2019 Minnesota Vikings In-Season Thread

Donate To GopherHole
Sid: Vikings, Everson Griffen face contract/salary cap dilemma

The several-million-dollar question for the Vikings salary cap next season is if the team and defensive end Everson Griffen will reach a contract agreement that works for both sides.

Under his current deal, Griffen is due $13.9 million in 2020, $14.4 million in 2021 and $15.5 million in 2022. But the contract was part of a restructured deal the Vikings made with Griffen before this season to save salary cap space, and one of the details was that if Griffen played 65% of defensive snaps this season or reached six sacks, he can void the contract and become an unrestricted free agent.

Griffen has played on 83.9% of defensive snaps this season and already has eight sacks, so he’ll have the ability to become a free agent if he wishes.

The Vikings have a $202.7 million salary cap figure for next season with Griffen’s contract taken into account, but it might be difficult to re-sign their star defensive end.

Griffen worked hard to return to being an elite player. Earlier this season, he told me what he learned from the 2018 season when he missed five games while dealing with mental health issues.

“I’m not going to say it’s easy, you know, but each and every day I go in with the right mind-set and take it and try to win the day, win the moment and try to just help this team win,” Griffen said. “Last year is over and done with. I’m not going to forget it, but it taught me a valuable lesson that it’s OK to ask for help. I’m going to keep on doing that.”

www.startribune.com

Vikings, Everson Griffen face contract/salary cap dilemma

The standout defensive end could void his current contract and become an unrestricted free agent.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Skol Vikes!!
 

We would be hard pressed to pay Griffin big money with Hunter, Kendricks, Smith all Pro's with big contracts. Signing Barr last year pretty much eliminated bringing back Griffin after this year. I am guessing Xavier R. and his $13million will be gone or restructured also. Saftey Anthony Harris is due a big raise too. Lot's of decisions for the team.
 

Rhodes contract will almost certainly be off the books. But they’ll have to either sign another FA to replace him or use yet another high draft pick on CB.
 

forever a gopher said:
Rhodes contract will almost certainly be off the books. But they’ll have to either sign another FA to replace him or use yet another high draft pick on CB.
Click to expand...
Yeah I think they'll look to take a CB again in the first or second rounds. What are the other big needs? OL & DT?
 

With Zimmer's record on CB's, I don't have a lot of faith that blowing another first rounder on a CB is the way to go. Rhodes was dominant for a few seasons, but he came before Zim. But Waynes (11th overall), Alexander (54th overall), and Hughes (30th overall) were first or second rounders, and I think you could argue that they haven't lived up to their draft position.

It would be nice if a mid-level free agent CB was available to go that route, seeing as they're clearing Rhodes' contract. If they don't go CB in the draft, I would think DL and OL are the biggest needs. Unless of course, a viable QB drops to them.
 


I'm trading Cook if you can get a first or high second rounder for him. I dont want to give a RB big money and Mattison has looked good.

You cut everson - saves 13.1 million for cap
you cut linval - saves 8 million
you cut rhodes- saves 8 million
you maybe cut reiff - which saves 9 million

i might try to restrucute linval and reiff, but they arent worth the money they are making now.
 

Look at what Melvin Gordon and Bell brought their teams in trades (nothing.) You're not getting a 1st round pick for Cook as good as he is. Just ride him through his rookie contract and let someone else over-pay him after that. He's great when healthy, but I seriously doubt he'll ever make it through 16 games in a season.
 

Rams loss to San Francisco. Minnesota clinched a playoffs spot. They also can't get the 1 seed with the Rams losing.
 





howeda7 said:
Just ride him through his rookie contract and let someone else over-pay him after that.
Click to expand...
That's pretty much half of what being a good GM is, these days. Know which precious few players you have to pay dearly for, to keep them after their rookie contracts, and knowing which guys you can let go because you're likely to find someone in the draft (or cheaply in the FA) that is either serviceable or if you're lucky will be a star.
 

Home game would be awesome, but I don't see the Pack losing to the Lions.

What team would you most and least like to travel to as a wild card??
 

MplsGopher said:
That's pretty much half of what being a good GM is, these days. Know which precious few players you have to pay dearly for, to keep them after their rookie contracts, and knowing which guys you can let go because you're likely to find someone in the draft (or cheaply in the FA) that is either serviceable or if you're lucky will be a star.
Click to expand...

That's why getting the right QB to carry your team for 10-15 years is so important.

Green Bay, New England, Seattle.
All the other players can pretty much come and go, but having the QB piece, even if highly paid, makes up for a lot of other issues.
 



With the play calling tonight, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Vikings running a flea-flicker in the red zone.

Also a nice use of a TO just to punt from midfield. Why not just take a delay of game? This staff seems so overmatched in big games under Zimmer.
 


Good grief what an awful game. All around.

We are locked into the 6th spot for the playoffs.

Skol Vikes!!
 

The offensive line is awful, which is not a good combination with Cousins, who has no pocket awareness or escapability
 





BleedGopher said:
How about we draft about 12 offensive linemen first.

Skol Vikes!!
Click to expand...
Unless you have two NFL-ready QBs on the roster, you should draft a QB every year. The Vikings have drafted 3 in 10 years. In that timeframe, they've also drafted 2 kickers, a punter and a long snapper.
 

BleedGopher said:
How about we draft about 12 offensive linemen first.

Skol Vikes!!
Click to expand...

I'm all out about using high draft picks on lineman. But all of these years of Spielman neglecting the OL caught up to him.

The quickest fix is to get a QB that can actually dodge pressure
 

Souhan: With a chance to beat Monday night jinx, Vikings' Kirk Cousins regresses

The Vikings missed Dalvin Cook on Monday night.

They missed Kirk Cousins even more.

The Kirk Cousins who played efficiently and sometimes spectacularly since the end of September did not show up for “Monday Night Football” against the Packers. In his place stood Quirk Cousins, master of the bounce pass.

He was almost as bad as a receiver as he was as a quarterback, pratfalling on a third-down route on a trick play that shouldn’t have been necessary.

Cousins’ reputation had previously been soiled by his prime-time performances, some of which could have been excused because he was playing for the laughingstock NFL franchise in Washington.

This was not that. This was Cousins leading a superior roster for a team that was undefeated at U.S. Bank Stadium and enjoying a stunning run of defensive success.

www.startribune.com

With a chance to beat Monday night jinx, Vikings' Kirk Cousins regresses

There's no viable exit strategy for Vikings if Cousins and big games are simply a bad mix
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Skol Vikes!!
 

Breakin' The Plane said:
Why? Probably because you don't like him because he took a ring you think the Vikings "deserved". Or because he whipped the Gophers?
Click to expand...
Um no, I actually really like him and his story. You couldn't be more wrong. He's just not even close to being in the conversation for best QB ever.
 

On paper, you can spin any of our possible first round matchups in a positive light.

- if we go to Seattle, that is a team that is battered by injuries. No RB and shallow depth at WR and TE.
- if we go to Green Bay, meaning they lost to Detroit (on purpose??), you can say that it is statistically very difficult for any team to beat any other team three times in one season
- if we go to New Orleans, you can say that they haven't played very well since the start of November
- if we go to San Fran (by far the least likely, but still mathematically possible), you can say that they're "only" 3-2 at home in the playoffs


Sounds good ..... right .... ?? Guys ... ?
 

BleedGopher said:
How about we draft about 12 offensive linemen first.

Skol Vikes!!
Click to expand...
Exactly! I am not a big Cousins fan but there is no quarterback who can thrive under the pressure that Cousins saw against Green Bay. Cousins is better than average when he gets decent protection.

The Green Bay game exhibited how Dalvin Cook masks the problems with this team. He makes yardage where there is none both running and passing. That forces the defenses to respect the running game. Without that Green Bay just pinned their ears back and rushed the QB with no fear of big runs hurting them.
 

bga1 said:
Exactly! I am not a big Cousins fan but there is no quarterback who can thrive under the pressure that Cousins saw against Green Bay. Cousins is better than average when he gets decent protection.

The Green Bay game exhibited how Dalvin Cook masks the problems with this team. He makes yardage where there is none both running and passing. That forces the defenses to respect the running game. Without that Green Bay just pinned their ears back and rushed the QB with no fear of big runs hurting them.
Click to expand...
That's just genuinely true in football, period. See the Gophers game against Wisconsin.

But yes, Green Bay didn't need to resort to exotic blitz and stunt packages. At times their DL simply made our OL look silly, and Cousins is somewhat terrible at scrambling to avoid sacks. I think I saw a GB defender fall over, but his hand glancingly struck Cousins' ankle and so of course that sent Cousins tumbling to the ground.
 

Charley Walters: Playoff win likely required for new deals for Kirk Cousins, Mike Zimmer, Rick Spielman

Minnesota Vikings contract extensions for quarterback Kirk Cousins, head coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman? Had the Vikings not played so poorly in their 23-10 home-field loss to the Packers last Monday, offseason extensions for each would have seemed probable.

Now, it seems, a playoff victory might be necessary. If not, owner Zygi Wilf might have some tough decisions to make, even for a team that has made it to the postseason by overachieving with 10 victories.

Cousins, Zimmer and Spielman are already signed through the 2020 season, after which their contracts expire.

Cousins, 31, has a guaranteed base salary of $29.5 million for 2020. An extension, per market values, could add two or three years for about $30 million each.


The Vikings could also just let Cousins play out next season’s contract and go from there, especially if he bombs in the postseason.

By the way, the Vikings have no third-string QB for Sunday’s game against Chicago, meaning Cousins might have to relieve Sean Mannion if he gets hurt.

www.twincities.com

Charley Walters: Playoff win likely required for new deals for Kirk Cousins, Mike Zimmer, Rick Spielman

Minnesota Vikings contract extensions for quarterback Kirk Cousins, head coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman? Had the Vikings not played so poorly in their 23-10 home-field loss to …
www.twincities.com www.twincities.com

Skol Vikes!!
 

As someone who is going to be cheering for the Las Vegas Raiders next year, it sucks that the Vikings will probably roll over for the Bears tomorrow, which will drop the 1st round pick of the Bears that is still owed to the Raiders for the Mack trade.

Then again, it's still Trubisky, so who knows what could happen tomorrow. I don't see the Vikings playing a lot of starters very long though.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom