Vikings Off Season Plan - Don’t Quit My Day Job Edition

What does Mark have in store for us this time?

By Mark P Feb 18, 2019, 2:46pm CST

OK boys and girls. Time for an off season plan that is completely mental. This is not going to be for the faint of heart and there will be plenty of uproar (as per usual actually). But I want to throw a monkey wrench into the thought process. Just for the heck of it.

If you do not like stupid silly ideas then you might consider not reading anymore. Fair warning.

So let’s get to it.

Vikings start off with $7,252,515 in cap space according to overthecap’s calculator.

Year Total Liabilities Salary Cap (Projected) Cap Room

2019 $186,919,655 $194,172,170 $7,252,515

2020 $168,631,513 $200,000,000 $31,368,487

2021 $120,898,076 $200,000,000 $79,101,924

2022 $83,450,000 $200,000,000 $116,550,000

2023 $33,500,000 $200,000,000 $166,500,000

Trades

Everson Griffen trade to Raiders for Kelechi Osemele - Savings: $343,750

Riley Reiff trade to Jets for 5th round pick - Savings: $5,100,000

Trae Waynes trade to Colts for 2nd round pick - Savings: $9,069,000

Laquon Treadwell traded for John Ross - Savings: $-216,218

Cuts

Remmers released - Savings: $4,550,000

Sendejo released - Savings: $5,500,000

Total Cap Savings - $24,346,532

Total Cap Available - 31,599,047

Free Agents

Anthony Harris S gets a 2nd round RFA tender of 3.1 mil

CJ Ham FB gets an ERFA tender of 645K

Matt Wile P gets an ERFA tender of 570K

Trenton Brown OT 6’8” 359 25 years old

4 year 42 mil deal with a 8 mil signing bonus with 19 mil guaranteed.

Cap hits - 3 mil, 12 mil, 13 mil, & 14 mil

KJ Wright LB 6’4” 246 29 years old

3 year 24 mil deal with a 4.5 mil signing bonus with 8.5 mil guaranteed.

Cap hits - 5 mil, 9 mil, & 9.5 mil

Tyeler Davison DT 6’2” 316 26 years old

3 year 15 mil deal with a 3 mil signing bonus with 5 mil guaranteed.

Cap hits - 3 mil, 6 mil, & 6 mil

DJ Fluker OG 6’5” 340 27 years old

3 year 9 mil deal with a 1.5 mil signing bonus with 3 mil guaranteed.

Cap hits - 2 mil, 3.5 mil, & 3.5 mil

Mike Davis RB 5’9” 216 25 years old

3 year 7.5 mil deal with a 1.5 mil signing bonus with 3 mil guaranteed.

Cap hits - 1.5 mil, 3 mil, & 3 mil

After all of these moves the Vikings have 14.3 mil remaining to sign rookies and a kicker.

Here is how overthecap projects the cap going forward.

Year Total Liabilities Salary Cap (Projected) Cap Room

2019 $179,817,684 $194,172,170 $14,354,486

2020 $182,830,494 $200,000,000 $17,169,506

2021 $119,798,076 $200,000,000 $80,201,924

2022 $81,950,000 $200,000,000 $118,050,000

2023 $33,500,000 $200,000,000 $166,500,000

Heading to the draft the Vikings offensive line looks like this ...

Trenton Brown 6’8” 359

Kelechi Osemele 6’5” 333

Pat Elflein 6’3” 303

DJ Fluker 6’5” 340

Brian O’Neill 6’6” 302

The backups would be Aviante Collins, Danny Isidora, Cornelius Edison, Storm Norton, and Adam Bisnowaty.

From the looks of it on paper they should be stronger in the middle provided that Fluker continues to perform well.

The defensive tackle spot might be light but Davison played well against the run last year and is what the Vikings need. Hopefully, Jalyn Holmes can step up this year and make some hay as a pass rushing DT or maybe he gets put at strongside defensive end (Hunter’s spot).

The defensive end spot could be worrisome if you do not believe in Weatherly or any of the other youts. Ade Aruna is a player that had the traits the Vikings look for and is someone they obviously wanted to groom. Plus, you still have Bower and players like Mata’afa and Odenigbo.

KJ Wright should be an adequate replacement for Barr and might be better in coverage.

Heading to the draft the Vikings have picks

1.18, 2.18, 2.26*, 3.17, 4.18, 5.2*, 6.17, 6.35, 7.33, & 7.38

https://fanspeak.com/ontheclock/sharedraft.php?d=kixwvr

Matt Miller big board/Multiple boards for computer/Classic simulation/Fanspeak needs

TRADES

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

SENT: ROUND: 2 PICK: 26

RECEIVED: ROUND: 2 PICK: 32 & ROUND: 4 PICK: 32

DENVER BRONCOS

SENT: ROUND: 2 PICK: 32

RECEIVED: ROUND: 3 PICK: 10 & ROUND: 5 PICK: 9

18: R1P18 DL ED OLIVER HOUSTON

https://thedraftnetwork.com/2019/02/02/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-ed-oliver/

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/did-ed-oliver-hurt-his-nfl-draft-stock-after-he-flipped-out-on-major-applewhite-over-a-jacket/

50: R2P18 DL DEXTER LAWRENCE CLEMSON

https://thedraftnetwork.com/2019/02/08/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-dexter-lawrence/

74: R3P10 S CHAUNCEY GARDNER-JOHNSON FLORIDA

NCAA Football: Peach Bowl-Florida vs Michigan

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/florida-football/analyst-chauncey-gardner-johnson-is-best-safety-in-upcoming-nfl-draft/

81: R3P17 G MICHAEL JORDAN OHIO STATE

https://thedraftnetwork.com/2018/08/01/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-michael-jordan/

https://www.bigblueview.com/2019/1/26/18191449/2019-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-michael-jordan-c-g-ohio-state-scouting-report-ny-giants

120: R4P18 WR LIL’ JORDAN HUMPHREY TEXAS

https://thedraftnetwork.com/2019/01/31/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-liljordan-humphrey/

https://247sports.com/Article/LilJordan-Humphrey-NFL-Draft-grade-feedback-127157371/

134: R4P32 LB TERRILL HANKS NEW MEXICO STATE

NCAA Football: New Mexico State at Minnesota

https://steelersdepot.com/2019/01/2019-nfl-draft-player-profiles-new-mexico-state-lb-terrill-hanks/

141: R5P2 OT KALEB MCGARY WASHINGTON

https://thedraftnetwork.com/2018/12/19/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-kaleb-mcgary/

148: R5P9 TE JACE STERNBERGER TEXAS A&M

https://mattwaldmanrsp.com/2019/01/14/matt-waldmans-rsp-film-room-no-140-te-jace-sternberger-texas-am/

192: R6P17 QB RYAN FINLEY NC STATE

https://www.cover1.net/2019-nfl-draft-ryan-finley/

210: R6P35 RB BRYCE LOVE STANFORD

https://thedraftnetwork.com/2018/11/19/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-bryce-love/

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/bryce-love-tore-his-acl-in-stanfords-final-regular-season-game-still-hopes-to-be-taken-in-nfl-draft/

This is why he falls this far but he is too good to pass. Will be on IR all season.

249: R7P33 G MARTEZ IVEY FLORIDA

https://thedraftnetwork.com/2019/02/12/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-martez-ivey/

254: R7P38 CB CLIFTON DUCK APPALACHIAN STATE

NCAA Football: Dollar General Bowl-Appalachian State vs Toledo

https://247sports.com/college/appalachian-state/Article/NO-MOMENT-TOO-BIG-FOR-CLIFTON-DUCK-127213037/

UDFA

DL AMANI BLEDSOE - OKLAHOMA

S ANDREW WINGARD - WYOMING

RB NICK BROSSETTE - LSU

LB CODY BARTON - UTAH

EDGE MAXX CROSBY - EASTERN MICHIGAN

WR JOHNNIE DIXON - OHIO STATE

RB QADREE OLLISON - PITTSBURGH

TE KENDALL BLANTON - MISSOURI

CB ALIJAH HOLDER - STANFORD

LB KHALIL HODGE - BUFFALO

OT TREY PIPKINS - SIOUX FALLS

DL ALBERT HUGGINS - CLEMSON

QB KYLE SHURMUR - VANDERBILT

LB JAHLANI TAVAI - HAWAII

K AUSTIN SEIBERT - OKLAHOMA

P MITCH WISHNOWSKY - UTAH

S CHRIS JOHNSON - NORTH ALABAMA

G BUNCHY STALLINGS - KENTUCKY

LB JOSIAH TAUAEFA - UTSA

Roster

QB - Kirk Cousins, Kyle Sloter, Ryan Finley

RB - Dalvin Cook, Mike Davis, Bryce Love, Michael Boone, Roc Thomas

FB - CJ Ham

WR - Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs, John Ross, Chad Beebe, Brandon Zylstra, Lil’ Jordan Humphrey, Jeff Badet

TE - Kyle Rudolph, David Morgan, Tyler Conklin, Jace Sternberger, Cole Hikutini

LT - Trenton Brown, Aviante Collins

LG - Kelechi Osemele, Danny Isidora, Martez Ivey

OC - Pat Elflein, Cornelius Edison

RG - DJ Fluker, Michael Jordan

RT - Brian O’Neill, Kaleb McGary, Storm Norton, Adam Bisnowaty

DE - Danielle Hunter, Tashawn Bower, Ade Aruna

DT - Tyeler Davison, Ed Oliver, Curtis Cothran

DT - Linval Joseph, Jaleel Johnson, Dexter Lawrence

DE - Stephen Weatherly, Jalyn Holmes, Ifeadi Odenigbo

LB - KJ Wright, Devante Downs, Hercules Mata’afa

LB - Eric Kendricks, Eric Wilson, Reshard Cliett

LB - Ben Gedeon, Kentrell Brothers, Terrill Hanks

CB - Xavier Rhodes, Holton Hill

FS - Harrison Smith, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson

SS - Anthony Harris, Jayron Kearse

CB - Mike Hughes, Clifton Duck, Jalen Myrick

CB - Mackenzie Alexander, Craig James

P - Matt Wile

LS - Kevin McDermott

K - ?

Not sure if all the “needs” were addressed or if some holes were created. I kind of like it though. But this is never going to happen. I doubt anyone gets traded and I expect one or two releases and a couple of restructures. I just wanted to do at least one fairly crazy plan.

I like the offensive line. Not sure if it fits the zone blocking system or not but it should block out the sun. I would expect that some of the interior defenders that had been wreaking havoc will not have as easy a time. If Elflein does not pan out then maybe his ex college teammate could slide into center. If Fluker flames out then Jordan could play guard too.

I think the defensive line would be set up for the future too with Oliver and Lawrence. The linebackers should be solid with Wright taking over for Barr. The cornerbacks might be too thin for some worry warts but as long as Hughes comes back they will be 4 deep. There is enough cap space left to add a veteran for 1 to 1.5 mil easily. Maybe a Orlando Scandrick or Sam Shields would provide some insurance?

The safety position would be a little thin but adding a draft pick, hanging onto Harris, and having Kearse come back is almost all you can ask.

There is no kicker here yet besides the UDFA but I assume they will sign someone for 1 mil or so. Cant really spend too much time on the players that put their foot on the ball. I could have drafted a kicker but why would I have faith that they would be patient with the young player?

Alternate

https://fanspeak.com/ontheclock/sharedraft.php?d=mlydrg

TRADES

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

SENT: ROUND: 2 PICK: 26

RECEIVED: ROUND: 2 PICK: 32 & ROUND: 4 PICK: 32

MIAMI DOLPHINS

SENT: ROUND: 3 PICK: 17 & ROUND: 7 PICK: 38

RECEIVED: ROUND: 3 PICK: 14

18: R1P18 QB DWAYNE HASKINS OHIO STATE

50: R2P18 DL DEXTER LAWRENCE CLEMSON

64: R2P32 G MICHAEL JORDAN OHIO STATE

78: R3P14 EDGE CHARLES OMENIHU TEXAS

120: R4P18 S DARNELL SAVAGE, JR. MARYLAND

134: R4P32 OT KALEB MCGARY WASHINGTON

141: R5P2 TE JACE STERNBERGER TEXAS A&M

192: R6P17 WR KEELAN DOSS UC DAVIS

210: R6P35 RB BRYCE LOVE STANFORD

249: R7P33 LB JOSIAH TAUAEFA UTSA

Obviously, I think this one is better. Much better. It gets a QB for after Cousins deal is over and Haskins could sit the bench for two years and learn. Perfect opportunity for the Vikings to make a move like this too. It might make Cousins trade-able. He has to agree but I will maintain that knowing he wont get another extension might motivate him to accept a trade.

Well, there you go. A stupid off season plan that ensures I will never, ever, ever, work for and NFL team in my lifetime.

But I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.