Questions Answered: Meeting with Anthony Richardson, Ramsey’s 2023 Pricetag, Cap Clearing
Dustin Baker
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The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by PurplePTSD. Today is the March 2nd edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].
Questions Answered: Meeting with Anthony Richardson, Ramsey’s 2023 Pricetag, Cap Clearing
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: If the Vikings are meeting with Florida’s Anthony Richardson at the NFL Combine, is that a decent indicator they could draft him?
A: No, unfortunately not. All a meeting with Richardson means is that Minnesota is doing the diligence — like it does every year.
The Vikings will meet oodles of players they won’t ultimately draft. It’s what every team does at this juncture on the calendar.
Of course, Minnesota chatting with Richardson doesn’t hurt anything. But don’t consider the conversation a smoking gun — at all — for the Vikings to draft the Gator.
Q: How can the Vikings afford Jalen Ramsey if they’re cash-strapped?
A: That’s just the thing — they can’t.
Any type of trade for Jalen Ramsey would involve incredible salary cap creativity and wizardry, as the Los Angeles Rams cornerback has the NFL’s second-highest cap hit in 2023 among all cornerbacks. Only Darius Slay has a larger cap hit in 2023.
Ramsey trade theories aren’t very realistic unless the Vikings wave a wand and get under the cap to the tune of $30 or $40 million.
Think of it this way: Ramsey trade ideas for the Vikings involve the team with the third least cap space allegedly wanting to acquire the NFL’s second-most expensive CB. It could work, but it will take financial gymnastics.
Q: When do the Vikings start the process of getting underneath the salary cap?
A: Last year, the process began on March 13th with Kirk Cousins’ contract extension.
So, we’re 11 days away from that date, and this year’s cycle will probably be even sooner because free agency’s “legal tampering” begins on March 13th.
The Vikings are expected to restructure some deals, possibly extend Cousins again, and release some expensive veterans. Cap-clearing measures can start as early as now, as other teams have begun the festivities.
It’s comin.’
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.