ESPNReading: 3 min.
Minnesota cut its leading tackler from last season in a move to free up salary cap space.
Los Minnesota Vikings they cut veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks this Monday as they work to get below the tope salarial.
KendricksThe 31-year-old has spent his eight NFL seasons with the Vikings, who drafted him in the second round of the 2015 draft. Last season he started all 17 games and finished with 137 tackles, leading the team. He has recorded more than 100 tackles in seven straight seasons.
“As a Pro Bowl player and team captain, a Walter Payton Man of the Year Award nominee, and a leader in the social justice efforts of the Vikings, Eric leaves a powerful and lasting legacy within our organization and the community of Minnesota“General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said in a statement. “While he is known as a talented and respected linebacker around the league, the contributions of Eric to the Vikings They extend far beyond the field because of their selfless and unwavering commitment to ameliorating social problems.”
Los Vikings will save 9.5 million dollars in their tope salarial with movement. Before this Monday, they were approximately 24.4 million over the limit, according to OverTheCap.com. The Vikings You have until March 15 at 4:00 p.m. to come under the tope salarial (224.8 million).
He cut of Kendricks It is the first move in what will probably be a restructuring of the roster of the Vikings, who are entering the second year of what Adofo-Mensah described as a “competitive rebuild.” The team has high expectations for linebacker Brian Asamoah, a third-round pick in the 2022 draft who is likely to be Kendrick’s replacement.
You can enjoy the best of the NFL through Star+, subscribe here!
Most of the upcoming roster moves for the Vikings They will be on the defensive. The futures of linebacker Za’Darius Smith and safety Harrison Smith are in doubt, while defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson and cornerback Patrick Peterson are slated to become free agents. Veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen and running back Dalvin Cook also may need contract adjustments to stay with the team in 2023.
Kendrickswho was selected to his only Pro Bowl in 2019, when he was also selected to the first team All-Pro, has 919 tackles and 15 sacks in 117 games, 113 starts.
“It is extremely difficult to start more than 100 games in this league, but Eric has been a mainstay in the locker room since he came to the NFL,” said the head coach of the Vikings, Kevin O’Connell through a statement. “During my first year as head coach, Eric played a crucial role as captain and member of the leadership council in helping establish the culture we want at Minnesota. He was a consistent mentor to his younger peers and his tireless work ethic set a standard for others to emulate. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to lead Eric as a player and getting to know him as a person.
Information from Kevin Seifert was used in the writing of this note.
