Vikings Could Be Facing Some Tough Roster Decisions Soon
Joe Johnson
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The Minnesota Vikings have been trying hard to put a championship caliber team together and keep it together. Of course, to keep the major pieces in place, there is only one thing they can do— pay up. In recent years, they have been doing a great job taking care of players.
But, the more guys they do take care of, the harder it gets to continue to do so. When it comes down to it, if they don’t pay their best players what they are worth—or can’t – someone will.
You can only do so much with the salary cap being what it is. So, as the start of the new league year draws near, the Vikings could find themselves faced with making some tough (and not so tough) roster decisions.
The Tough Decisions
If a guy is not playing well, is injured all the time, or is buried on the depth chart, it is an easy call. You don’t worry about giving them a raise and maybe even cut them loose. However, when guys do play well or outplay their current contract, you need to pay them accordingly or just release them.
Adam Thielen has outplayed his contract, and, according to the rumor mill, the team could be giving him a new extension in the off-season. Nonetheless the following players are due for new contracts, but the team may have to let them walk:
• Anthony Barr, linebacker: The four-time Pro Bowl linebacker is just 26 and getting ready to enter his prime years. With how he has played and his skillset, he is going to be able to command top-dollar when free agency starts. As much as the Vikings would love to retain one of the most athletic linebackers in the game, other teams are going to offer much more—too much for him to turn down.
• Sheldon Richardson, defensive tackle: The 28-year old defensive tackle signed with the Vikings last season on a one-year, proving it as a positive deal. With 50 tackles, 4.5 sacks, six tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hits, it is safe to say that he did. Letting him go would make the interior of their front seven significantly weaker—but they will probably not be able to afford the $8 million/season he is worth.
• Latavius Murray, running back: While the running game has not been the greatest at times, Murray has earned his paycheck the last few seasons. He was especially valuable as insurance for Dalvin Cook. However, there will likely be other teams willing to pay more for his services than the Vikings will want to.
• Anthony Harris, safety: With Andrew Sendejo missing so much time due to injuries last year, the Vikings (and the rest of the NFL) were able to see Harris’s potential. Declining Sendejo’s $5.5 million option could create enough space to re-sign Harris. If they don’t, with the money they need to spend elsewhere, he will likely be gone.
The Not-So Tough Decisions
These are guys that are not necessarily bad players. Still, for several possible reasons, the team doesn’t need to retain their services any longer.
• Trevor Siemian, quarterback: As nice as it is to have a backup with experience as a starter, Siemian doesn’t have so much that he is worth keeping over a promising young guy like Kyle Sloter.
• Ameer Abdullah, running back: If they can’t or don’t keep Latavius Murray, they may need to keep Abdullah in case Dalvin Cook has injury issues again. With how he has played, they will not have to worry about getting into a bidding war for his services. But should he leave—eh, no big deal.
• Dan Bailey, kicker: For the first seven years of his career, he was one of the best kickers in the business Last year, it was evident why the Cowboys let him go. The Vikings should do the same.
• Nick Easton, guard: A herniated disk in his neck caused him to miss last season. Because of that, they could probably get him at a bargain rate, but neck injuries are no joke. His health will indicate whether they try to bring him back.
Other players the Vikings will have to make decisions on include: Tom Compton (guard), Brett Jones (center), Tom Johnson (defensive tackle), Marcus Sherels (cornerback), and George Iloka (safety).