Post by mikenessfan on Feb 19, 2024 19:29:25 GMT -6
In 2022, it was Kwesi's first year on the job, and Kirk's 1-yr extension wasn't finalized until 3/13/22, 3 days before the 2022 League Year started on 3/16/22 and 1 day before "legal tampering" was allowed on 3/14/22. This delayed any decision on Hunter's deal and it wasn't until 3/22/22 that they converted an $18m roster bonus to a signing bonus. In 2023, the decision to convert Kirk's $20m roster bonus to a signing bonus was done on 3/14/23, 1 day before the 2023 League Year started on 3/15/23. In both instances, Kirk's contract situation going into the 11th hr hindered the Viking's ability to be ready and active participants in the legal tampering periods and that first, highly-active wave of free agency....
...and it appears we're headed into the same situation this year, with Kirk's negotiations headed for an 11th hr decision, which could delay Hunter's contract situation and possibly hinder the Viking's ability to appropriately be ready for the legal tampering period and the highly-active first wave of free agency. And quite honestly, with so many holes to fill through free agency (due to the failed Draft selections of Spielman & Kwesi), we can't afford to be behind the proverbial eight-ball yet again, especially if everyone in the Front Office wants to continue this "competitive rebuild" model...
The lack of a clear sense of urgency in getting the key contract situations done well before the start of the league year has been one of things I put on the "cons" list for Kwesi so far during his regime...and it appears, for now at least, it won't be rectified this offseason...
I don't think I agree here. To me it looks like both sides have drawn a line in the sand. The Vikings want short term and flexibility and Kirk's side wants guarantees. At this point neither are budging. I imagine the Vikes are just gonna let it run through the combine, let Kirk's people see what the market is and if they want to bend, if not see ya.
Regarding it interfering with Hunter, I doubt it. It's probably the same thing because Kirk and Danielle are in similar situations, contracts voiding with dead cap hits coming if that happens. Go get an idea of your market and come talk if you want to play ball.
I've been of the belief since last year that the die was cast on Kirk and that the Vikes are prepared to move on for real this time.
I don't think Kirk's contract question stopped them from making free agency moves. I don't think Kwesi wanted to do much more than was necessary at the time. For a while I've had a theory that Kwesi started the rebuild under everyone's noses and part of it was by holding back on free agency last year. They could've made moves, but they held back. He gave us the hint when he talked about Kirk last year at the Combine. They wanted flexibility, Kirk wanted stability. I doubt that flexibility comment was just for Kirk.
A lot of us and people in the media thought 2022 was a fluke, see the never ending are they frauds thread as proof. It's likely that some in the front office saw it too. If you think it's a fluke and know you're going to have to rebuild why sink money into it unless it's going to pay off in the future? Free agency isn't for building a team, free agency is for filling holes. Last year's free agency was clearly a little bucket of spackle for a patch job.
I absolutely would not be shocked to find out a year from now that the Vikes and Kirk had an understanding at this point that it's over and they'll make it look good for the cameras and he'll just walk in free agency and find the deal that works him elsewhere. Let him use the Vikings as leverage in the meantime.
It's not like they can trade him or get anything for him. If they've mutually decided that they can't find a deal that works for both sides there's nothing being hurt by putting on a show to let him pump up his value elsewhere.
Great post this is the way I have been seeing it too. Vikings are all about flexibility right now and fully guaranteeing Kirk does not give them flexibility. So they are going to let Kirk shop the market and see what kind of offers come in. If he can’t get what he is looking for then he will revisit talks with the Vikings. I think it’s pretty clear at least to me the Vikings are preparing to move in another direction at qb. Again just the sense I am getting, but the tea leaves are pointing to that.
... and neither is this Chris guy.