With more than 25 players set to become free agents whenever players become free agents, the Vikings aren’t signing many/any of them to new deals. As to the players under contract for 2011, the Vikings won’t be cutting any of them, either.
Vikings V.P. of player personnel Rick Spielman said Thursday that the team will not be parting ways with any current players, for now.
“Right now, we’re going to keep our roster status quo,” Spielman said, per Tom Pelissero of 1500espn.com. “I don’t anticipate any moves. Again, that’s always etched in oatmeal. Don’t anticipate anything happening.”
It makes sense. With no salary cap in place and uncertainty as to what the salary cap may be (if it even returns), there’s no reason to cut any player unless the team has decided that it wants the player back under no circumstances. The only other reason to part ways before March 4 would be to do the guy a favor, giving him a shot at getting paid early, in lieu of squatting on his contract through the point at which the free-agency money will flow.
And if a team is able to carry a large cap number through the offseason, the team can then try to squeeze the player into taking a pay cut in late August, when it would be very hard to land with another team and make an immediate contribution.
At some point, the Vikings will have to make a decision about safety Madieu Williams and receiver Bernard Berrian. Both are set to make much more than their production would justify.