The Mountain Does Not Go To the Money

The Money Goes to the Mountain

The Minnesota Vikings on Friday night reached agreement with standout left offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie on a new seven-year, $48.5 million contract, team and league sources confirmed. The deal takes the fifth-year veteran out of the unrestricted free agent market next spring.

This makes me quite happy, for a couple of reasons.

1. The ass-kicking left side of our offensive line is now going to be together until at least 2013.
2. If you'll recall, Steve Hutchinson's contract had a clause in it that states all his money ($49 million) becomes guaranteed if there comes a point where he isn't the highest paid O-lineman on the team.  Hutch has a $49 million deal. . .McKinnie's deal?  $48.5 million.  Half a million less than Hutch, which means his total compensation is less (by $500,000), and his annual average is less (by about $80,000/year).  Again, tell me that Rob Brzezinski doesn't rule the known world and several outlying planets.
3. This is just one less thing we have to worry about next year, when McKinnie would have become a free agent, and we no doubt would have ended up franchising him and STILL possibly losing him to another team.