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Free Agency is now about 15 minutes old officially, and we still don’t have any signings announced for the Minnesota Vikings. But the departures are coming fast and furious.
The Vikings are already down a punter, they’re out of the Alshon Jeffery sweepstakes, and they have lost out on a few high-priced offensive line targets. And now they have lost their best blocker in Rhett Ellison.
(I’m kidding. OK, half-kidding. Wait, am I actually kidding?)
The New York Giants quickly swooped in and picked Ellison up for a pretty hefty chunk of change, according to Adam Schefter:
Chris Baker 3-yr deal with Bucs...$6M+ per yr
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2017
Rhett Ellison 4-yr $18M deal with Giants with $8M fully guaranteed at signing
Eight million dollars guaranteed for someone with 51 career receptions over four seasons might seem ridiculous at first, but of course catching passes isn’t Ellison’s forte. He is one of the better blocking tight ends in the league and has been named the Vikings’ “Secret Superstar” by Pro Football Focus. Since the Giants already have Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard, and Brandon Marshall, Ellison’s assignments will likely be similar in New York.
Best of luck to Ellison going forward. It was great to see him furiously rehab from a serious knee injury to get ready for the 2016 season and perform at a high level. Enjoy the new contract.