Vikings Construct a Billboard Announcing Team is Open for Business
Over the weekend, the Vikings intentionally allowed a team secret to get out into public knowledge. Veteran DT Javon Hargrave and RB Aaron Jones are soon to be cut, as has long been speculated. The key caveat to note is that the cuts haven’t happened yet.
If fact, there’s a very good reason why the cuts haven’t occurred. Dig into how Adam Schefter discussed the matter.
The update from the ESPN insider: “Sources: Vikings have informed running back Aaron Jones and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave that, barring a trade, they will be released at the start of the league year this month. Jones’ release will save the Vikings $7.75 million against the cap, Hargrave’s $10.9 million.”
Zero in on a critical detail: the last-ditch effort to entice a team to show up with a trade offer.
Billboard Says Vikings are Open for Business
At long last, the great descent begins.
The NFL announcing that the league-wide salary cap number came in at $301.2 million gave teams firm clarity. Seeing the budget solidify allows the front office to know where the financial cut off exists, a good source of insight before the difficult calls get made. An individualized Vikings budget places that league-level number alongside the team’s carryover cap space from last year. Minnesota now moves forward to get the finances sorted out.
Opting to cut Jones and Hargrave isn’t much of a surprise. Both are older players coming off inefficient seasons and who are being paid too much. Critically, the trade option has been shoehorned into the conversation.
Essentially, Minnesota is letting the NFL know that each can still be had. There’s even clarity on the timeline for a cut: the start of the new league year, a day that arrives on Wednesday, March 11th. The Vikings, quite possibly, could bring the axe down before then, but there’s an initial update to inform all onlookers of intent and timeline.
The billboard therefore says: come one, come all. Bring even a modest offer and Minnesota will be pleased to do business.
Cutting Javon Hargrave means saving $10,955,882; trading him means saving $14,955,882 (OTC). Cutting Aaron Jones means saving $7,750,000; trading him means saving $9,750,000. The cap savings alone create a nice incentive for pursuing a swap.
There is then, of course, the chance at improving the draft picks. Landing a pick swap such as a 6th in exchange for Hargrave and a 7th would represent a win. Quite possibly, that means pushing a late pick up thirty or forty draft picks while saving $4 million more on the cap (the remaining guaranteed cash owed to Hargrave).
As things stand, there doesn’t appear to be a huge market for these two players. Again, though, go back to the timing: the beginning of the new league year.
Consider a world where a team strikes out during legal tampering to bring in a desired DT and/or RB. Does that same team circle back around to consider a low-risk trade to jump the line for the soon-to-be released players?
Both of Jones and Hargrave are still NFL talents who can play well. Not well enough, the Vikings believe, to justify the current deals. An acquiring team, though, wouldn’t accept the full cap charge, just a portion since some remains on Minnesota’s books.
Letting these two slip into free agency means accepting some risk. Free agents experience the freedom of choosing where to sign. A trade, in contrast, eliminates the player’s ability to exercise the same degree of agency. Even better is that there’s just a single season left on each contract, further mitigating the risk for an acquiring team.
A team in win-now mode could benefit from Hargrave and/or Jones. Every team needs a DT who can rush the passer and a running back with great leadership, blocking, and catching abilities. Do these factors allow the Vikings to persuade a team to send over a draft pick?
The Vikings have other trade candidates among the in-house talent. In particular, there’s Ivan Pace Jr., Jordan Addison, and Walter Rouse. So, too, are there other players who could get subtracted through cut.
Much remains to be determined. Stay tuned.
