Vikings GM Rick Spielman discussed everything about the off-season with reporters recently. Minnesota has big decisions to make in 2021 as a free agency and the NFL draft is coming.
The choices of who to keep and who to give up will be difficult. The team has already released tight end Kyle Rudolph, but the way the salary cap is probably looking, you’ll probably have to make more cuts.
It is sometimes difficult to assess what will really happen in this off-season, if you don’t understand what the people in the league’s front office are saying at press conferences. That said, it may be interesting to analyze what general managers and others are willing to say publicly.
Here are some key points Spielman made to the media on Wednesday:
Spielman addressed the situation of Danielle Hunter
Minnesota Vikings DE Danielle Hunter. Photo: Brace Hemmelgarn / USA TODAY Sports
During the 2020 season, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported that the Vikings have a decision to make this off-season: make Hunter the highest-paid defender in football or change him.
GM Vikings did not discuss specific details of Hunter’s situation, but acknowledged that Hunter’s ultimatum was not communicated to him, for Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune.
Spielman talks about the linebacker group
Minnesota Vikings LB Eric Wilson. Photo: Tim Fuller / USA TODAY Sports
The Vikings have a great free agent, linebacker Eric Wilson, without much space to keep him around for the future.
Spielman said the team cannot afford to pay three well-paid linebackers, for Krammer. With Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks already on big contracts, it looks like the team would have to part ways with one of them to sign Wilson.
Spielman portends confidence in Barr
Minnesota Vikings LB Anthony Barr. Photo: Brace Hemmelgarn / USA TODAY Sports
Also a bad sign for Wilson’s return: Barr seems to be highly valued in the organization of the Vikings.
“Anthony is a critical piece – I know that coach Zim talked about it – of our defense,” said Spielman, for Krammer. “Only he on the field creates some offensive coaches, they have to plot for him … But everything will depend … on how the pieces will fit together.”
Spielman portends confidence in Cousins
Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins. Photo: Brad Rempel / USA TODAY Sports
There is a lot of quarterback speculation around the league now. Asked whether Cousins received a vote of confidence for being the Vikings’ quarterback this season, Spielman gave a definitive answer, for Courtney Cronin of ESPN.
“I think Coach Zim put this to sleep when he spoke after the season. Kirk Cousins is our quarterback, ”said Spielman.
You can read more about it here.
The team has tough decisions ahead of them
Minnesota Vikings GM Rick Spielman. Photo: AP Photo / Bruce Kluckhohn
Spielman said that Vikings “are going to have to make a lot of difficult business decisions” in this off-season when it comes to escalation, for Cronin.
It will be interesting to see what Minnesota will do to free up space for matches as the off-season progresses. Expect more veterans to restructure or leave the team, especially if the base limit turns out to be low.