Why the Minnesota Vikings Think that Monday, June 1st is an Important Day
The Minnesota Vikings have their eyes on Monday, June 1st. Wouldn’t you be watching a day that’s going to bring a financial windfall coming in at $12.5 million?
In what feels like a lifetime ago, the Vikings opted for post-June 1 cuts for DT Jonathan Allen and S Harrison Smith. Opting for that route meant less fireworks in March. The benefit, though, is a nice boost to the budget in the summer. Very soon, the patience is literally going to pay off.
The Minnesota Vikings & The June 1st Cap Boost
Seeing the Jauan Jennings details get across the finish line meant earning clarity.
Over the Cap puts Minnesota a touch beyond $2.9 million. Pretty modest. The good news, though, is that the nine-person draft class has been signed, meaning there’s going to be no more damage done to the cap due to their deals. Likewise, the UDFAs have been onboarded and then the blocking bully of a WR3, Mr. Jennings, is worked into the mix. He’s accounting for $9,530,000 within the accounting.
Furthermore, there’s optimism due to the upcoming cap enhancement.
Jonathan Allen is going to see $11.2 million from his contract given back in open cap space. Harrison Smith’s situation is quite a bit more modest, but he’ll see $1.3 million liberated. Combined, that’s a cap climb coming in at $12.5 million to partner with the roughly $3 million that’s sitting there already.
Bringing things around to the most basic numbers means seeing a cap space total sitting at $15 million as June gets going. Not a reason to throw a parade, but not too shabby.
Right now, the Vikings are digesting more than $45 million in dead money. Such is the cost of doing business, especially since several well-paid veterans didn’t work out.
Cutting Allen does create cap space, but it also creates cap commitments that can’t be moved. Just Allen alongside Javon Hargrave are chewing up more than $20 million even though neither are employees of the Minnesota Vikings. Toss Jonathan Greenard into the mix and the dead money moves past $30 million.
Next year, the dead money is already sitting at close to $12.3 million.
Do the Minnesota Vikings lean on some of their newfound financial freedom to attract a solid veteran (or two)? Some insist that adding a center and/or an edge rusher would help. Some optimism exists about the in-house talent at edge rusher, but there’s no such thing as too many capable pass rushers.
Keep in mind, as well, that more cap space can be manufactured through trading, extensions, and so on. RT1 Brian O’Neill, in particular, appears to be someone who will get extended.
The Minnesota Vikings are in the process of working through OTAs. Next up for offseason work is mandatory minicamp, taking place in June, before training camp gets rolling in July.
