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Time for another plan. This one is the play it out version with very little changes in personnel. It is geared towards running it back and having tons of cap space in 2023.
I do not necessarily agree that the success on any side of the ball will translate from one season to the next but the hope is that it will.
The two previous plans are here and here.
The Vikings are currently 15.4M over the cap (otc keeps making adjustments).
https://overthecap.com/salary-cap/minnesota-vikings/
Season Total Liabilities Team Salary Cap Cap Space
2022 $224,323,598 $208,917,819 ($15,405,779)
2023 $143,694,074 $225,000,000 $81,305,926
2024 $89,412,731 $256,000,000 $166,587,269
Restructure 18M of Hunter’s roster bonus
Season Total Liabilities Team Salary Cap Cap Space
2022 $210,823,598 $208,917,819 ($1,905,779)
2023 $148,194,074 $225,000,000 $76,805,926
2024 $92,792,731 $256,000,000 $163,207,269
Saves 13.5M in cap space
Give Kendricks a new 4 year 48M deal
15M signing bonus (with one void year)
Salaries of 1.12M, 7.68M, 11.9M, 11.9M
Workout bonus of 100K each year
Cap hits would be 8.25M, 12.71M, 15M, 15M, and 3M (void year)
Season Total Liabilities Team Salary Cap Cap Space
2022 $205,543,598 $208,917,819 $3,374,221
2023 $149,474,074 $225,000,000 $75,525,926
2024 $107,792,731 $256,000,000 $148,207,269
Saves 5.28M in cap space
Restructure 6M of Smith’s of 8M roster bonus
Season Total Liabilities Team Salary Cap Cap Space
2022 $201,043,598 $208,917,819 $7,874,221
2023 $150,974,074 $225,000,000 $74,025,926
2024 $109,292,731 $256,000,000 $146,707,269
Saves 4.5M in cap space
Restructure 3M of Thielen’s 2022 salary
Season Total Liabilities Team Salary Cap Cap Space
2022 $199,043,598 $208,917,819 $9,874,221
2023 $151,974,074 $225,000,000 $73,025,926
2024 $110,292,731 $256,000,000 $145,707,269
Saves 2M in cap space
Restructure 3M of O’Neill’s 2022 salary
Season Total Liabilities Team Salary Cap Cap Space
2021 $174,708,771 $186,805,999 $12,097,228
2022 $196,643,598 $208,917,819 $12,274,221
2023 $152,574,074 $225,000,000 $72,425,926
2024 $110,892,731 $256,000,000 $145,107,269
Saves 2.4M in cap space
Restructure 3M of Cook’s 2022 salary
Season Total Liabilities Team Salary Cap Cap Space
2021 $174,708,771 $186,805,999 $12,097,228
2022 $194,393,598 $208,917,819 $14,524,221
2023 $153,324,074 $225,000,000 $71,675,926
2024 $111,642,731 $256,000,000 $144,357,269
Saves 2.25M in cap space
Restructure 6M of Pierce’s salary
by adding one void year (with his permission)
Season Total Liabilities Team Salary Cap Cap Space
2022 $190,393,598 $208,917,819 $18,524,221
2023 $155,324,074 $225,000,000 $69,675,926
2024 $113,642,731 $256,000,000 $142,357,269
Saves 4M in cap space
Give Peterson a new 3 year 24M deal
8M signing bonus (with one void year)
Salaries of 1.5M, 7M, 7.5M
Cap hits would be 3.5M, 9M, 9.5M, and 2M (void year)
Peterson was rated 60th by PFF so it is a gamble but veteran experience and all that jazz
Deal similar to the one Jackrabbit Jenkins signed last year at age 32 (2 year 15M)
Season Total Liabilities Team Salary Cap Cap Space
2022 $193,068,598 $208,917,819 $15,849,221
2023 $164,324,074 $225,000,000 $60,675,926
2024 $123,142,731 $256,000,000 $132,857,269
Costs 2.675M in cap space
(not 3.5M because the player at roster spot #51 making 825K is bumped out)
Give Jordan Berry a 2year 4M deal
1M signing bonus
Salaries of 1.25M and 1.75M
Cap hits would be 1.75M and 2.25M
Season Total Liabilities Team Salary Cap Cap Space
2022 $193,923,598 $208,917,819 $14,994,221
2023 $166,574,074 $225,000,000 $58,425,926
2024 $123,142,731 $256,000,000 $132,857,269
Deal similar (between) to the ones signed by Sam Martin and Pat O’Donnell last year at age 30
Costs 855K in cap space
(not 1.75M because the player at roster spot #51 making 895K is bumped out)
Greg Joseph will get the minimum because he is an ERFA and this does not affect the cap enough to discus.
If he is not an ERFA then they probably have to offer 2M or so.
I could see the Vikings offering extensions to Conklin, Cole, Vigil, and maybe Woods but I think all four probably will test the market first.
The current money needed to sign the rookies is 4.319M.
That leaves about 10.6M to use on any other free agents.
Again, they could add more free agents on minimum deals but it is hard to speculate who those players will be.
In this plan, the theory is they leave Cousins’ deal as is and absorb the 45M cap hit. Then, in 2023, they have 58M in cap space according to this plan and a fresh slate. They can try to extend Cousins or look elsewhere. They can create another 8.5M if they move on from Smith, 10.1M if they move on from Thielen, 6.4M if they move on from Cook, and 7.5M if they move on from Pierce. That would be an extra 32.5M and would give the team 80.5M in cap space in 2023. One note about Hunter would be that they would eat another 5.7M in dead money if they do not extend him in 2023. Still, 75M is enough to work with no?
Heading to the draft, you have Bradbury still at center and Davis vs Udoh at guard. Brandel will be the swing tackle.
You have Kyle Hinton and Timon Parris on futures deals.
You have Zach Davidson at tight end who is developing.
There are plenty of developmental defensive ends so taking another mid to late round end is questionable strategy.
You may want to grab a defensive tackle but you have Tomlinson, Pierce, Watts, Lynch, Lyman, plus Jordan Scott & TJ Smith developing.
You may want to get a linebacker to replace Barr but, again, they drafted Surratt and Dye recently. Plus, you have Blake Lynch, Ryan Connelly, and Tuf Borland developing. not exactly heart-warming so linebacker is an area to address.
Cornerback is where the draft could give some more bodies and it does not have to be in the first round. You got Peterson and Dantzler as yore starters. You still have Kris Boyd, Harrsion Hand, and Parry Nickerson (futures).
Safety will need depth behind Smith and Bynum. You have Metellus and Dorn right now.
Onto the mock ...
Trade Partner: Indianapolis Colts
Sent: Round 3 Pick 13
Received: Round 3 Pick 18, Round 5 Pick 16
12: R1 P12 CB Derek Stingley - LSU 6’1” 200
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46: R2 P14 G Zion Johnson - Boston College 6’2.75” 314
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82: R3 P18 LB Chad Muma - Wyoming 6’2.375” 241
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155: R5 P13 CB Tariq Woolen - UTSA 6’3.375” 205
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158: R5 P16 TE Greg Dulcich - UCLA 6’3.75” 248
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184: R6 P5 WR Calvin Austin III - Memphis 5’7.375” 173
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192: R6 P13 DL Matthew Butler - Tennessee 6’4” 299
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208: R6 P29 S Bubba Bolden - Miami 6’3” 204
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230: R7 P11 LB Terrel Bernard - Baylor 6’0.5” 220
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I think it is quite possible for the team to just leave Cousins contract as is and adjust other deals in order to at least sign a couple of their own free agents and then do some bargain basement shopping.
I think that is probably the wisest strategy cap wise unless Cousins allows them to add one void year. That may not be necessary though because with all these restructures you would be doing the same thing basically in terms of dead money in 2023.
Now some may argue that they need to do more so that everything around the QB is good or at least average. The cap may not allow for heavy expenditures though.
I think we have to ride or die with the current offensive line and adding Johnson who practiced center at the Senior Bowl could be great.
I think Bradbury will have his best year next year due to him being older and stronger AND it being a contract year for him.
The defense can hopefully get better with the return of Hunter.
Well, enjoy.
An alternate mock ...
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