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| On 9 years ago

2015 Minnesota Vikings : Top 10 Salary Cap Hits

By Brent LaBathe

Image courtesy of Vikings.com

Already thinking about 2015 free agency? Take a look at the Vikings top 10 salary cap hits and dead money tied to them.

Earlier this week I found this via twitter and Shane Richardson.

I thought it did a nice job of providing a clean look at where the Vikings top money was headed for next year.

For months, there has been talk about Vikings potentially asking guys like Greg Jennings, Chad Greenway and Adrian Peterson to restructure their contracts.  You can now see why and how much money is tied up in their roster spots.

With Greenway growing older, he looks to be the most likely cap casualty, unless he’s willing to take a reduced deal for a final year in purple.

Peterson is also an obvious candidate for contract reworking, noting his age and off the field circumstances. Additionally, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater’s emergence as potential offensive leader within the organization, gives the Vikings further leverage.

Peterson’s willingness to remain in Minnesota does depend on the amount of money the Vikings are opting to pay him.  A $15.4M salary cap hit is not something I’m sure the Vikings are taking lightly and with only $2.4M in dead money, cutting Peterson carries limited financial risk for the Vikings.

Jennings does command a larger cap hit, and arguments can be made about his ability to fulfill those expectations, but his dead money number isn’t exactly small and his seemingly growing chemistry with Bridgewater doesn’t give the Vikings many options.

There has been a lot of clamoring for the Vikings to add Larry Fitzgerald during the off season, but I don’t see that happening with the money due to Jennings, and their similar age and current talent level.

With the below par season defensive end Brian Robison had, he looks to be a restructuring candidate as well, but his contract is much more team friendly at this point when compared to those mentioned above.

Top 10 Vikings Cap Hits, Dead Money & PFF scores for each.

The Vikings are in a very favorable position in terms of cap room, draft position and current roster talent. Although there are obvious holes to be filled, with another strong draft and productive free agency period, the Vikings could be on the up and up in all areas. My hope is that the Vikings take advantage of this and become somewhat aggressive at continuing to improve.

After taking a look, Vikings fans, who would be your top restructuring priorities in order to make the most out of free agency?

Brent LaBathe

Brent LaBathe (Contributor) Cloud technology leader by day, sports nut by night, Brent is a local purple diehard who's passion for the team boarders on obsession. After graduating from St. Cloud State in 2008, he was a contributing writer for mvn.com and has always had a passion for writing. When he's not cursing his golf clubs for failing him yet again, he's constantly on twitter @BrentLaBathe.

View Comments

  • Good article. Here is what I would do if I were GM:

    Restructure AD + Greenway
    Cut Charlie Johnson(LG)
    Sign Orlando Franklin(LG)
    Sign King Dunlap(LT)
    Draft DeVante Parker(WR) at #11
    Move up from #45 and fourth rounder, Draft Marcus Peters(CB)
    Draft either Eric Kendricks or Paul Dawson(LB) in RD 3

    Do this and we are headed to the playoffs next year!

    GO VIKES!!

    • I like the first 2 steps possibly Franklin too but I'd like Shreff at 11 personally. No need to sign Dunlap if we've got Shreff.
      I'd love Peters in the 2nd and kendricks in the third but there's no way he falls that far.