Cap Set $255.4M

This can't be stated enough... great rookie contracts just became greater and smart FA signings that already happened look smarter... Now a guy could hold out, which might happen in a few off cases here or there, but for the most part this is going to really benefit the teams have managed their money well and by proxy have some to spend.



These are two very different situations. Hunter was coming back from his first full season after two injury plagued seasons. He was good, but not Hunteresque. From what was reported, he wanted to be paid like a top FA and bet on himself. Hunter wins that bet, but in fairness, I can get KAM's hesitancy, because if he doesn't improve or gets hurt, that contract isn't looking good. I say that as a guy willing to sign him.

As for JJ, I know we wanted him signed, but is that going to be possible until the QB situation is resolved? Had we drafted Levis or traded up for Richardson, I'd argue that it would have happened. We didn't. The same will happen this offseason. If Kirk signs a 3 year deal, I could see JJ going for 5, especially if there's a clear out after 3. If we draft a guy in the 1st round, I think JJ could sign as well. I don't see JJ signing a long term contract though if we keep kicking the can down the road with the QB situation.




I have done some reading on this, and there are rules as to what goes into escrow and what doesn't. I could be wrong, but if say JJ's 2025 salary is guaranteed, I don't think that's escrowed in 2024 (or at the very least not all of it), but if any part of his immediate bonus is prorated that most definitely is. Any bonus designated likely to be earned (i.e. the player hit that number the previous season) is escrowed as well if I remember right. There is a point though were that money has to be escrowed, but not necessarily immediately.

I would also point out that the Vikings are business and work with operating capital like any other business. Signing Hunter to an extension with a 30M signing bonus (just as an example) does not mean that the Wilf's personally wrote him a check. The Viking likely have 8 or even 9 figures worth of relatively liquid capital in various investments they can tap easily like any business does, or it's potentially in other holding companies owned by the Wilfs. The Wilfs may have to sign off on the deal, but it's not like they personally write a check out of their own accounts. I doubt any NFL team is run like a single member LLC where the lines between personal savings and business accounts can easily blur.

The Vikings haven't gone on a spending spree on a while, but it's not like they couldn't. The last time they really went out was probably when they signed Cousins. They had come off an NFCCG loss and had a bunch of free space, and they spent some money.