We discuss the Minnesota Vikings’ money moves and Bud Grant moving on, Kirill Kaprizov’s injury impact on the Wild, Anthony’s curse of the Whitecaps, and how Twins’ Spring Training and the World Baseball Classic is going.
Vikings Release Eric Kendricks and Adam Thielen, Lose Bud Grant, Might Lose Za’Darius Smith
Per Tyler Forness on Twitter, “The Minnesota Vikings front office is making a clear statement. We are moving forward in our own vision, The Spielman/Zimmer era is over. It’s the Kwesi/Kevin era.”
- Cutting Kendricks results in $9.5 million in cap space, with just a $1.93 million dead cap charge
- Played 94% of defensive snaps last year
- Allowed a 74.1 completion percentage in each of the last two seasons, and was targeted a career-high 85 times last season, resulting in a career-high 583 yards against
- Who will replace him?
- Bobby Wagner, Tremaine Edmunds, Lavonte David are available in free agency
- We can’t afford any of them
- We drafted Brian Asamoah last year…maybe we just roll with him
- Bobby Wagner, Tremaine Edmunds, Lavonte David are available in free agency
- Releasing Thielen saves the Vikings just $6.4 million, leaving a dead cap hit of over $13 million
- Could designate Thielen as a post-June 1 release to save that $13 million
- By cutting Thielen and taking the entire $13+ million cap hit this year instead of splitting it up with a post-June 1st designation.
- With Harrison Smith potentially joining him, that would fall all on this year as well. As of now, the Vikings have slightly more than $120 million in projected cap space for 2024.
- That can be used for Justin Jefferson, Christian Darrisaw, and Danielle Hunter, and still have around $50 million to play with to sign free agents and other potential extensions.
- Thielen had just 70 catches for 716 yards and 6 TDs last season
- K.J. Osborn had 60 catches for 650 yards and 5 TDs
- Could designate Thielen as a post-June 1 release to save that $13 million
- Waiving Cameron Dantzler saves $2.7 million
- Now all three of their cornerbacks are free agents
- What the hell we doing at corner?
- Za’Darius Smith requests release
- Already sold his house
- $12.2 million against the cap this season, and $20 million next year
- Dalvin Cook trade?
- What can we expect in return?
- Honest question: Losing a lot of “big names,” but our defense was garbage last year and does losing Thielen (and hopefully Cook) hurt our offense at all?
- Bud Grant passes away at 95
- He and his garage sales will be missed
- Grant is, by far, the greatest head coach in the history of the Vikings. From 1967 to 1983, Grant led the Vikings to four Super Bowls, compiling a record of 158-96-5 along the way.
Can Wild Keep Winning Without Kirill Kaprizov?
- Out 3-4 weeks with lower-body injury (9-11 games)
- 16 games remaining
- Six-point lead on Winnipeg for final playoff spot
- Best-case scenario: back Mar. 29 @ Colorado (8 games remaining)
- Worst-case scenario: Apr. 6 @ Pittsburgh (5 games remaining)
- 16 games remaining
- Bill Guerin’s guys are already coming up big
- Marcus Johansson had a goal and an assist, Saturday @ San Jose
- John Klingberg had two helpers, Saturday
Anthony’s Curse of the Whitecaps
- Winless in last eight games (since Anthony first saw them play this season)
- Did get former Goaltender of the Year Amanda Leveille back, but might not matter
- Scored just 9 goals in last eight games
- Playoff games will be on ESPN+
- Thursday, Mar. 16 @ Boston, 6 p.m. CST
- Saturday, Mar. 18 @ Boston, 5 p.m. CST
- Sunday (if necessary), Mar. 19 @ Boston, 5 p.m. CST
Spring Twinkies and WBC Update
- Twins beat WBC favorites from Dominican Republic, 2-1
- Italy moves on
- Brooks Lee boner softens?
