Remember how awful the line looked without Jsh Kline in 2019? Well, get ready for more of that in 2020 as the Vikings just released the 30 year old.
I understand Xavier Rhodes, and Everson Griffen and while it sucks I also see where they were coming from in regard to both Linval Joseph and Stefon Diggs. Those moves saved significant amounts of cash, and outside of the latter two perhaps, also were players beyond their prime that were still making prime dollars.
But can someone explain the Josh Kline news to me?
The Vikings announced that they had terminated the 30-year-old right guard’s contract just now, and while Kline (who had not missed any games in multiple seasons) had missed three games in his first season in Minnesota, he and right tackle Brian O’Neill (at least in terms of run blocking especially) were the only positives on an otherwise atrocious offensive line.
It wasn’t about money, as the move will save the Vikings $1,569,701 in the salary cap and will also give them $4,466,667 in dead money, which makes this move the type of head scratcher that exposes bone.
So. Not only have the Vikings opened up more needs than positions that they are set at (or have some depth at), but now they are also making the offensive line worse. Which has been the Achilles for this team for head coach Mike Zimmer’s entire tenure.
Barring a report that Kline’s concussions have caught up to him, which’d be unfortunate but understandable, this is an objectively terrible move. You weakened the only positive on the line for under $2 million in cap space? And opened another gigantic position of need for a team that has a lot of draft picks and now enough cap space from this move to buy a new coke machine at TCO, but at this point might struggle to even field a team in 2020?
And… Bleacher Report just announced that they cut him as he failed to restructure his deal. So instead they cut him? What?
Like the stock market this week someone needs to temporarily pause Spielman’s ability to release or trade players. This is insane.
This off-season just went from being a necessary evil to complete madness. Stay tuned for my thoughts on this, and the entire week of end of Infinity War esque whatever the opposite of team building is.
Just. Wow.
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Suggest we all cool down and wait till after the draft. Let's see if they have a plan??? If the right side of the line sucks then we can say it was a stupid move!!!
For Weeks all I here is cut Kline. Then they do and all you see is people writing Negative crap about it. Seems there is a small group of media outlets that have it out for Spielman and Zimmer. They know what there doing and you all look stupid . Kline was over paid and refused to restructure so he can go. We really needed a left Tackle anyway so this is a great move.
You’re right. We all meet weekly to plot their downfall. Anyone who said cut Kline knows nothing of the state of the line. They are moving backward nearly everywhere. We at least had the right side of the line to build on. Not anymore. For what?$1 million in 2020? To pay the dude over $4m to play elsewhere? This is why the line sucks and has sucked.
And they don’t need conspiracies to take them down. They’re doing just fine by themselves.
Just because you disagree doesn’t mean I’m crazy or “out to get” the leaders of the team I clearly love.
This isn’t my first rodeo. People that can’t debate beyond surface level subjective nonsense or something they heard on KFAN will day things like, we are out to get otherwise amazing team leaders? Why? To what end?
How are you assessing that they know what they’re doing? Because this move is so bad. Kline and O’Neill were the only bright spots on this line. When Kline was out those three games it was awful.
So. Instead of saying generic stuff like “they know what theyre doing” followed by insults, realize we are all here for the same reason and if you want to debate explain your position and limit the insults, especially regarding relative intelligence, because... and I usually don’t use this type of comeback, but “here”? Hear, maybe?
Come on man. I built the site on which you’re running your mouth. So, at least show me some respect that I’m not an idiot. Sure, intelligence in one area doesn’t translate to another always, but, let’s see. From my parents basement after my life imploded I built this, so I have IT skills, then I sold it and made moves to build the largest local sites, so I have business, sales and marketing intelligence. I also assembled a great team. So. I’m a nice guy.
No one was calling for Kline to get cut. Some people said it may be a possibility. But they’re going to be paying him 3x what they saved to not play here and they just created a third massive need on the Line after doing the same on the d line. And both starting corners. Soon to be safety. Wide receiver position. Etc.
You sure they know what they’re doing?
You can’t build a line when you keep destroying any depth. Kline and O’Neill had something. How many picks do you think we have? And they’d all need to pan out, instantly.
Let’s see. They need two DTs, a DE, more corners, soon to be a safety, a deep threat receiver, a LT, LG, and now RG...
What did I miss?
I guess this means that the Vikings are going to seriously retool the OL through the draft with probably now 2 guards and a tackle. While I would not necessarily call this a rebuild, I do think that the Vikings are looking to 2021 and letting anyone go who they think will be difficult to hold on top after this year......a year that I guess might not even be played.
That’s 3 of 5 o lineman. 3 of 4 slime man. Both starting corners a probable safety, an amazing WR... what else do you need for it to be a rebuild?
Maybe they have some kind of trade deal in place for a high quality veteran Guard after S Harris is traded?
I got to think that Zimmers one sided view of the game is hurting this team. It's great we have a perennial top 5 defence, but not addressing the OLine with as much deference as he does the DB positions is killing us against the better teams. A strong OL helps the QB and RB's get 1st downs and keeps the Defence fresh.