yesterday saying the entire Free Agent RB Market is on hold until Teams see if and where Cook goes. The NFL views Dalvin differently than Vikings fans.

More positively or negatively?

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Team Cap Space and Draft Capital Mar 14, 2023 9:10:39 GMT -6 via mobile Funkytown likes this

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Post by FSUVike on Mar 14, 2023 9:10:39 GMT -6

Mar 14, 2023 8:56:12 GMT -6 Funkytown said:

Mar 14, 2023 8:34:01 GMT -6 FSUVike said:

An anonymous Assistant GM was quoted yesterday saying the entire Free Agent RB Market is on hold until Teams see if and where Cook goes. The NFL views Dalvin differently than Vikings fans.

More positively or negatively?

Positivity. Vikings fans see all the stops for no gains and fumbles. The NFL sees a home run hitter running behind a bad IOL in an IZB scheme that doesn't fit him at all. Who's also good enough at picking up the blitz. And I'm sure there are 31 OCs that think they have a better screen game than Minnesota.

The obstacle is the money. Once Dalvin and his Agent start drinking from the reality cup their asking price will come down. Ekeler hitting the market doesn't help, though. We'll see what happens.

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Team Cap Space and Draft Capital Mar 14, 2023 9:13:14 GMT -6 via mobile

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Post by comet52 on Mar 14, 2023 9:13:14 GMT -6

This isn't too surprising. When you push contracts into the future, at some point you have to pay the piper. I'm glad the FO isn't messing around with some of it. Clearing that space means we'll have space to make a better run down the road.

Yep. This is the 'tear the bandaid off' offseason that so many wanted last year. And yet it's not a complete rebuild.

I'm starting to hope that Kwesi gets 2024 picks for Z and Cook so he has more ammo to move up to get the QBOTF.

Totally on board with that approach. Imagine, we may finally have a g.m. who thinks strategically, the first since maybe, I dunno, Jim Freakin' Finks! After watching this franchise lurch this way and that through various internal power struggles and lack of direction for 40+ years of wandering in a football desert, it may actually be the new reality.

I'm here for entertainment purposes only

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Team Cap Space and Draft Capital Mar 14, 2023 9:38:50 GMT -6 via mobile

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Post by Brandon on Mar 14, 2023 9:38:50 GMT -6