MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings made their costliest transfer but for wage cap compliance Wednesday by terminating the contract of left sort out Riley Reiff with one 12 months left on it, weakening an offensive line that was already in want of some upgrades.
Although Reiff performs a vital place and 2020 was by most measures the most effective of his 4 seasons with the Vikings, reducing him will trim $11.75 million off the workforce’s cap fees. They’ll carry $3.2 million in lifeless cash.
The choice not solely introduced the Vikings underneath the wage cap — set by the NFL at $182.5 million earlier than every workforce’s prior 12 months carryover changes — however gave them the required room so as to add a major participant or two when free company begins subsequent week. After releasing tight finish Kyle Rudolph, kicker Dan Bailey and now Reiff, the Vikings presently have greater than $8 million to work with, in accordance with real-time wage information tracked by the Over The Cap website.
Last year, the Vikings persuaded Reiff to take a $5 million pay cut — he wound up earning back $2 million in incentives — so they could afford defensive end Yannick Ngakoue in a trade with Jacksonville. Ngakoue lasted six games and was eventually dealt to Baltimore.
The intensely private Reiff rarely granted interviews with reporters, but the native of South Dakota and 2012 first-round draft pick out of Iowa was comfortable enough in Minnesota to take less money to stay last season. The open market for offensive tackles shrunk when Taylor Moton (Carolina) and Cam Robinson (Jacksonville) received the franchise tag, however, further increasing the 32-year-old Reiff’s value. Reiff played his first five seasons with Detroit before signing with the Vikings in 2017.
His departure will likely trigger a switch for Brian O’Neill, who has manned the right tackle spot for the Vikings since being drafted in the second round in 2018. Garrett Bradbury, the first-round pick in 2019, is set for now at center. Ezra Cleveland, their second-round selection in 2020, is the only other sure-bet starter.
Cleveland was a tackle in college but took over at right guard last year. Dakota Dozier, the left guard last season, is on track to depart as a free agent. If the Vikings decide to move Cleveland to tackle, they’ll have plenty of experienced guards available after a recent rash of cost-cutting moves made at that position around the league.
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