Image courtesy of Vikings.com
According to Tom Pelissero of USA Today, the Vikings are currently attempting to trade John Sullivan, their veteran center that is now thought to be fully healthy.
Minnesota is in the process of cutting their roster down to 75 players, and we’ll have updates up on that shortly, but the Sullivan move is certainly interesting from a number of angles.
He is entering the second year of a three year deal and carries a 2016 cap hit of $5.833 million, but the contract was largely front-loaded and cutting him would result in dead cap space of only $666,667. Those numbers are all courtesy of Spotrac.
The attempt to trade the 31 year old Sullivan (I believe Pelissero – there’s never been a reason not to) signals that the Vikings have faith in Joe Berger to man the center of the offensive line again this season, and perhaps beyond.
Berger is 34 years old, however, so there is no promises that he is a long-term solution at the position. Nick Easton and Zac Kerin are currently the other options available on the roster, one of which will almost certainly be retained for depth if Sullivan is indeed shipped out. Easton seems like the likely candidate.
No trades are ever a sure thing in the NFL, as it takes two to tango, but there has been some speculation that the Vikings could find a willing trade partner in the Houston Texans after starter Nick Martin underwent a season ending ankle surgery.
Sullivan was drafted by the Vikings out of Notre Dame in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played one year behind Matt Birk before assuming starting duties and has been a productive Vikings on the field and a model citizen off of it.
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Aww, man. Sully is one of us.
Unless we are getting killed return I don't see any reason why we woukd do this. Our OL depth is precarious elsewhere, and if Fusco or Boone go down it woukd be nice to start Sully and C and slide Berger as needed. If they feel Easton > Sully then ok but I don't see that.
They are trying to trade Sully so they can keep Easton. Sometimes hard choices need to be made to keep the young players.
Leaders are hard to come by . . .
They need to try and trade Wright.
He isn't gone yet, but I was actually going to post after the game that I was starting to wonder if Sullivan could end up being traded come the final cut downs. There are several teams out there that need center help and I would rather flip Sulivan now for even a mid-round pick than loose either Easton or Kerin to waivers and see them go on to be 10 year starters. If they want to keep both of those guys than something has to give and Sullivan is going to draw the short straw. I'm a pretty big believer that Easton is this teams center of the future and is going to be the next great Viking at that position. I just wish I felt half that good about any of our collection of tackles. As far as depth concerns, they wouldn't trade Sully if they didn't think the two young guys were ready to play this year.
I agree about Easton, and Kerin is a good option to be our swing interior lineman of the future behind Berger/Easton, Boone and either Fusco or Harris. I am actually fairly high on our young tackles, Dan, including Clemmings and Sirles, and I think Shepherd could be a swing man for any guard or tackle slot after this year. Any news on the Mike Harris undisclosed illness front?
Huh, Shepherd was cut. I didn't see that coming, at least not until final cuts. I hope he makes the practice squad.