Minnesota Vikings News and Links, 23 February 2023

Certain contracts are essentially designed to be revisited, and Smith’s pact certainly appears to fall into that category, with a massive increase in the cap hit ($7.4 million in 2022, $19.1 million in ‘23) and base salary ($2.95 million in 2022, $14.7 million in ‘23). You get it — it’s part of the caponomics game.

Having just turned 34, Smith is still a productive safety, as evidenced by his five interceptions and 10 passes defensed in 14 games last season. That said, Next Gen Stats had him allowing 5.8 receptions over expected as the nearest defender in coverage last season, which was the second-worst mark in the league.

On the whole, Minnesota’s secondary mightily in 2022. Restructuring Smith’s contract could free up more dough for the Vikings to address serious issues at the corner position, even if it’s just adding better depth.

Ms. Frelund is an astute analyst to say the least!

Five trades to watch out for in the 2023 NFL offseason

Agent’s Take: How to keep NFL players out of free agency; everything to know about franchise, transition tags

Titans releasing three-time Pro Bowler LT Taylor Lewan, WR Robert Woods, K Randy Bullock

Yore Mock

Per usual some moves first ...

Cap Space: ($24,424,174)

Trade Z. Smith to Browns for 4.9: Saves $12,156,861

Trade Cook and 5.41 to Dolphins for 3.21: Saves $5,898,727

...

Cut/Trade Thielen: Saves $6,417,647

Cut/Trade Smith: Saves $7,379,999

Cut/Trade Kendricks: Saves $9,500,000

Cut Hicks: Saves $5,000,000

Cut Ham: Saves $3,050,000

Cut Reed: Saves $2,500,000

...

Restructure O’Neill (10M): Saves $7,500,000

Cap Space: $36,949,648

...

Extend Hockenson 4 yr 58M: Saves $5,000,000

Extend Hunter 4 yr 88M: Costs $4,000,000

Extend Jefferson 4 yr 128M: Costs $8,000,000

Extend Tomlinson 4 yr 39M: Costs $0

Extend Shelley 2 yr 9M: Costs $1,329,167

Extend DePaola 2 yr 2.875M: Costs $545,000

Extend Schlottmann 2 yr 4.5M: Costs $780,000

...

Sign LB Drue Tranquill 3 yr 22.5M: Costs $2,210,000

Sign CB Rock Ya-Sin 3 yr 28.5M: Costs $2,710,000

Sign EDGE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo 2 yr 12M: Costs $2,021,000

Sign WR Darius Slayton 2 yr 10M: Costs $2,399,000

Sign K Eddy Pineiro 2 yr 4.5M: Costs $708,334

...

Remaining Cap Space: $17,436,314

2024 Cap Space: $58,654,562

TRADES

Trade Partner: Miami Dolphins

Sent: Dalvin Cook; Round 5 Pick 41

Received: Round 3 Pick 21

...

Trade Partner: Cleveland Browns

Sent: Za’Darius Smith

Received: Round 4 Pick 9

...

Trade Partner: Detroit Lions

Sent: Round 1 Pick 23; Future Round 1 Pick

Received: Round 1 Pick 6

...

Trade Partner: Kansas City Chiefs

Sent: Round 3 Pick 24; Round 4 Pick 17

Received: Round 3 Pick 32; Round 4 Pick 32; Round 5 Pick 32

...

Trade Partner: San Francisco 49ers

Sent: Round 3 Pick 32

Received: Round 3 Pick 38; Round 5 Pick 21

...

Trade Partner: Dallas Cowboys

Sent: Round 5 Pick 32

Received: Round 5 Pick 40; Round 7 Pick 27

...

Trade Partner: Las Vegas Raiders

Sent: Round 5 Pick 40

Received: Round 6 Pick 27; Round 7 Pick 3

...

6: R1 P6 QB Will Levis - Kentucky 6’3” 232

84: R3 P21 DL Keion White - Georgia Tech 6’4.6 280

101: R3 P38 C Joe Tippmann - Wisconsin 6’6” 317

111: R4 P9 S Ji’Ayir Brown - Penn State 5’11 208

134: R4 P32 CB Jaylon Jones - Texas A&M 6’2” 205

157: R5 P21 RB Chase Brown - Illinois 5’9.4” 215

160: R5 P24 LB Ivan Pace Jr. - Cincinnati 5’10.2” 231

204: R6 P27 WR Andrei Iosivas - Princeton 6’2.7” 212

222: R7 P3 C Juice Scruggs - Penn State 6’2.6” 308

246: R7 P27 EDGE Lonnie Phelps - Kansas 6’2.1” 251

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