Questions Answered: The Next Roster Cut, Derek Carr and Kirk Cousins, Kendricks’ Farewell
Dustin Baker
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The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by PurplePTSD. Today is the March 6th edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].
Questions Answered: The Next Roster Cut, Derek Carr and Kirk Cousins, Kendricks’ Farewell
Also, please note: These are opinion-based responses. Some answers will be incorrect from time to time. But we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.
Q: How does Derek Carr’s new contract affect Kirk Cousins’ possible extension?
A: In a mammoth way. It established Cousins’ “bottom floor” for negotiations at $37.5 million per season, Carr’s new rate.
The Saints hopped into bed with Carr for four years and $150 million — $100 million of which is guaranteed.
Of course, Carr is three years younger than Cousins, so that helped his cause. But if the Vikings want to extend the relationship with Cousins — that’s a big if as of March 6th — they’ll have to match Carr’s money or come damn close to it.
This is the way it goes.
Q: Where does Eric Kendricks rank among the Vikings all-time great off-ball linebackers?
A: Well, these are the contenders in alphabetical order:
- Anthony Barr
- Matt Blair
- Chad Greenway
- E.J. Henderson
- Wally Hilgenberg
- Eric Kendricks
- Ed McDaniel
- Fred McNeill
- Jeff Siemon
- Scott Studwell
- Lonnie Warwick
- Roy Winston
Subtracting recency bias, Kendricks probably ranks around sixth all-time, and that is certainly debatable. Kendricks and Blair are the only Vikings linebackers ever named 1st-Team All-Pro.
Longevity likely reigns in the debate for players like Blair, Hilgenberg, Greenway, Studwell, and Winston.
Q: Who’s the next Viking to get released after Eric Kendricks?
A: We’ll predict Jordan Hicks — another linebacker.
Hicks played decent in 2022 but may not fit the vision for new defensive coordinator Brian Flores. whose specialty is, well, linebackers.
Other names to monitor are Dalvin Cook, C.J. Ham, Chris Reed, Za’Darius Smith, and Adam Thielen.
We do not believe Harrison Smith will exit the franchise.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.