Questions Answered: The Tomlinson Reversal, Allen Lazard in 2023, When on the Cap
Dustin Baker
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The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by PurplePTSD. Today is the February 22nd edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].
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.
Questions Answered: The Tomlinson Reversal, Allen Lazard in 2023, When on the Cap
Q: Do you now expect the Vikings to re-sign Dalvin Tomlinson after they postponed his dead-cap penalty due date?
A: We do, indeed. Because — why else extend the deadline if you’re not interested in continuing the relationship?
The Vikings tipped their hand, pushing the date his void cap money hits the books until March 15th. To put it bluntly, this means nothing else other than they want him back in the middle of the defensive line in 2023.
Plus, Tomlinson was the team’s most consistent defender. Assuming he doesn’t want an astronomical contract, Minnesota should retain Tomlinson. And we think it’ll happen.
Q: Does Allen Lazard, as a free agent addition, move the needle for you?
A: This one is a “sure, I guess,” from us.
Lazard is a decent receiver, and we view him in the same vein as K.J. Osborn — wonderful at times, quiet at others.
He’ll probably fetch a handsome contract — free-agent WRs have a reputation for getting the bag — so we’d prefer the Vikings use the NFL draft for a potential WR2. While that hypothetical guy develops, Minnesota can use some combination of Adam Thielen, Osborn, Jalen Reagor, and tight end T.J. Hockenson to pick up the WR2 slack.
Or perhaps — maybe the rookie WR2 can be good-good right away. It’s the Viking way.
Q: When can we expect the Vikings to clear cap space?
A: That can occur as early as now but usually hits a feverish pace in the first two weeks of March.
The kickoff to the clear-cap-space event is generally a Kirk Cousins contract extension. We tentatively expect that maneuver once again, a move that could save around $15 million in 2023 cap space.
Then, watch for restructures and (or) releases for Adam Thielen, Dalvin Cook, Eric Kendricks, C.J. Ham, and Jordan Hicks. Those are the biggies for cap maneuverability.
We’re probably two weeks away.
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.