Mock Draft 3.3.16

The salary cap for 2017 is 155.27 mil. The Vikings have 24.8 mil available according to overthecap.com.

Here is how the numbers break down ...

Cap         -    155,270,000
Carryover     -     2,384,159
Total Cap    -    157,654,159
Top 51         -    132,363,905
Dead Money    -    485,386
Available    -    24,804,868


I have been using a fun tool at fanspeak called manage the cap http://fanspeak.com/mtc/.  Using this as a guide here are the moves I would make ...

Cuts
Mike Wallace
Matt Kalil
Phil Loadholt
John Sullivan

Trade
I would trade AP and out last pick 7.23 to the Texans for their 3rd (3.22) and a future 2017 conditional 6th round pick.

These moves save 44.7 mil making he available cap number 69.5 mil

Signings
Rhett Ellison (TE) give a 3 year offer for $1,600,000 per year
Mike Harris (OT) give a 2 year offer for $2,000,000 per year
Zach Line (FB) give a 2 year offer for $760,000 per year
Adam Thielen (FB) give a 2 year offer for $760,000 per year
Carter Bykowski (FB) give a 2 year offer for $760,000 per year
Phil Loadholt (RT) give a 4 year offer for $5,000,000 per year
John Sullivan (OC) give a 4 year offer for $4,000,000 per year
Matt Kalil (LT) give a 2 year offer for $6,000,000 per year

Mohamed Sanu (WR) accepted your 4 year offer for $3,750,000 per year
George Iloka (S) accepted your 5 year offer for $7,400,000 per year
Derrick Shelby (DE) accepted your 4 year offer for $3,500,000 per year
Zach Brown (OLB) accepted your 4 year offer for $3,500,000 per year
Patrick Robinson (CB) accepted your 4 year offer for $3,750,000 per year
Lamar Miller (RB) accepted your 4 year offer for $5,500,000 per year
Kendall Reyes (DT) accepted your 2 year offer for $1,750,000 per year

These deals have a first year cap hit of 43.5 mil making the available cap number 26 mil.

We set aside the rookie money (about 6 mil) which makes the remaining available cap number 20 mil.

Last but not least, Harrison Smith would get a 5 year $48 mil offer which would have a 1st year cap hit of 5.1 mil which is less than his current cap hit of 5.278 mil so there is no change to the cap.


Now, with 20 mil still leftover the Vikings could bring back some of their own players like Newman, Greenway, Sherels, & Asiata on cheap deals.  There also could be other players signed for cheap 1 year deals too.  All these contracts would probably be non guaranteed.

The Vikings have the #1.23.23, #2.23.54, #3.22.85, #3.23.86, #3.31.95, #4.23.118, #5.21.148, #6.5.162, & #7.19.208 picks.

Trade 1: The Vikings trade #1.23 to Denver for the #31, #95 (3.32), & #196 (7.7) picks
In the actual NFL 2013 draft, the Rams traded #22 & a 2015 7th to the Falcons for #30, #92, & #198 so this is pretty instructive.

Trade 2:  The Vikings trade #86 (3.23) to the Chiefs for #91 (3.28) & #151 (5.23)


I am using the drafttek mock as a guide.  Denver should receive 3 compensatory picks and probably will get a 3rd, 4th & 6th.

This is the reason why I think they would want to move up to get Taylor Decker or maybe even Darron Lee since they could lose Trevathan and maybe even Brandon Marshall.

1.31.31  - Eli Apple CB Ohio State  6'1" 199  4.4 forty

2.23.54  - Germain Ifedi OT/OG Texas A&M  6'6" 324 36" arms

3.22.85  - Sterling Shepherd WR Oklahoma  5'10" 194  4.48 forty

3.28.91  - Kamalei Correa LB Boise State  6'3" 243  4.69 forty

3.31.95  - Karl Joseph SS West Virginia  5"10 205  4.46 forty?

4.23.118 - Jihad Ward DE Illinois  6'5" 297

5.21.148 - Kenny Lawyer WR Cal  6'2" 203 4.64 forty?

5.23.151 - CJ Prosise RB Notre Dame  6'0" 220 4.48 forty

6.5.162  - Max Tuerk C USC  6'5" 298

7.7.196  - Willie Henry DT Michigan  6'3" 303

7.19.208 - Joe Dahl OG Washington  6'4" 304

UDFA
LeShaun Sims CB Southern Utah
Beau Sandland TE Montana State
Montese Overton LB East Carolina
Mike Thomas WR Southern Mississippi
Jeff Driskel QB Louisiana Tech
Josh Forrest LB Kentucky
Ugonna Awuruonye DE Campbell
Riley Dixon P Syracuse
Devon Cajuste WR Stanford
Tyler Johnstone OT Oregon
Vi Teofilo OG Arizona State


I realize that trading away AP and bringing back all our two injured linemen plus Kalil on cheaper deals is probably not ideal.  Well, since there is 20 mil in cap space left over I can easily not trade AP and then not sign Lamar Miller.  All it would do is take the remaining cap down to 14 mil.

I think bringing back the linemen provides some stability and excellent depth.  Combine those moves with the drafting of Ifedi, Tuerk, and Dahl and I am not sure what more anyone could want.  Of course this hinges on the 3 current Vikings players willingly accepting lesser deals.

I could see the Vikings bringing back Wallace for about 6 mil per year too since the free agent market is not too attractive.  With the signing of Sanu and drafting of Shepherd and Lawson there are a lot of receivers.  I may have went over board but the Vikings may be wise to try and trade CP84 and Johnson.

I know people do not like the Apple pick but Zimmer said he may draft another corner early the other day and I think he is serious.  He loves those early round corners.

Well have at it and blast away!!!