2023 Vikings Off Season Thread

[Vanimal46]

That dead cap hit is going to hurt. 

[Mike Sixel]

2 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

2 silver linings: We are 100% moving on from Kirk after the 2023 season, even potentially this offseason. Lowering his cap hit to $20 million opens up the possibility for a trade even more. 

Downside: That’s going to be a nasty, costly dead cap hit in 2024. 

They are sitting on like 120 million in space next year.....I doubt they could spend that much if they wanted to.

[nicksaviking]

Initially, I agreed with Van, pay the piper now, not the next few years.

But if they have that much money to spend in 2024 as Mike says, then I guess it doesn't much matter.

Seems like they can go ahead and extend JJ at any time now.

[Danchat]

Bradbury returns for 15.75M/3. Affordable, but likely means our OL isn’t going to improve by too much next year. 
 

I’m surprised they aren’t extending Kirk. I really thought they would, so I have to wonder what the long-term plan at QB is…

[Mike Sixel]

That's a lot less than they are paying a blocking TE......If Garret struggles, no biggie to let him go.

 

 

[nicksaviking]

2 hours ago, Danchat said:

Bradbury returns for 15.75M/3. Affordable, but likely means our OL isn’t going to improve by too much next year. 
 

I’m surprised they aren’t extending Kirk. I really thought they would, so I have to wonder what the long-term plan at QB is…

Kirk is 35. It wasn't going to be a long term plan if they extended him either. And thank god they didn't.

[cHawk]

8 hours ago, Danchat said:

I’m surprised they aren’t extending Kirk. I really thought they would, so I have to wonder what the long-term plan at QB is…

I hope the plan is to tank for a Top 5 pick

[Danchat]

14 minutes ago, cHawk said:

I hope the plan is to tank for a Top 5 pick

Seeing how they’re giving out two $10M+ deals to free agents in 2023, no, they’re not tanking. Kirk’s gravitational pull to .500 will also prevent tanking.

[Vanimal46]

He was my top FA that the Vikings could realistically sign. I LOVE this deal. Huge upside potential, 25 years old, who’s shown some ability already to be a shutdown corner. 

[gunnarthor]

Vikings also resigned K Greg Joseph. 

[Danchat]

14 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

He was my top FA that the Vikings could realistically sign. I LOVE this deal. Huge upside potential, 25 years old, who’s shown some ability already to be a shutdown corner. 

It’s actually a 2/18 deal with the incentives removed, so it’s a great value. However, I definitely wouldn’t call him a shutdown CB, as his PFF grades are average at best and he is not a great fit in a man heavy def like Flores’, being that he’s one of the slowest CBs in football. Still, he’s young and I’m trusting Flores on how to use him.

[Vanimal46]

I’m good with bringing him back at this rate. Now let’s do something about Dalvin. 

[Danchat]

I didn't think Mattison would be back, he's a fine backup and great to have on third downs, but he'd be a liability as the primary starter, his rushing numbers the past two years are near the bottom in efficiency. Still not sure about Cook, it was looking like he'd be back since multiple trade offers were on the table, you would think they would have pulled the trigger. The decision will mean a lot for Ty Chandler, if they move Cook then there is a lot of potential for him to step up and take touches from Mattison, if they keep him then Chandler is probably a weekly inactive again.

[Vanimal46]

1 minute ago, Danchat said:

I didn't think Mattison would be back, he's a fine backup and great to have on third downs, but he'd be a liability as the primary starter, his rushing numbers the past two years are near the bottom in efficiency. Still not sure about Cook, it was looking like he'd be back since multiple trade offers were on the table, you would think they would have pulled the trigger. The decision will mean a lot for Ty Chandler, if they move Cook then there is a lot of potential for him to step up and take touches from Mattison, if they keep him then Chandler is probably a weekly inactive again.

I still don’t think Mattison will be the primary starter if/when we get rid of Cook. This is a deep RB draft class. I’d love to draft one in the 3rd/4th round… Tank Bigsby, Zach Evans, and Zach Charbonnet are my targets. 

In regards to Dalvin, I’m guessing all we’re getting for trade offers is a 7th round pick. He’s simply making too much money and clearly lost a step last season. Not going to get any better for him. 

[nicksaviking]

I too hope Mattison isn't the starter. He's decent enough as a backup, but he's not a dynamic runner, not even a little bit. Even if they don't draft someone, I hope Chandler or Nwangwu end up getting the bulk of the carries.

I don't really understand this move. Why not wait to see what other RBs end up left and sign them to league minimum? There will be some left that are as good as Mattison.

[Musk21]

Harrison Smith staying with the Vikings.  $8 million with up to $2 mill in incentives for 2023.

[gunnarthor]

17 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

I’m good with bringing him back at this rate. Now let’s do something about Dalvin. 

That's not starter money. Wonder if he has some incentives? I like him as part of our running back core but not as the main guy, and it seems like most agree.

[Danchat]

13 minutes ago, gunnarthor said:

That's not starter money. Wonder if he has some incentives? I like him as part of our running back core but not as the main guy, and it seems like most agree.

Incentives can get it to at most $8M, and I think he has $6.5M guaranteed. It’s top backup money.

[Mike Sixel]

Bringing back the gang .. oh well 

[Parfigliano]

7 hours ago, Danchat said:

Incentives can get it to at most $8M, and I think he has $6.5M guaranteed. It’s top backup money.

Seems fair since thats what he is.

[Vanimal46]

I’m getting slightly concerned that Davenport wasn’t at the press conference yesterday. Hopefully he doesn’t do the old switcharoo and sign elsewhere. Probably indicates why ZaDarius is still on the roster. 

Today has to be the day to make a decision on Dalvin Cook. Some of his salary becomes guaranteed today, as well as Z Smith. 

[Danchat]

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

I’m getting slightly concerned that Davenport wasn’t at the press conference yesterday. Hopefully he doesn’t do the old switcharoo and sign elsewhere. Probably indicates why ZaDarius is still on the roster. 

Today has to be the day to make a decision on Dalvin Cook. Some of his salary becomes guaranteed today, as well as Z Smith. 

The deadline basically determines that the Vikings won't cut them, but you can trade guaranteed salary. For Cook, the RB market has moved and I don't see a whole lot of teams who want a bellcow left. For Smith, there are plenty of teams that could use a pass rusher of his caliber. For these reasons, I'm predicting that Cook does not get traded and plays 2023 for the Vikings, but Smith does eventually get moved (with the acquiring team giving him a new contract).

[Vanimal46]

Not a good day for Kwesi. We are running out of realistic moves to fit the free agent signings + keeping Cook and Z Smith. Sure, they can both be traded anytime. However, today was the deadline to make a decision before additional guaranteed money was added to the books. I’m at a loss. 

$20 million total cap hit for Cook, Mattison, and Ham. That’s not how I envision an analytical GM to operate…

[Danchat]

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

Not a good day for Kwesi. We are running out of realistic moves to fit the free agent signings + keeping Cook and Z Smith. Sure, they can both be traded anytime. However, today was the deadline to make a decision before additional guaranteed money was added to the books. I’m at a loss. 

$20 million total cap hit for Cook, Mattison, and Ham. That’s not how I envision an analytical GM to operate…

I'm definitely not a fan of the DL Lowry move, he's a mediocre lineman that the Packers benched by the end of the year and he doesn't stop the run well or rush the passer, oh and he's no longer in his prime. Sounds like $8.5M - or however much he's guaranteed - down the toilet.

I think Ham gets axed, but they may be waiting to see if there's a FB they like in the draft, as weird as that sounds. If they don't find a FB they like, they'll probably force Ham to take a pay cut and keep him. Which doesn't make a ton of sense to me as they appear to plan on using Oliver on 50-60% of the snaps... add on a FB, and we're basically running an old school offense or like what the Ravens or doing, minus a hyper-athletic QB. That's a weird wrinkle for KOC, of whom I thought would want to hoard WRs, but instead our WR depth is rough.

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

Not a good day for Kwesi. We are running out of realistic moves to fit the free agent signings + keeping Cook and Z Smith. Sure, they can both be traded anytime. However, today was the deadline to make a decision before additional guaranteed money was added to the books. I’m at a loss. 

$20 million total cap hit for Cook, Mattison, and Ham. That’s not how I envision an analytical GM to operate…

Ditto 

[Danchat]

We're bringing the OL back together, as we've re-signed all of our OL free agents. Not what I would have done after getting their butts kicked by a bad Giants defense in the playoffs, but they love their continuity. Udoh did play rather well at RT once O'Neill went out, but RT is the only position he's not terrible at. I just hope they replace Schlottmann in the draft (and eventually Bradbury) because he is legitimately the worst center in football, by a country mile.

[Danchat]

Thielen got a 3/$25M with $14M guaranteed from the Panthers, a solid payday and a boatload of targets as the unquestioned #1 WR there (the next receivers up are Laviska Shenualt and Terrace Marshall). He won't be chasing a ring and might get shutdown but opponents' #1 CB... but maybe he'll be the top receiver for the next rookie phenom QB. Emphasis on maybe.

[wabene]

I guess Thielen wants the ball more than he wants to win. 

[Mike Sixel]

8 hours ago, wabene said:

I guess Thielen wants the ball more than he wants to win. 

He wants money, as any rational employee does.

[wabene]

3 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

He wants money, as any rational employee does.

Couldn't he have gotten that money with the Vikes with a better chance to win? He picked a rebuilding team where he is the number one receiver. I don't know how many other offers he had though.