As the first domino to fall in a line of upcoming contract extensions, Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks set into motion a official nfl jerseys cheap tricky test for Minnesota’s front office to keep the roster together in coming years
Kendricks was the first Viking with a contract due to expire in 2019 to receive an extension. His new deal is worth $50 million over five years with $25 million guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Pro Football Talk is reporting that Kendricks is to earn $15 million in Year 1, $22.5 million over the first two years, $31.5 million over three years, $40.5 million over four and $50 million over five.
Kendricks, who was to make $1.64 million this season, is now in an elite class of inside linebackers making $10 million or more per season, joining Luke Kuechly ($12.4 million), Bobby Wagner ($10.7 million) and Alec Ogletree ($10.5 million).
The Vikings had $17.8 million in available cap space prior to Kendricks’ deal, according to the NFLPA’s daily report. With a handful of needs to be addressed in the draft next week, Minnesota shifts focus to the other prominent players scheduled to become free agents after this season: linebacker Anthony Barr, wide receiver Stefon Diggs and defensive end Danielle Hunter. The Vikings also have until May 3 to exercise the fifth-year option on cornerback Trae Waynes’ rookie deal.
Getting deals done for all four will be difficult given the Vikings’ restraints on future cap space. Kendricks’ cap figure in 2018 will be considerably higher than it was before the extension, and though it might not present any issues right now, available spending in 2019 is a completely different story.
General manager Rick Spielman has said the Vikings plan their cap out two years at a time, which is why the franchise felt it was able to give Kirk Cousins a three-year, nfl authentic jerseys fully-guaranteed deal worth $84 million. Getting creative with deals in the future will be critical as they work to keep their foundational pieces.
With one of those key defensive pieces in the fold, here’s a look at which Viking might be next to receive an extension.