Vikings Changes Shouldn’t Be Considered Shocking. Yet.
Ted Schwerzler
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So far, the Minnesota Vikings have moved on from Eric Kendricks and Adam Thielen as they look to get under the salary cap for the upcoming season. Significant change was expected, but we haven’t seen a shocking move…yet.
Despite everything he has done in a Vikings uniform since being selected, it was more than apparent that Eric Kendricks had seen his best days pass him by. Playing in the middle of Ed Donatell’s defense this season, Kendricks was often a step slow and continually beaten in coverage. That doesn’t mean he still can’t have value in the league, but it wasn’t going to be at the current number with the Vikings.
Vikings Changes Shouldn’t Be Considered Shocking. Yet.
In that same vein, Adam Thielen found himself released. It’s not shocking that he wouldn’t want to restructure his contract or take a pay cut to the extent it made sense for Minnesota. It is disappointing that he won’t finish his career with the hometown team, but there is no denying that a Ring of Honor ceremony should be in his post-playing future.
From there, it’s worth noting that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell shouldn’t be done.
It may hurt to lose Dalvin Cook, but this offense has never been less running-back dependent. Add in that Cook looked worse than he ever has this past season, and despite playing each game, his production lagged behind multiple seasons of the past. If finding a trade partner is a possibility, it has to be explored, but his time here is likely done either way.
From there, things get a bit less clear. Danielle Hunter may be worthy of a contract extension, but the Vikings could opt to clear cap space there instead. Kirk Cousins probably isn’t going anywhere, but his cap hit being as massive as it makes the discussion worthwhile. At the back of the defense, Harrison Smith is an aging safety that didn’t get to work much with Lewis Cine, but he could definitely turn the reigns over to a green secondary as a whole.
The remaining moves come down to just how aggressive Minnesota wants to be. Cameron Dantzler being sent out on Friday may have been the first decision that came as a surprise, but it sent a message that the new brain trust is looking to make its mark with a core that can compete for the long haul. Promise isn’t going to be enough, and production will be evaluated through the lens of a certain level of immediacy.
We won’t know just how drastic the decisions are until the dust settles, but neither Kendricks nor Thielen should fall into jaw-dropping territory. How many we see enter that realm the rest of the way remains to be seen. Fans should’ve known that turnover was coming, but just how significant it gets is anyone’s guess.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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