Vikings hit free agency with need at CB, salary cap strapped
FILE - Minnesota Vikings cornerback Chandon Sullivan (39) runs during an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders, Sunday, Nov., 2022, in Landover, Md. The Minnesota Vikings are entering free agency with a salary cap crunch and pressing needs yet again at a vital position. Their top three cornerbacks from last season are all hitting the market: Patrick Peterson, Duke Shelley and Chandon Sullivan.(AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr., File)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Daniel Kucin Jr.]
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (13-5)
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: DE Dalvin Tomlinson, CB Patrick Peterson, C Garrett Bradbury, RB Alexander Mattison, K Greg Joseph, CB Duke Shelley, TE Irv Smith Jr., CB Chandon Sullivan, LS Andrew DePaola, OT Oli Udoh, DE Jonathan Bullard, QB Nick Mullens, CB Kris Boyd, C/G Austin Schlottman, WR Olabisi Johnson.
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: TE Ben Ellefson, DE Kenny Willekes.
NEEDS: The Vikings are mired in a salary cap crunch with a pressing need yet again at a vital position. Their top three cornerbacks from last season are all set to hit the market: Peterson, Shelley and Sullivan. Another key player the Vikings will try to re-sign is Tomlinson, who has been a valuable part of a struggling defense over the past two years. The status of OLB Za’Darius Smith is in doubt given his cap hit of more than $15.9 million, but without him the Vikings would be awfully thin on edge rushers. The Vikings already released LB Eric Kendricks and WR Adam Thielen this week for cap relief, with more maneuvering through restructures or releases left to do. The interior of the OL remains a weakness, with Bradbury’s contract expiring and Ed Ingram Jr. coming off a rough rookie season as a pass blocker at the perpetually unsettled RG spot.
AVAILABLE SALARY CAP SPACE (approximately): About $7 million over as of Friday.
FILE - Minnesota Vikings cornerback Duke Shelley (20) on the field before an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022 in Minneapolis. The Vikings are entering free agency with a salary cap crunch and pressing needs yet again at a vital position. Their top three cornerbacks from last season are all hitting the market: Patrick Peterson, Duke Shelley and Chandon Sullivan. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs, File)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Stacy Bengs
FILE - Minnesota Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson (7) walks off the field before an NFL wild-card football game against the New York Giants, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023, in Minneapolis. The Vikings are entering free agency with a salary cap crunch and pressing needs yet again at a vital position. Their top three cornerbacks from last season are all hitting the market: Patrick Peterson, Duke Shelley and Chandon Sullivan. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr, File)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Abbie Parr
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