Valhalla Villager: News, Rumors and Gossip

[swede700]

Yeah, they'll move to the 'burbs because you can't polish a turd. 

I've never been a huge fan of Arrowhead here (which is in the suburbs), mainly because of the parking situation.  They can talk all they want about how great the tailgating is (it's really not all that special), but the parking cost is outrageous, costing more than the ticket themselves, cramped and crazily unorganized (I've had to park on the offramp out of the parking before as there isn't enough space for every car).  If there were better public transportation to and from the stadium, I would love it, because the stadium itself is fine.  Not over the top spectacular, but it's a good stadium.  Certainly probably better than Lambeau or Soldier Field.  

[swede700]

58 minutes ago, swede700 said:

 

Metellus is a free agent at the end of next year...what are the chances they extend him?  

Edited January 9, 2023 by swede700

[SemperFeist]

1 hour ago, swede700 said:

Metellus is a free agent at the end of next year...what are the chances they extend him?  

It all depends on the cost. What do you pay a solid special teams player/decent backup safety?

[JDBrocks]

 

[swede700]

 

[swede700]

15 hours ago, SemperFeist said:

It all depends on the cost. What do you pay a solid special teams player/decent backup safety?

I think it says a lot about a player when he's made a captain in his 3rd year and only turns 25 in 2 weeks.  

[swede700]

Puts the Vikings in about the 4th worst position, which isn't surprising, but at least they aren't having to move bonus dates like the Saints are in order to give themselves more time to get under the cap.  

[swede700]

 

[vikingsrule]

53 minutes ago, swede700 said:

Puts the Vikings in about the 4th worst position, which isn't surprising, but at least they aren't having to move bonus dates like the Saints are in order to give themselves more time to get under the cap.  

Not a good spot for the Vikes to be in with how bad the defense is, the need for a long term solution at QB and the need to lock up offensive players like Jefferson, Osborn and Hockenson. 

But they are winning this year and have a strong core.

 

[VikeManDan]

There are ways to get ~$30M in cap space. The lack of draft capital could be salvaged some with a possible trade down in round 1. Will be another interesting offseason that's for sure!

[swede700]

25 minutes ago, VikeManDan said:

There are ways to get ~$30M in cap space. The lack of draft capital could be salvaged some with a possible trade down in round 1. Will be another interesting offseason that's for sure!

Agreed.  Unlike the Saints, the Vikings have a lot more avenues to free up space.  The Saints are perennially having to come up with creative ways to get under the cap.  The Vikings are over the cap right now, but they already have 45 players under contract and not a ton of dead cap money.  The Saints are over the cap 7 times as much with only 38 players under contract, so they'll inevitably be pushing more money over to the 2024 cap and put themselves in the same position again then while the Vikings currently have a lot of cap money that falls off after next year.

Edited January 10, 2023 by swede700

[SemperFeist]

I wrote this awhile back, so some of the wording may not be totally relevant anymore, but it’s a good overview on where the team can create cap space;

 

As of right now the projected 2023 salary cap is sitting at $225M. Over the Cap, Spotrac, and PFF are all using that projection, so I’m inclined to believe that it will be a close enough number to move forward with. Currently, the Vikings would be sitting at $5M over that projection. Here’s a list of potential options that they could pursue to create cap space.

1.) Extend or restructure Kirk Cousins. Like previous seasons, Cousins’ contract is a perfect place to start to create space. The Vikings could offer another 2 year extension which would undoubtedly create enough space to get comfortably under the cap. But the team may also have the option of restructuring Cousins’ contract to create space without committing more years to him. 2024 is a void year for Cousins’ contract, and would currently cost the team $12.5M in dead money against that year’s salary cap. But the team could decide to increase that dead money amount, if they wanted to push their chips in for 2023. The only issue is that I’m not 100% sure how void years work. I know teams can convert salary to bonus money and tack in on to future years of that player’s contract without needing the player’s approval. And I know teams need a player’s approval to add void years to a current contract. But I’m unsure how the league views current void years. If we assume that a void year on a contract is seen as any other year on a contract, then the team could convert salary to bonus money, and lower Cousins’ 2023 cap hit. 

But, given the way that the team is playing in 2022 with Cousins, and the fact that they have no heir apparent on the roster, giving Cousins a 1-2 year extension likely makes the most sense. 

2.) Extend Dalvin Tomlinson. Tomlinson currently counts $7.5M against the Vikings 2023 salary cap on a void year. Tomlinson has certainly earned another contract from Minnesota, and it only makes sense to sign him to another 2-3 year contract, kicking that void year down the road and lowering his 2023 cap hit in the process. 

3.) Cut Chris Reed. Reed was seen as a strong depth piece when he signed last year, and he’s probably still a strong depth piece to have on your roster. But Reed has been inactive every week so far in 2022, and his 2023 cap hit is just not worth it for a player who’s inactive each week. Cutting Reed will save the Vikings $2.25M towards the 2023 salary cap.

4.) Cut CJ Ham. O’Connell found a way to use CJ Ham with the fullback on the roster he inherited, but I’m still not sure that the fullback position is a part of O’Connell’s long term vision. If the long term plan is to use more 11 personnel, or even 12 personnel, then cutting Ham and saving $3M in cap space makes a lot of sense. 

5.) Cut Jordan Hicks. If the Vikings see themselves in a window, I’m not really keen on cutting productive players. And Hicks has certainly played up to his contract in 2022. But if the team feels that they have a better option in Asamoah, or they feel they can get a better option in the draft, cutting Hicks would create an additional $5M in cap space. 

6.) Cut, restructure, or extend Dalvin Cook. Cook’s projected $14M cap hit in 2023 is way too high for a running back. Even one who is producing as well as Cook has been. Cutting Cook would save just under $8M in cap space. But there’s also the option to restructure or extend Cook that would also lower his cap hit. I can’t envision an extension, as his current contract already carries him until he’s 30. If Cook is willing to restructure his contract down, that is most likely the preferred outcome. But cutting Cook seems like a strong possibility. 

7.) Cut or extend Eric Kendricks. Cutting Kendricks would certainly free up a strong amount of cap space, $9.5M, in 2023. But where would that leave the team with their linebackers? Kendricks isn’t a player who’s going to break the bank, and his play/leadership certainly warrants keeping him around. If the team sees Kendricks as a strong piece moving forward in this new defensive scheme, then a 2-3 year extension would certainly lower his 2023 cap hit. 

8.) Restructure or extend Za’Darius Smith. Smith signed a very team friendly contract, likely protecting the team in case of continued injury issues. The team could very easily choose to convert some of Smith’s salary in 2023 to bonus money and kick the can down to 2024. Or, given Smith’s production so far in 2022, they could reward him with an extension. Paying him even more money, kicking the can further down the road, and rewarding a veteran player. 

9.) Extend Danielle Hunter. Hunter’s current contract is a bit more complicated than Smith’s. And we really don’t know how the current regime sees Hunter’s future with the team. But, if they see him as a long term option, his contract can be worked on to create space in 2023. With void years already attached to Hunter’s current deal, restructuring his contract is likely out of the question. But, an extension could be agreed to which would kick those years down the road, and possibly free up some space in 2023.

10.) Cut or restructure Adam Thielen. Thielen redid his contract last year, and he’s a prime candidate to redo his contract once again. Cutting Thielen would saving the team just shy of $6.5M in cap space for 2023, but would also leave the team with a big hole at WR. If the team decides to do something with Thielen’s contract in 2023, which they certainly don’t have to do, given Thielen’s age, I would expect the Vikings and Thielen to find common grounds on a contract restructure. 

11.) Restructure Harrison Smith. There’s certainly the option of converting salary to bonus money with Harrison Smith’s contract. Although, given his age, I would expect this to be a last resort type move. Long term it’s probably better to leave his contract alone until he retires. 

[ArcticNorseman]

1 hour ago, VikeManDan said:

There are ways to get ~$30M in cap space. The lack of draft capital could be salvaged some with a possible trade down in round 1. Will be another interesting offseason that's for sure!

So, you want to trade into Rd 2?  😉

[VikeManDan]

6 hours ago, ArcticNorseman said:

So, you want to trade into Rd 2?  😉

Always depends on the board my friend! As far as I'm concerned we can include Hock in the 2023 draft class, we just got him a little early!  

[VikeManDan]

At what point do we start talking pay cut vs restructure for some of these guys? Can't keep kicking the proverbial can down the road so to speak.