If the Vikings cut Xavier Rhodes and don’t pick up the club option on Everson Griffen they free up almost 20MM. Release Riley Reiff and that’s nearly another 9MM.
The issue is Britton Colquitt, Dan Bailey, Trey Wayans, and Anthony Harris are all UFA- not to mention starters. Rashod Hill is an UFA as well and he’s their top OL backup. Then you have Eric Wilson and CJ Ham as RFA- two more starters.
Kearse, Weatherly, Alexander are all backups that see playing time and as UFA status oh boy.
When you roll everything up the Vikings could easily have 5+ key starting spots to fill and the problem is they almost have to do it exclusively through the draft because they won’t have money to spend in free agency.
Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer bet their careers on a 3-4 year run with the likes of Case Keenum and now Kirk Cousins and for Zimmer specifically he knows they are completely fucked now that GB is back on track and Chicago is lurking with a QB move of their own.
The Minnesota dominant D will only get worse from here because they can’t pay everyone so barring a Khalil Mack type trade they are finished. Maybe they should have dealt Diggs for picks. Too late now. Maybe with better DB depth they could deal Harrison Smith as he could get them a lot in return but they will need at least one starting corner if not two plus a safety.
Welcome back to the 8-8 days.