The Minnesota Vikings have announced that they've terminated the contract of fan favorite and team mainstay Eric Kendricks just ahead of the NFL's free agency period. The move comes as the Vikings navigate the offseason and are hoping to clear salary cap space.
The linebacker played for the Vikings for eight seasons and was a 2019 First Team All-Pro and Pro Bowler after being drafted out of UCLA.
Dane Mitzutani, Pioneer Press reporter and host of Audacy Podcast “Inside Purple & Gold”, told WCCO’s Vineeta Sawkar that the move helps save significant money for the salary cap-strapped Vikings.
“It’s not surprising,” said Mitzutani. “You look at the salary cap constraints this team is under, there were going to be hard decisions made at some point this offseason. And from a business perspective, this wasn’t even a hard decision. The dead money is pretty negligible compared to the cap savings you’re getting. The Vikings save almost $10 million against the salary cap which is huge for a team trying to negotiate the salary cap.”
One of the main reasons the Vikings need cap space is the impending extension of all-pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson who could end up being paid around $30 million a season. The Vikings also need to make a decision on Kirk Cousins who is heading into the final year of his deal with a $36 million cap hit and no plan for the QB position beyond this year.
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Mitzutani adds that Kendricks was not just a great player in his years with the Vikings, but one of the best people.
“I’ve covered a lot of people on that Vikings team and that Vikings locker room. Not a better guy out there,” says Mitzutani who does add Kendricks may have taken a step back the last couple of years but will still be valued by teams around the league.
Kendricks is now free to find another team to play for. The team issued a statement wishing him and his family the best.
"As a Pro Bowler and team captain, a Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee and a leader of the Vikings social justice efforts, Eric leaves a powerful, permanent legacy within our organization and the Minnesota community,” said Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. “While he is best known as a playmaker and respected linebacker across the league, Eric's contributions to the Vikings extend far beyond the field because of his selfless and unwavering commitment to improving societal issues. I have the utmost respect for Eric and wish him and Ally, along with their growing family, continued success in their next chapter."
Kendricks is known for his work in the community, including his championing of social justice earning him the 2020 Vikings Community Man of the Year and a league-wide Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee.
"It is extremely difficult to start more than 100 games in this league, but Eric has been a staple in the locker room since he entered the NFL," Viking Head Coach Kevin O'Connell said. "During my first year as head coach, Eric played a critical role as a captain and a member of the leadership council in helping establish the culture we want in Minnesota. He was a consistent mentor to his younger teammates, and his tireless work ethic set a standard for others to emulate.
The Vikings still have moves to make this offseason. Specifically, running back Dalvin Cook who has a $14 million cap hit, and wide receiver Adam Thielen and safety Harrison Smith, both owed around $19 million in 2023. All three are likely to have renegotiated deals or perhaps be released like Kendricks.
Despite a veteran group on defense, the Vikings struggled to stop teams in 2022 despite their 13-4 overall record, and ultimately fired defensive coordinator Ed Donatell. The team ranked 28th in total team defense and scoring defense. The Vikings will have to reload and rebuild that defense quickly.
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