Vikings Off Season Plan - Post Senior Bowl Edition

Well, the Super Bowl was pretty boring as modern football games go but got to give credit where credit is due. The Patriots handled their business especially on defense and did just enough on offense to win yet another Lombardi. I really do not know when the Vikings will get back or if they ever can win that elusive trophy. The current regime and any future regime should have only one goal on which they are judged. The Senior Bowl has passed and there were a lot of good performances. This is pre-combine off season plan and mock and is ambitious.

It is difficult to ascertain just how much cap space the Vikings have right now. According to spotrac they have 5.75 mil and overthecap has them at 6.9 mil.

https://overthecap.com/salary-cap/minnesota-vikings/

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/cap/

I think the first thing to realize about all of these plans from many different folks is that with the current cap situation there will be some players released, extended, or restructured (i.e., asked to take a pay cut). There are just no two ways about it. Even if you are a fan of extending Barr and Richardson (which they can do) you still have to create some room. This was always going to be the case after last off season just by giving the salary cap situation even a cursory glance.

When I use the fanspeak site they have the Vikings at -2.525 mil but are including incorrect cap hits for Anthony Harris and Rashod Hill of 2.5 mil and are including the players signed to future contracts. When I use this simulator I removed all of these players except for Harris.

As far as who can the Vikings cut or try to restructure there are some obvious candidates. Guessing about restructures is tough to do and depends on the player accepting. Doing trades of players is also a guess so there is not much difference.

The two players that I am guessing to have the most likely chances of another team being interested are Everson Griffen and Trae Waynes. In this fantasy, I am thinking the Vikings can trade Griffen to the Raiders and Waynes to the Colts. Those are needs for those two teams and they have the cap space.

With Griffen, I am not sure a restructure will work. Taking any of his current salary and converting it to a signing bonus only adds dead money to future years when there is very little right now. I do not think you want to have that situation at his age. So the only option is really just a pay cut. Considering everything that has transpired a fresh start may be a good thing.

With Waynes, I do not see him being extended after the 2019 season and I am not a fan of having a player with that high a salary and no future years secured. If you think you would franchise tag the player then that is different. I do not see that happening. I think with the Hughes draft pick and Hill surprising the Vikings should be pretty decent in the secondary.

So here you go ...

https://fanspeak.com/ugm/share.php?d=wlawhn

Cap Space Remaining: -2,525,822

TRADES

Everson Griffen & 2020 7th round pick traded to the Raiders for a 5th round pick

Trae Waynes to the Colts for a 2019 3rd and a 2020 5th

CUTS

Name Position

Kyle Rudolph TE

Mike Remmers OT

Andrew Sendejo S

Laquon Treadwell WR

Rashod Hill OT

Cornelius Edison C

Cole Hikutini TE

Ifeadi Odenigbo DL

Roc Thomas RB

Jalen Myrick CB

Cap Space Remaining: 41,358,744

With fanspeak you see the negative cap space and the releasing of some of the futures players (they do not list all). I think the Remmers, Sendejo, and Treadwell cuts are something that most arm chair fans (like myself) believe are likely moves. Maybe not Treadwell because they only save about 685K in cap space so keeping him to see if he surprises may not be so bad. But giving him a chance to catch on with another team now is also a good thing to do.

The Rudolph release is very unlikely and I know there will be at least one poster who will give very detailed reasons why it is a bad idea. I think they could possibly (emphasis on possibly) replace his production in free agency with a player that costs a lot less.

SIGNED

Mike Davis (RB) accepted your 2 year offer for $1,750,000 per year

Tyrell Williams (WR) accepted your 3 year offer for $5,000,000 per year

Maxx Williams (TE) accepted your 1 year offer for $3,000,000 per year

Matt Paradis (C) accepted your 4 year offer for $6,500,000 per year

Malik Jackson (DL) accepted your 1 year offer for $7,500,000 per year

Zach Brown (LB) accepted your 2 year offer for $6,000,000 per year

Cap Space Remaining: 16,358,744

These signings are the kind of all in part. Malik Jackson is rumored to be out in Jacksonville due to cap constraints. It is doubtful that the Vikings could get him for only 7.5 mil but maybe they get lucky like they did with Richardson. Plus Jackson did not have a too good a season last year according to pff. A one year prove it deal may be in the cards.

Zach Brown has come out and publicly said he believes he is out in Washington. I have not read anything else besides his words but he probably knows best. This contract amount that the simulator accepted my be too low. Tahir Whitehead signed a 3 year 19 mil deal and Avery Williamson signed a 3 year 22.5 mil deal last year. brown was on a 3 year 24 mil deal so this is fairly close for a player released and maybe it should only be one year?

Since Jackson and Brown were released they do not count against the comp pick calculation.

Paradis is a favorite of many posters here and this signing would signal Elflein is moving to compete at guard. Paradis has experience with Kubiak so maybe that will win him over? I think 6.5 mil per year could definitely be low since Spencer Long got a 4 year 27.4 mil deal and Mike Pouncey got a 2 year 15 mil deal last year. Maybe this needs to be kicking up to 7.25 mil or so?

Tyrell Williams is definitely low. Taylor Gabriel got a 4 year 26 mil deal last year and Allen Hurns got a 2 year 12 mil deal. I could see Williams costing at least 7 mil per year but not in this fantasy. :) Williams has been fairly productive so far and ran a 4.43 at his pro day. He could be a deep threat.

Maxx Williams may not replace Rudolph but he might be on the rise now. He has battled a few injuries during his career and really has not had too many targets until last season when he got 38. He turns 25 in April so he is still very young. A one year prove it type deal back in his home state may be something he is willing to do?

Mike Davis is a back I like to replace Murray. He has good size at 5’9” 216 in terms of weight. He caught 34 passes out the backfield last year and had 112 carries for 514 yards too. He turns 26 on Feb 19th.

So now heading to the draft the needs are not so glaring besides one guard. I personally think Collins might win that left guard spot and if Elflein can do better at right guard then the Vikings may have something. With Griffen gone and no free agent signed that puts Weatherly in the starting position. It gives Aruna, Bower, and Idenigbo a wide open door to try and get that position too. It is still a slight worry depending on how you feel about Weatherly. Other than that you are looking for depth to groom with an eye towards future cuts.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

SENT: ROUND: 1 PICK: 18 RECEIVED: ROUND: 1 PICK: 31 & ROUND: 2 PICK: 31

This first trade seems like a good deal to me and it works under the trade chart. Actually the Patriots would come out ahead and they should give more. The #18 pick is worth 900 pints while the #31 (600 points) and the #63 (276 points) are worth 876 points. But it is good enough for me.

DALLAS COWBOYS

SENT: ROUND: 2 PICK: 31 & FUTURE ROUND 3 PICK

RECEIVED: ROUND: 2 PICK: 27 & ROUND: 4 PICK: 27

This second trade assumes the Vikings get at least one 3rd round comp pick for Barr or Richardson. Had to trade up to get the lineman I liked.

31: R1P31 QB DANIEL JONES DUKE 6’5” 220

https://thedraftnetwork.com/2018/08/01/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-daniel-jones/

Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports

50: R2P18 S TAYLOR RAPP WASHINGTON 6’0” 207

https://www.ninersnation.com/2018/12/13/18138710/2019-nfl-draft-position-rankings-safety-deionte-thompson-juan-thornhill-jonathan-abram

Because of his all around skill set combined with his athletic traits whenever Taylor Rapp enters the NFL Draft he should go within the early rounds. He’s compared a lot to Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith and it’s not hard to see the fit. Both players are good in the back end in coverage and good at coming up to stop the run.

https://thedraftnetwork.com/2018/05/31/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-taylor-rapp/

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

59: R2P27 OT DALTON RISNER KANSAS STATE 6’5” 308

https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/draft-pff-film-room-dalton-risner

https://thedraftnetwork.com/2019/01/28/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-dalton-risner/

Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports

81: R3P17 EDGE CHARLES OMENIHU TEXAS 6’6” 275

https://thedraftnetwork.com/2019/01/05/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-charles-omenihu/

https://draftwire.usatoday.com/2018/11/29/2019-nfl-draft-prospects-collegefootball-texas-charles-omenihu-scouting-report-interview/

Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images

89: R3P25 G CHRIS LINDSTROM BOSTON COLLEGE 6’4” 310

https://thedraftnetwork.com/2019/01/05/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-chris-lindstrom/

https://www.bigblueview.com/2019/1/23/18191425/2019-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-chris-lindstrom-c-g-boston-college-scouting-report-ny-giants

Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

120: R4P18 DL KHALEN SAUNDERS WESTERN ILLINOIS 6’2” 310

https://herosports.com/fcs/football-wiu-khalen-saunders-tape-nfl-draft-bzbz

Mike Granse-USA TODAY Sports

129: R4P27 LB TE’VON CONEY NOTRE DAME 6’1” 240

https://thedraftnetwork.com/2018/12/23/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-tevon-coney/

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

142: R5P3 WR ANDY ISABELLA UMASS 5’10” 195

https://fullpresscoverage.com/2019/02/02/nfl-draft-profile-wr-andy-isabella-umass/

https://thedraftnetwork.com/2018/11/12/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-andy-isabella/

Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

192: R6P17 RB BRYCE LOVE STANFORD 5’11” 213

https://thespun.com/news/analyst-says-college-football-stars-nfl-draft-stock-is-falling

https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/11/16/did-stanfords-bryce-love-hurt-his-draft-stock-by-playing-his-senior-year/

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

210: R6P35 G BEN POWERS OKLAHOMA 6’4” 313

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

https://thedraftnetwork.com/2018/12/11/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-ben-powers/

https://www.hogshaven.com/2019/2/1/18187846/ben-powers-was-part-of-the-best-ol-in-college-football-but-is-he-right-for-the-redskins

254: R7P38 CB LONNIE JOHNSON KENTUCKY 6’3” 206

https://thedraftnetwork.com/2019/01/27/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-lonnie-johnson-jr/

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/kentucky-football/kentuckys-lonnie-johnson-says-hes-the-best-corner-in-the-draft/

Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

UDFA

EDGE MAXX CROSBY - EASTERN MICHIGAN 6’4” 247

CB MONTRE HARTAGE - NORTHWESTERN 6’0” 195

LB JORDAN KUNASZYK - CALIFORNIA 6’3” 235

DL LJ COLLIER - TCU 6’4” 276LB

JOSIAH TAUAEFA - UTSA 6’1” 245

DL GREG GAINES - WASHINGTON 6’2” 320C

JESSE BURKETT - STANFORD 6’4” 298

S EVAN WORTHINGTON - COLORADO 6’2” 210

CB JIMMY MORELAND - JAMES MADISON 5’11” 175

WR ALEX WESLEY - NORTHERN COLORADO

The Jones pick is sure to ruffle some feathers and cause other feathers to fly. I like it though. Get a young QB with a 5th year option (about 10 mil or so by then) is a pretty good insurance policy. And the best part is that he could be traded when Cousins proves he is worth the money and gets an extension.

Obviously Risner is a no brainer but I like him at tackle. Next year Reiff could be bid adieu and O’Neill can move over to the left side and Risner can be the right tackle.

With Griffen gone the Vikings more than likely will be looking for another mid round defensive end and Omenihu fits what Zimmer has liked in the past at Cincinnati.

Lindstrom is the one to battle for one of the guard spots (if Risner does not as well) and is insurance if Elflein does not work out at guard.

Saunders is a player that brings a lot of athleticism to the DT position and may or may not develop into more than a rotational backup.

Coney is a player I like and hoepfully can be groomed to take over for Brown or Gedeon.

Isabella may not be necessary with Beebe and Zylstra but those two have to earn it still. In this plan with Treadwell gone and Robinson not resigned there are 3 sure fire players and the rest of the 2 to 3 spots are up for grabs.

Love is not getting any love in the buildup to this draft and he would be a “steal” in the 6th round IMHO. People must have forgotten how good he was before last season. He brings return ability too.

Powers is a All American that is also being down graded by many internet scouts. Not sure why but he is pretty solid.

Johnson thinks he is the best corner in the draft and this is where Zimmer should grab a corner to develop.

I wont do a final 53 because it is way too early.

The way that the fanspeak simulator works, it holds 5 mil aside for rookie salaries so with 16.3 mil left there is enough to give Thielen a well deserved bump. I think a 4 year 56 mil extension is pretty good. Maybe too little?

Here is an alternate plan ...

https://fanspeak.com/ugm/share.php?d=vznujj

Cap Space Remaining: -2,525,822

TRADES

Everson Griffen & 2020 7th round pick traded to the Raiders for a 5th round pick

Trae Waynes to the Colts for a 2019 3rd and a 2020 5th

CUTS

Name Position

Kyle Rudolph TE

Mike Remmers OT

Andrew Sendejo S

Laquon Treadwell WR

Rashod Hill OT

Cornelius Edison C

Cole Hikutini TE

Ifeadi Odenigbo DL

Roc Thomas RB

Jalen Myrick CB

Cap Space Remaining: 41,358,744

Gerald McCoy (DL) accepted your 4 year offer for $9,000,000 per year

Tyrell Williams (WR) accepted your 3 year offer for $7,000,000 per year

Matt Paradis (C) accepted your 4 year offer for $7,000,000 per year

Kwon Alexander (LB) accepted your 3 year offer for $5,500,000 per year

Maxx Williams (TE) accepted your 2 year offer for $3,500,000 per year

Mike Davis (RB) accepted your 2 year offer for $2,000,000 per year

Cap Space Remaining: 15,947,948

TRADES

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

SENT: ROUND: 1 PICK: 18 & ROUND: 6 PICK: 35

RECEIVED: ROUND: 1 PICK: 32, ROUND: 2 PICK: 32, & ROUND: 5 PICK: 36

LA RAMS

SENT: ROUND: 3 PICK: 25

RECEIVED: ROUND: 3 PICK: 34 & ROUND: 5 PICK: 31

32: R1P32 QB DANIEL JONES DUKE

50: R2P18 C DALTON RISNER KANSAS STATE

64: R2P32 G CHRIS LINDSTROM BOSTON COLLEGE

81: R3P17 S JOHNATHAN ABRAM MISSISSIPPI ST

98: R3P34 DL KHALEN SAUNDERS WESTERN ILLINOIS

120: R4P18 TE T.J. HOCKENSON IOWA

142: R5P3 WR PARRIS CAMPBELL OHIO STATE

170: R5P31 RB BRYCE LOVE STANFORD

175: R5P36 DL L.J. COLLIER TCU

192: R6P17 G BEN POWERS OKLAHOMA

249: R7P33 CB JIMMY MORELAND JAMES MADISON

It is going to be an interesting off season.