For the second time in six seasons, the Minnesota Vikings will enter Week 17 with no aspirations for the playoff, meaning Sunday’s meeting with the Detroit Lions could mark the end of the road for several key players in purple.
There was a massive exodus from the defense in the last off-season, as the Vikings corrected a bloated boundary situation, but the team may be facing another off-season with significant turnover while making decisions about key free agents and, again, seeking to reduce wages exorbitant.
These five players can have a more nebulous future with the team, so let’s assess each situation and weigh whether or not each player can return.
LB ERIC WILSON
CONTRACT STATUS: Unrestricted Free Agent
2020 REVIEW: If it goes to Eric Wilson in Minnesota, it was certainly a good race. Wilson will be considered one of the most unplanned signings of the Zimmer-Spielman era along with Anthony Harris. His role gradually increased each year until he inherited the position of initial base linebacker in 2020. This became a strong base linebacker in week 3 with Anthony Barr (pectoral) discarded for the season. Wilson filled the stats sheet with three sacks, three interceptions and two fumble recoveries, while accepting play-call responsibilities. After Kendricks’ injury in Week 13, Wilson was the only player left as a linebacker. He hasn’t lost a game in four seasons.
2021 OUTLOOK: Wilson’s success may have put him out of reach of the Vikings. In the open market, Wilson could use Nick Kwiatkoski’s free agent contract last season as a base. The four-year part-time holder with the Chicago Bears had statistics similar to Wilson and signed a $ 21 million 3-year contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. The Vikings are not going to pay Wilson much money to go back to being the third linebacker when Barr returns. Minnesota would have to free Barr and eat $ 7.8 million in dead capital to even consider keeping Wilson around, which seems unlikely. Barr may be asked to accept a down payment, but he is probably staying and is much better as a defender than Wilson.
POSSIBILITY OF RETURN: 5%
S ANTHONY HARRIS
CONTRACT STATUS: Unrestricted Free Agent
2020 REVIEW: It was nowhere near the season that Anthony Harris hoped to have after preparing for a life-changing payday with his six interceptions in 2019. Yes, Harris won over $ 11 million playing the franchise brand this year, but things never felt right. He dealt with commercial rumors surrounding the project, failed extension negotiations and additional commercial rumors in the deadline. All the while he seemed to struggle to adjust to life with newcomers, as the pressure on Minnesota’s security was greater than ever. Harris did not register any interception in 15 weeks, lost nine tackles, the record of his career, and found himself incorrectly guessing in various coverings that resulted in splash plays. Harris is in 32nd place among the initial safeties in Pro Football Focus, compared to his second place last season.
2021 OUTLOOK: Although his shares are likely to be depressed from this point on last year, Harris may still seek a multi-year deal with the highest bidder, since he may not have another chance to make a profit, considering he is 29 years old. Vikings have no security to replace Harris, which could mean a newcomer playing alongside Harrison Smith next year. If this scenario is a little scary for Minnesota, they may take the temperature that Harris would need to stay, but the prospect of giving Harris a long-term deal does not have a good positional value, considering his tenuous limit. Minnesota has few dollars to spend during this off-season, and Vikings should have more urgent priorities.
POSSIBILITY OF RETURN: 5%
DT SHAMAR STEPHEN
CONTRACT STATUS: Signed until 2021 | 2021 Cap Hit: $ 5.08 million | Dead Money: $ 1.33 million
2020 REVIEW: It has been covered repeatedly how much the Vikings lost Michael Pierce’s nose this year. The great free agent chose to leave due to COVID-19 and should return in 2021. Shamar Stephen changed 3 techniques for the nose to take the place of Pierce, a role that suited Stephen, but his season still left much to be desired . He generated nine pressures (T57 of 69) and 16 run stops (T50 of 69), by PFF, despite having played the most crackles of his career.
2021 OUTLOOK: If the team wasn’t so emphatic about Stephen’s talent, it would be difficult to see a role for Stephen in the 2021 team. Pierce will start on the nose, and third-year defensive tackle Armon Watts can be a cheap, capable and cutting-edge reserve . Reserve noses shouldn’t be earning more than $ 5 million, let alone third-string nose tackles. Vikings can save more than $ 3.7 million by cutting Stephen, which seems like an easy move. But the club’s insistence that Stephen’s impact goes beyond the scoreboard leaves a little hesitation.
POSSIBILITY OF RETURN: 10%
TE KYLE RUDOLPH
CONTRACT STATUS: Signed until 2023 | 2021 Cap Hit: $ 9.45 million | Dead Money: $ 4.35 million
2020 REVIEW: In addition to a cool touch for a one-handed touchdown in Week 3, it was a quiet year for Kyle Rudolph, who was forced to watch outside during the fall of three Minnesota games, ending his ironman streak in over 90 consecutive games. If he doesn’t play against Detroit on Sunday, Rudolph will finish with 334 yards, his shortest since he was stuffed with injuries in 2014. He remained useful as a race blocker for Dalvin Cook and continued to fill a much needed leadership role in a young man team, but Irv Smith Jr. and even Tyler Conklin have shown in recent weeks that life after Rudolph can look OK.
2021 OUTLOOK: Rudolph was never likely to see the end of his four-year extension that he signed in 2019. Considering his diminishing returns on the pitch and his recent injury situation, the Vikings probably have reason to come to Rudolph with a restructuring proposal. The tight end turned 31 in November and you can see it written on the wall that your time as the best tight end in town is ending. Considering the mutual loyalty between the two sides, however, it would not be outrageous to see Rudolph accept a reduced salary in a community where he is raising a family and has numerous charitable causes. Vikings still need a tight final space in Gary Kubiak’s attack, and Rudolph remains a viable threat in the red zone.
POSSIBILITY OF RETURN: 30%
OT RILEY REIFF
CONTRACT STATUS: Signed until 2021 | 2021 Cap Hit: $ 11.75 million (by Pioneer Press) | Dead Money: NA
2020 REVIEW: Riley Reiff only gets better with age, and he’s making the Vikings’ decision much more difficult than anticipated. Reiff seems to have taken Kubiak’s scheme well. He built a good 2019 with an even better 2020 that almost didn’t happen when the Vikings approached him to cut the payment. Earning less than half his original salary, Reiff allowed the least number of pressures (20) from any tackle that played 1,000 or more snaps. His pass blocking score, according to Pro Football Focus, is on track to be the best since 2014. Reiff was also durable, losing just four games in four seasons with the Vikings.
2021 OUTLOOK: Reiff’s willingness to accept a payment cut can be tested again, and it is unclear what his dead money is under the parameters of his restructured deal. According to Pioneer Press, Vikings owe Reiff $ 5 million at the start of the league year and are said to be expecting a $ 11.75 million limit (below their original $ 13.95 million contract). That’s a lot of money, but again, Reiff has been solid and presumed that the opponent has left the future Ezra Cleveland has made a transition to guard this year. It is possible that another restructuring will provide incentives such as Reiff’s 2020 agreement, which allowed him to earn $ 2 million in playing time bonuses. Alternatively, Vikings could reduce the maximum number of Reiffs through a short extension that offers guarantees spread over several seasons. Reiff’s early seasons in Minnesota were disheartening enough that fans would never cling to the left attack, but it is suddenly plausible that he will continue with the Vikings until 2021, if the parties agree.
POSSIBILITY OF RETURN: 50%