The Vikings’ 5 Most Lucrative Cut Candidates
Very soon, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is going to need to pull out his red pen. Some names will need to be scratched off the roster list in an effort to save money.
The Vikings’ 5 most lucrative cut candidates are therefore going to be under some scrutiny before long. A recent estimate had Minnesota at worse than $46 million in debt. Using Over the Cap, consider who could get axed with a simple pre-June 1 cut to clear out the most room possible.
The Vikings’ 5 Most Lucrative Cut Candidates
Cut Candidate #5 — Ryan Kelly, Center
Seeing Ryan Kelly stick around without his deal getting adjusted feels incredibly unlikely.
The center is capable of offering elite play. Minnesota has yearned for someone of his abilities for a long time. The lone, glaring problem is that he hasn’t been able to stay healthy.
The offensive lineman has been in the NFL since 2016. In a lot of ways, that’s an asset since that experience helps to offset the learning curve for J.J. McCarthy. The great problem is simply that getting older leads to being less likely to maintain health.
Kelly’s projected cap charge looked like it could totally wiped out with zero dead money, but a recent adjustment to OTC clarifies that some money will stay behind. Expect a cut for Ryan Kelly unless he agrees to a pay cut.
Cap Savings: $8,750,000.
Dead Money: $3,367,500.
Likelihood of a Cut: High.
Cut Candidate #4 — T.J. Hockenson, Tight End
In 2023, T.J. Hockenson offered the Vikings borderline elite play. Not so since then.
The major hurdle appears to be his significant knee injury at the end of that season. Coming back in 2024, Hockenson hasn’t quite been the same. Seldom does he score and the explosive gains have been modest.
However, a few glimmers of hope did shine through at the end of the season. Mr. McCarthy appears to enjoy tossing the ball to his tight ends, so keeping the 28-year-old pass catcher in the Twin Cities appears to be the best route forward.
Cap Savings: $8,930,000.
Dead Money: $12,425,000.
Likelihood of a Cut: Possible.
Cut Candidate #3 — Javon Hargrave, Defensive Tackle
At times, Mr. Javon Hargrave appears to be shot out of a cannon. He’s capable of being unusually explosive coming out of his stance, putting o-linemen on their heels and off balance extremely quickly.
But while he possesses this excellent ability, Hargrave has had a modest impact on the season.
In fourteen games, Hargrave has picked up 45 tackles. There have been 3.5 sacks, 5 quarterback hits, and 4 tackles for loss. For good measure, Mr. Hargrave has added a forced fumble and fumble recovery.
Similar to Kelly, the option could be a pay cut or get cut.
Cap Savings: $11,000,000.
Dead Money: $10,497,500.
Likelihood of a Cut: Probable.
Cut Candidate #2 — Jonathan Greenard, Edge Rusher
The excellent edge rusher is going to remain as a Viking. The lone question is whether he’ll see his deal restructured.
At just $19 million per season, Jonathan Greenard is underpaid. Many edge rushers make considerably more (including some who aren’t as good). He’s not the athlete that Andrew Van Ginkel is, but Greenard plays with unusual physicality and effort.
The current EDGE1 is somewhat reminiscent of Everson Griffen but he doesn’t move as elegantly (few do; Griffen was a ballerina in shoulder pads). Each of Greenard and Griffen possess an impressive motor.
Close to $13 million could be cleared off the books with a restructure. Look for that option instead of a cut.
Cap Savings: $12,400,000.
Dead Money: $9,900,000.
Likelihood of a Cut: Low.
Cut Candidate #1 — Brian O’Neill, Right Tackle
The best route is to extend the team captain.
Doing so comes with a pair of benefits. The cap space could see $14.16 million liberated. That’s an excellent boost. Minnesota would then have the benefit of keeping the right tackle around for a while longer.
The towering tackle stands at 6’7″ and is listed as being 310 pounds. He ran a 4.82 forty coming into the NFL, a blistering time for a large lad. Expect Mr. O’Neill to command an extended contract not a torn up contract.
Cap Savings: $19,500,000.
Dead Money: $3,703,892.
Likelihood of a Cut: Low.
