Feb 28, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo‐Mensah speaks to the press at the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports.
Lately, injuries have been running amok in Minnesota.
The Vikings have seen long-term injuries to guys like CB Mekhi Blackmon and QB J.J. McCarthy, but they’re not the only ones in the infirmary. CB Shaq Griffin has been week-to-week. LB Blake Cashman, WR Jordan Addison, WR/PR Thayer Thomas, EDGE Gabriel Murphy, and several others have also been nursing injuries, and that’s not even accounting for the PUP placements for guys like Sp/T NaJee Thompson and TE T.J. Hockenson. Any chance Minnesota needs to dip into their open cap space to sign some reinforcements?
The prudent GM leaves himself with options. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is a prudent GM, one who loves having options.
Right now, the Vikings are working with roughly $19.5 million in cap space. It’s a total that places them in the bottom half of the NFL for open room. Even still, Minnesota could sign free agent help with relative ease — Stephon Gilmore? — and not have to worry too much about the finances.
If the open room starts to dwindle, though, what are Adofo-Mensah’s options? Can he access more funds if there’s a need? After all, Jeff Diamond recently dropped another endorsement for signing Gilmore on Vikings Territory, saying he would go to $10 million to onboard the talented corner.
In other words, cap space can disappear in a hurry, even at this stage of the offseason.
One wonders, then, about the extension candidates. Two of the foremost examples rest in CB1 Byron Murphy Jr. and DT1 Harrison Phillips. Both have solidified themselves as core members of the Brian Flores defense and both are going into the final year of the contracts. If either were to miss time, their position would be in a tough spot, underscoring their importance to the Vikings.
How much could be saved in the immediate if each were extended? Consider the possibilities:
The benefit is twofold. For starters, Minnesota gets to keep their starters. Strong defenders who work well within the Brian Flores defense can keep calling Minnesota home for a little longer.
But then there’s the immediate financial benefit. Minnesota would perhaps feel a little more emboldened to sign one of the remaining big-name free agents, perhaps to solidify a secondary that still looks like it could use more help.
Oh, and will there end up being a need for another passer? Sam Darnold, Nick Mullens, and Jaren Hall will be fine as long as all of them stay healthy. As we’ve been seeing, though, health is no guarantee in the NFL.
In 2023, Harrison Phillips started all seventeen games while piling up 92 tackles, 3 sacks, and 2 tackles for a loss. Meanwhile, Byron Murphy Jr. started fourteen games while picking up 57 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 13 passes defended.
Seeing an extension for each ahead of the September 8th date with the New York Giants wouldn’t be at all surprising.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.