How would Daniel House like to see the draft and free agency shakeout this season? He breaks it down from every angle and provides the Vikings salary cap figures in his latest post.
Here is my offseason prediction for the Vikings free agency decisions and the draft. I will update this list and make changes as I feel neccessary, but here is my first stab at the personnel of this roster.
Free Agents *(Strike-through denotes projected not to return)
Players Cap Savings
DE Jared Allen-
DT Kevin Williams- $100,000
LG Charlie Johnson-
RB Toby Gerhart-
CB Chris Cook-
WR Jerome Simpson-
DT Everson Griffen- $630,000
OL Joe Berger- $555,000
LB Desmond Bishop-
LB Marvin Mitchell-
OT J’Marcus Webb- $630,000
WR Joe Webb-
DT Fred Evans-
QB Josh Freeman-
DE Justin Trattou-
Jamarca Sanford- $1,250,000
Erin Henderson- $750,000
Mistral Raymond- $540,646
John Carlson- $2,000,000
-No doubt these players are gone next season with the new regime entering unless they can prove themselves during the training camp push.
Restructuring:
Chad Greenway: Takes more guaranteed money, drops cap hit to $3,500,000
Total Projected Salary Free Agent Cap Savings: $31,034,880
Contract: Cap Hit
Kevin Williams signs to a 1-year $2,000,000 deal $2,300,000
Everson Griffen signs to a 4-year $36,000,000 deal $10,500,000
Joe Berger signs to a 3-year $3,000,000 deal $1,150,000
J'Marcus Webb signs to a 1-year $850,000 deal $925,000
Fred Evans signs to a 2-year $1,500,000 deal $1,700,000
Total In-Roster Free Agency Signings: $14,825,000
-The Vikings lock in Everson Griffen to a contract and decide to bring Kevin Williams back for one more season. Joe Berger and J'Marcus Webb are signed to provide nice depth amongst the Vikings offensive line. Fred Evans is quietly great at filling in for injured players and his rotational ability will be needed for this team again this year.
Projected Free Offseason Salary Cap Space: $16,209,880
Free Agents Signings:Contract: Cap Hit
S-Bernard Pollard signs 1-year $1,250,000 deal $1,300,000
CB-Alterraun Verner signs 5-year $34,000,000 deal $7,500,000
CB- Captain Munnerlyn signs 4-year $23,000,000 deal $5,800,000
Total Money Spent: $14,600,000
-The Vikings added two very talented cornerbacks in free agency, while finding a safety to pair with Harrison Smith on the backside of the defense. The main focus in free agency will be on the defense side of the ball as the Vikings look to bolster their biggest weakness last year.
Total Salary Cap Space Remaining: $1,609,850
Draft Picks:Round 1- Pick 8: Teddy Bridgewater-QB: Lousiville
Round 2- Pick 40: Chris Borland- ILB: Wisconsin
Round 3- Pick 72: Cyril Richardson- G/OT: Baylor
Round 3- Pick 96: Ed Stinson- DT: Alabama
Round 4- Pick 104: Marcus Smith- DE: Louisville
Round 5- Pick 136: Deion Belue- CB: Alabama
Round 6- Pick 168: Isaiah Lewis- SS: Michigan State
Round 7- Pick 200: Josh Huff- WR: Oregon
-The Vikings get lucky and add their franchise quarterback in the first round this year. Mike Zimmer can't pass up the tenacity that Chris Borland provides and he selects the Wisconsin linebacker who will see his stock rise very high in the NFL draft. In later rounds the Vikings address a wide variety of defensive needs and use just three of their eight picks on the offensive side of the ball.
Leave your comments here, send them to @VikingsCorner, or shoot me an email at vikings.corner@gmail.com.
I can't see the Vikings signing two free agent corner backs. I will give you they sign one. The defense is the weak link for the Vikings, so I agree with your overall premise. They need to draft defense heavily in this draft. Hopefully, a QB falls to them at #8. If not, take the best defense player available.
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