The Vikings didn’t need to clear any cap space to use their franchise tag on Monday, but they did a little housekeeping anyway to rid themselves of a player they didn’t want to pay a roster bonus later this month.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Vikings have said goodbye to wide receiver Michael Jenkins. Jenkins was due a $2.425 million roster bonus on March 16 after restructuring his deal before the 2012 season, a number that was prohibitive even with the Vikings unsettled, to put it mildly, at wide receiver at the moment.
Jenkins had 40 catches for 449 yards and two touchdowns while playing every game and starting eight for the Vikings in 2012. It was his second year with the team after leaving the Falcons as a free agent in 2011.
The Vikings now have five receivers under contract for 2013. Percy Harvin is part of that group, although his status with the team is somewhere south of certain as the offseason begins to unfold. According to Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com, cutting Jenkins now saves the team about $3.25 million under the cap and it wouldn’t be the least bit surprising to see them use a chunk of that to find some help at receiver for next season.