Eric Kendricks’ Landing Is a Good One
A week ago, the Minnesota Vikings saw longtime linebacker Eric Kendricks head to the Los Angeles Chargers. While chosen by him, the landing spot couldn’t have been better for a guy who played his college ball at UCLA.
When the Vikings entered the offseason, Kendricks represented one of the most likely roster casualties. With Kwesi Adofo-Mensah needing to clear cap space to give head coach Kevin O’Connell more to work with, Kendricks, in the final year of his deal, was a likely lost commodity. As Minnesota made that move, the open market came calling.
Eric Kendricks’ Landing Is a Good One
Kendricks signed a two-year deal worth just north of $13 million to join the Los Angeles Chargers. His signing bonus checked in at $5 million, and $6.75 million of the deal was fully guaranteed. That’s a nice payday for a guy who had spent the past 117 games playing for Minnesota.
While Kendricks won’t be catching passes any time soon, he gets a front-row seat to watch talented young quarterback Justin Herbert work. While the Chargers have not reached the Super Bowl with the former Duck signal caller under center, Herbert has quickly ascended to the ranks of being among the best in the game. Although Austin Ekeler appears to be on his way out, the offense still has plenty of talent.
On the defensive side, Los Angeles boasts a group of big names. Derwin James may be the best safety in the NFL, and Khalil Mack is not far removed from the game’s best edge rusher. Joey Bosa represents another strong pursuer of the quarterback on the other side, and Kendricks will look to lock up the middle alongside Kenneth Murray Jr.
Brandon Staley is still looking to get more out of this team, and the hope would be that a strong offseason can position them to make a playoff run and control the division. Utilizing talent around Herbert is a must, and although Kendricks is not the player he once was, this should be a solid spot for him to make an impact.
As Kendricks found a solid opportunity to move his family back to California for the season, he had to be ecstatic about how his first foray into free agency wound up. Minnesota may have an opportunity to celebrate him following his playing career, but for now, a new adventure with the Chargers looks beneficial for all involved.
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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