2015 Offseason - Free Agent/Draft Tracker

[frosted]

Adjusted Salary Cap: $149,627,960
Active Contracts: $141,400,645
Dead Money: $6,266,728
Cap Space: $1,960,587

Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA)

• Christian Ponder, QB - Signed with Oakland (1 year, $2,250,000)
  Corey Wooton, DE
  Cullen Loeffler, LS - Re-signed (1 year, 1,050,000)
  Tom Johnson, DT - Re-signed (3 years, $7,000,000)
  Jasper Brinkley, LB - Signed with Dallas (2 years, $6,500,000)
  Vladimir Ducasse, G - Signed with Chicago (1 year, $825,000)
  Joe Berger, OL - Re-signed (2 years, $2,155,000)
  Jerome Felton, FB - Signed with Buffalo (4 years, $9,200,000)

Restricted Free Agents (RFA)

• Mike Harris, T - Re-signed (1 year, $1,542,000)
  Dom DeCicco, LB - Offer not tendered
  Matt Asiata, HB - Re-signed (2 years, $1,600,000)

Exclusive Rights Free Agents (ERFA)

• Josh Samuda, G - Offer not tendered

Outgoing Players (Retired, Traded, Released, etc.)

• Jerome Felton, FB - Opted Out
  Charlie Johnson, G - Released
  Matt Cassel, QB - Traded to Buffalo
  Greg Jennings, WR - Released

Incoming Players Acquired via Unrestricted/Restricted Free Agency and Trade

• Shaun Hill, QB - UFA (2 years, $6,500,000)
  Mike Wallace, WR - Trade
  DuJuan Harris, RB - UFA (1 year, $660,000)
  Taylor Mays, S - UFA (1 year, $795,000)
  Casey Matthews, LB - UFA (1 year, $825,000)
  Terence Newman, CB - UFA (1 year, $2,500,000)
  Kevin McDermott, LS - UFA (2 years, $1,260,000)

Incoming Players Acquired via Draft

• 1st (11) -
  2nd (45) -
  3rd (76) -
  4th (110) -
  5th (137) -
  7th (228) -
  7th (232) -

Players Under Contract for 2015 + Cap Hit

• QB
  Shaun Hill: $3,250,000
  Teddy Bridgewater: $1,556,705
  Mike Kafka: $660,000
  
  HB
  Adrian Peterson: $15,400,000
  Matt Asiata: $800,000
  DuJuan Harris: $660,000
  Jerick McKinnon: $648,750
  Joe Banyard: $585,000
  Henry Josey: $510,000
  Dominique Williams: $435,000
  
  FB
  Zach Line: $585,000
  
  TE
  Kyle Rudolph: $6,550,000
  Rhett Ellison: $1,617,146
  Brandon Bostick: $585,000
  Chase Ford: $585,000
  Ryan Otten: $435,000
  
  WR
  Mike Wallace: $9,900,000
  Cordarelle Patterson: $1,969,377
  Jarius Wright: $1,647,027
  Charles Johnson: $510,000
  Adam Thielen: $510,000
  Kain Colter: $435,000
  Donte Foster: $435,000
  
  OT
  Phil Loadholt: $6,750,000
  Matt Kalil: $6,290,644
  Mike Harris: $1,542,000
  Carter Bykowski: $510,000
  Austin Wentworth: $510,000
  Antonio Richardson: $510,000
  Babatunde Aiyegbusi: $435,000
  
  OG
  Brandon Fusco: $3,550,000
  Joe Berger: $1,120,00
  David Yankey: $561,725
  
  C
  John Sullivan: $7,333,333
  Zac Kerin: $435,000
  
  DE
  Everson Griffen: $8,200,000
  Brian Robison: $5,450,000
  Scott Crichton: $705,507
  Justin Trattou: $660,000
  Isame Faciane III: $435,000
  Leon Mackey: $435,000
  
  DT
  Linval Joseph: $4,600,000
  Tom Johnson: $2,300,000
  Shariff Floyd: $2,202,600
  Shamar Stephen: $526,287
  Chigbo Anunoby: $435,000
  
  LB
  Chad Greenway: $5,575,000
  Anthony Barr: $2,896,250
  Gerald Hodges: $690,027
  Casey Matthews: $665,000
  Audie Cole: $660,000
  Michael Mauti: $600,682
  Josh Kaddu: $660,000
  Brandon Watts: $525,612
  Caeser Rayford: $510,000
  Brian Peters: $435,000
  
  CB
  Captain Munnerlyn: $4,333,333
  Terence Newman: $2,500,000
  Xavier Rhodes: $2,129,046
  Marcus Sherels: $1,250,000
  Josh Robinson: $1,726,250
  Shaun Prater: $660,000
  DeMarcus Van Dyke: $660,000
  Jabari Price: $525,455
  Jalil Carter: $442,500
  
  S
  Harrison Smith: $2,271,355
  Robert Blanton: $1,594,763
  Andrew Sendejo: $1,066,666
  Taylor Mays: $635,000
  Antone Exum: $538,947
  Ahmad Dixon: $510,000
  
  K
  Blair Walsh: $689,483
  
  P
  Jeff Locke: $631,048
  
  LS
  Cullen Loeffler: $665,000
  Kevin McDermott: $585,000

Source: Spotrac

[Pondering Her Percy]

Good work frosted!! Spotrac is where I get a lot of my information as well. I think Tom Johnson and Joe Berger are must-signs. I would like Felton back but I have a feeling he might opt out. Especially if Adrian is gone.

[frosted]

Just glancing over the information, a few things stand out to me:

- While we don't have many notable free agents to resign this offseason, I am aware that a number of key contributors will be going into the final year of their contract next season (Harrison, Kalil, Blanton, Walsh, Robinson, Wright, Greenway). With Harrison, I'm absolutely certain they'll at least pick up the fifth year option (barring a long term extension, which might make more sense). It would be interesting to see what they do with Kalil. In any case, my point being, we could see some of these guys get extensions this offseason, in order to lock them up for a few years. I always believe in the philosophy that you try to keep the guys you hit on in the draft, rewarding them for their play, and developing continuity within the organization. So, even though there aren't many contracts expiring this year, I still think we could see some money spent on "in-house" guys this offseason. To what extent, and whom, I don't know for sure.

- I mentioned above that Chad will be entering the final year of his contract. His cap number of $8,800,000 is awfully high. He may be one player worth approaching about taking a pay cut. If he won't, I wouldn't be surprised to see him released. Other players of note with high cap numbers, possibly worth looking into restructure and/or release are Adrian, Jennings, Charlie Johnson, Felton, Cassel, Ben Tate, Robison. I'm very interested to see what happens on this front. I would guess they're going to want to free up some cap space.

- There are reports that the cap could be higher than the estimate produced by the NFL, so there's that.

- Jerome Felton has an option in his contract to void the final year of his deal, thus why he's listed in the UFA section and as 'under contract'. He would be a fool to void the deal, since he'd be unlikely to make that much on the open market. I consider him a prime candidate for restructure/release.

- What a bargain some of these guys are. Charles Johnson's cap hit of $510,000 is peanuts, considering the way he has played lately. Jarius at $765,027 is a great deal as well.

- Everson Griffen is getting a lot of money, but he is certainly earning it in the first year of his contract. As the market for pass rushers grows over the next few years, he will actually be under-paid, IMO. His cap hit of 8,200,000 is currently 11th among all NFL defensive ends. The nice thing about the way his contract is structured, his cap hit doesn't go up from its current number until the last year of the contract (2018), and even then, it only rises to 9,700,000.

- As far as the UFA that we have, I hope they make a good faith effort to bring back Wooton, Tom Johnson, and Joe Berger. Johnson and Berger are getting up there in age, but they are important depth pieces. They should be be able to be had at a fairly reasonable cost. I still think Wooton can be a valuable pass rusher, as part of a rotation. With nary a sack his year, he's been a disappointment, but he's only two seasons removed from a 7 sack season in Chicago and he is still only 27 years old. Should be cheap to retain.

- If Teddy really does turn out to be the real deal, it'll be nice to have an established QB under contract for chicken scratch for a few years. That really provides roster/salary cap flexibility, a la the Seahawks the past three seasons with Russ Wilson.

- I will update the OP throughout the offseason, so we have a handy tool to go off of, as far as tracking player movement for the Vikes in free agency/draft.

[frosted]

Good work frosted!! Spotrac is where I get a lot of my information as well. I think Tom Johnson and Joe Berger are must-signs. I would like Felton back but I have a feeling he might opt out. Especially if Adrian is gone.

Re: Felton - I feel like he'd have a hard time getting that much money on the open market. Fullbacks are really devalued in the league right now, which is why I feel he wouldn't choose to opt out (though, his lack of playing time might give him pause). That said, I think the Vikes either move on from him, or ask him to take a pay cut. Whether he would do so, I'd guess no, but it's worth a shot I suppose. Either way, I expect to see him playing elsewhere next season, unfortunately.

[PurpleKoolaid]

Man, is Jennings overpaid!

Felton may have to be let go, Asiata resigned as a FB/HB. And Cobb as primary RB if we draft him. Cobb and McKinnon would be a nice 1-2 punch.

Berger and Tom Jonson are a must, and give Charlie Johnson a nice shinny contract.

[Pondering Her Percy]

Man, is Jennings overpaid!

Felton may have to be let go, Asiata resigned as a FB/HB. And Cobb as primary RB if we draft him. Cobb and McKinnon would be a nice 1-2 punch.

Berger and Tom Jonson are a must, and give Charlie Johnson a nice shinny contract.

Charlie Johnson???

[PurpleKoolaid]

Charlie Johnson???

Im just going to write Johnson (wr) from now own.
Although Johnsons names hasn't come up too many times the past few game, not even false start.
We have to be very carefully what we do with Phil and Load.

[Pondering Her Percy]

Im just going to write Johnson (wr) from now own.
Although Johnsons names hasn't come up too many times the past few game, not even false start.
We have to be very carefully what we do with Phil and Load.

Well Johnson has been out with an injury. I'm not sure what you're last comment meant. Are you enjoying some knob creek right now?

[Demi]

Man, Cassel, Peterson, and Greenway

[IIsweet]

To me, we trade AD to Dallas.
Also, we release Jennings, Greenway, Felton, and OG Johnson.
That's $40.2 million. Add Robison and it's $45.65 million. Add Cassel and it's $51.4 million
There's got to be some cap hit for those, but that's a fortune to target strengthening our team tied up in only 7 players. Realistically we got very little out of them. Granted, they bring experience, leadership, and professionalism to the team, but we got very little return on those guys.
Question..... Do we keep OG Johnson and his 2.5 and release Kalil and his 6.3 ?
Then add another LT for less than Kalil.

[mmvikes]

To me, we trade AD to Dallas.
Also, we release Jennings, Greenway, Felton, and OG Johnson.
That's $40.2 million. Add Robison and it's $45.65 million. Add Cassel and it's $51.4 million
There's got to be some cap hit for those, but that's a fortune to target strengthening our team tied up in only 7 players. Realistically we got very little out of them. Granted, they bring experience, leadership, and professionalism to the team, but we got very little return on those guys.
Question..... Do we keep OG Johnson and his 2.5 and release Kalil and his 6.3 ?
Then add another LT for less than Kalil.

WOW. I don't know how to respond to that without sounding like a total d! (khead.

[IIsweet]

Is it extreme? Sure, but we want a contender for a long time correct. Obviously cutting all is not going to happen, but that's a lot of our cap and we can use that to add quality players who can give same output but for much less.
I have always been a Greenway fan, being a Hawkeyes and Viking, but he is too slow to play OLB now.
I would trade AD to Dallas for a 1st rder. That could give us the opportunity to draft 2 offensive playmakers.
In rd 2 draft MLB Reggie Ragland of ' Bama, I'm a big fan of Bama LBers.
Rd 3 I like WR Vince Mayle of Washington State, Devin Smith of Ohio State, and Ty Montgomery of Stanford. Unless WR is addressed in rd 1 with Parker, Cooper, White, or Strong.
Honestly, I would probably keep Robison, restructure Greenway and probably make him a swing LB, and restructure Jennings. Cassel is a nice, but expensive backup with TB establishing himself.
I think we are very close with a key player here or there.
Having that surplus $ could lock up our young studs for a while.....

[Purple bruise]

To me, we trade AD to Dallas.
Also, we release Jennings, Greenway, Felton, and OG Johnson.
That's $40.2 million. Add Robison and it's $45.65 million. Add Cassel and it's $51.4 million
There's got to be some cap hit for those, but that's a fortune to target strengthening our team tied up in only 7 players. Realistically we got very little out of them. Granted, they bring experience, leadership, and professionalism to the team, but we got very little return on those guys.
Question..... Do we keep OG Johnson and his 2.5 and release Kalil and his 6.3 ?
Then add another LT for less than Kalil.

Kalil is coming back into form and to me it would be very foolish to even talk about getting rid of him. Watch and see.

[CbusVikesFan]

Man, Cassel, Peterson, and Greenway

No ####!!! These humps are making way too much.

[IIsweet]

Keeping Kalil is best case scenario if he performs. Thus adding 1 or 2 elite playmakers early in draft helps us tremendously.
I still want to mention, that not only do we have McKinnon, but we also have Ben Tate. He has always produced when healthy.
Still if we somehow were able to get Cooper with our first pick, not likely as projected top 5, but realistically Parker..... I would be happy. Over the moon if Gordon is sitting there around the later 1st rd and we have Dallas' pick.