Kendricks is Released; the Roster Purge Begins

Vikings Territory Breakdown

The dominos are falling. Longtime middle linebacker Eric Kendricks was released by the Vikings on Monday in a salary cap savings of $9.5 million. It is a difficult pill to swallow for all Vikings fans, as Kendricks has been one of the most productive players on the field during his eight-year career and one of the finest off the field as a former NFL Man of the year nominee. Kendricks has been an excellent member of the Vikings organization, and it is a huge loss for the team.

But that will only be the beginning of the blood-letting taking place at TCO Performance Center as the Vikings brass try to pare down the roster that still remains $15 million over the cap (which must be eliminated by March 15—just one week away).

One rumor has circulated that new Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores wants to keep another aging veteran, cornerback Patrick Peterson, so placing pieces in this salary cap puzzle should be curious and furious all week.

On top of that Vikings news, Joe Oberle from vikingsterritory and purplePTSD will join with Mark Craig from the Star Tribune newspaper and startribune.com on the Vikings Territory Breakdown podcast and take a look at head coach Kevin O’Connell’s NFL Combine press conference and wade through all the coach-speak to mine a few nuggets. The moving and shaking up of the lineup is only beginning. Tune into the VT Breakdown podcast to stay caught up on it all.

Listen to Vikings Territory Breakdown