Vikings OL Nick Easton Pushing For Extension
When talking to the media at OTAs, Vikings guard Nick Easton made it clear he’d like to stay in Minnesota longterm and would like an extension sooner rather than later. He told The St. Paul Pioneer Press’ Chris Tomasson that he’d “love to be here long-term” and answered “I hope so” when asked about the possibility of the Vikings giving him an extension soon (Twitter link).
Easton is playing under a one-year $2.9MM restricted free agent tender after he was tendered at the second-round level by the Vikings. Easton signed the tender back in April and will be a free agent after the season.
While Easton has now made his preference publicly known, he may have to wait a while. After giving Kirk Cousins a historic fully guaranteed contract, the Vikings currently don’t have a ton of cap space with which to sign their impending free agents, and will have to allocate their limited resources wisely. They have a slew of young players all set to be free agents at the end of the year. Young defensive studs Anthony Barr, Danielle Hunter, and Eric Kendricks are all heading into the final year of their contracts, as is star wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
The Vikings may decide to let Easton walk in favor of signing some of their other young guys. What they decide to do will likely depend on how they feel about the rest of their interior linemen. Easton is locked in as the starting left guard, and the other guards on the roster are underwhelming and not realistic options to replace him. If the Vikings don’t add more guard help between now and next offseason, there’s a good chance Easton will get the extension he’s looking for.
Kendricks Brothers Hoping To Play Together
Mychal Kendricks visited with the Vikings earlier today. While the free agent left without an offer, it sounds like he’d certainly welcome playing in Minnesota. After all, it’d provide the linebacker with an opportunity to play with his brother, Eric Kendricks.
Mychal Kendricks To Visit Browns, Raiders
We learned earlier today that former Eagles linebacker Mychal Kendricks met with the Vikings, and it sounds like he’s got several more visits on his docket. Chris Tomasson of St. Paul Pioneer Press reports (via Twitter) that the free agent will also visit with the Raiders and Browns. The 27-year-old expects to make a decision before the end of the week.
It didn’t take long for Kendricks, who was released by the Eagles last week, to start garnering some suitors. While the former second-rounder’s production has dropped the past two seasons, he’d still be a solid veteran presence for any team. After requesting a trade prior to the 2017 season, Kendricks went on to compile 51 tackles and two sacks in 15 games (13 starts) for Philly. He also earned a start during his team’s Super Bowl victory, finishing the game with four tackles.
While their depth charts are in good shape, the Browns and Raiders could use an additional body at linebacker. Jamie Collins, Joe Schobert, and Christian Kirksey are slotted in as Cleveland’s starting grouping. The latter two were solid in 2017, and Collins is the most accomplished of the three, but Kendricks could compete for a starting gig. Meanwhile, the Raiders have three free agent additions – Tahir Whitehead, Derrick Johnson, and Emmanuel Lamur – penciled in as their starters, so another free agent addition (Kendricks) would provide additional competition at the position.
Tomasson also passes along (via Twitter) that the Vikings haven’t made a definitive offer to Kendricks. When asked about Minnesota’s salary cap constraints, the linebacker acknowledged that he hasn’t “even thought that far.”
Mychal Kendricks Visits Vikings
Former Eagles linebacker Mychal Kendricks is in Minnesota to visit the Vikings, reports Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune (Twitter link). Kendricks was released by the defending champs last week after spending the first six years of his career in Philadelphia.
Kendricks’ trip to Minnesota marks his first known visit since becoming a free agent. Kendricks’ release came as a surprise to some, but his relationship with the Eagles had been worsening for a while. After a dip in playing time in 2016, he requested a trade before the 2017 season started but his request was denied. Kendricks went on to have a pretty good season, receiving very high marks from Pro Football Focus. He ended up starting the Super Bowl, notching four tackles in the Eagles’ win over the Patriots.
Still able to play at a high level, Kendricks should have his pick of teams to play for. One possible angle drawing him to the Vikings is that his little brother Eric Kendricks currently plays for Minnesota.
The Vikings are currently a bit thin at inside linebacker, and could definitely use Kendricks. As one of the biggest name free agents left on the market, word on his decision should be coming sooner rather than later.
Kendricks, 28 in September, totaled 73 tackles and two sacks in 15 games last year. He also notched 16 tackles in the playoffs as the Eagles captured their first ever Super Bowl win.
Anthony Barr Reports To Vikings
Anthony Barr ended his short-lived holdout and reported to the Vikings’ offseason team activities on Tuesday, notes Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune (Twitter link). Goessling had previously reported that Barr was a no-show for the first portion of OTAs. At the time, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer declined to share whether Barr’s absence was related to his contract, but did say Barr told him in advance that he wasn’t going to be there.
Barr, 26, is headed into the final year of his contract and will be earning $12MM this season after the Vikings picked up the fifth-year option on their former first-round pick. Barr became a star nearly instantly upon entering the league, and has made three straight Pro Bowls. The Vikings have a number of key players entering the final year of their deals, and definitely don’t want any headaches from one of their vital cogs.
Barr said back in January that he wanted a long-term extension with the Vikings, but the team has been reluctant to give him one. Since Barr isn’t a great pass rusher for an outside linebacker (he has just 10.5 sacks through four seasons) some have speculated the Vikings may just let him walk after this season.
After giving Kirk Cousins the first ever three-year fully guaranteed contract back in March, the Vikings don’t have a ton of disposable cap money. It’s entirely possible they decide to use their resources elsewhere and not retain Barr. If that’s the case, it makes sense why Barr was in no rush to report to the team. Either way, he’s back now, and the Vikings are surely glad to have one less distraction to deal with.
Vikings To Keep Mike Remmers At RT?
At Vikings OTAs this week, they placed Mike Remmers back at right tackle, per Michael Rand of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Remmers finished last season playing guard, and the Vikings used a second-round pick on tackle Brian O’Neill out of Pittsburgh. Minnesota had UFA signee Tom Compton working as its first-string right guard during OTAs, per Rand. Compton has never been a full-time starter in his six-year career, coming closest with the 2014 Redskins, who used him as a nine-game starter. Last season, the Bears started Compton in five of the 11 games he played. Minnesota lost its most effective blocker, Joe Berger, to retirement and did not make any notable additions beyond Compton at the guard spot.
Latest On Terrance Williams Situation
The bizarre twist in the Terrance Williams car-crash saga involved Kendall Wright after the Cowboys wide receiver said the new Vikings pass-catcher was, in fact, the driver of the vehicle at the time of the accident.
Williams and Wright were teammates at Baylor together and had spent time together earlier on the night of the accident. But both Williams’ attorney, Chip Lewis, and Vikings GM Rick Spielman deny it was Wright who was behind the wheel.
“I have spoken directly with Kendall and his agent and both have assured me there is no truth to the matter,” Spielman said, via Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Police arrested Williams, whose statement indicated he was the driver of the vehicle, for leaving the scene of an accident and for public intoxication. Williams told police he’d gotten a call from Wright informing him of the Lamborghini crash, but police were suspicious of this claim since Williams subsequently admitted his phone was still in the car at that point. Williams’ public statement of the events of that sequence did not include Wright.
Veteran QB Josh Freeman Retires
Josh Freeman is calling it quits. The veteran quarterback, who was playing for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, told Montreal coaches on Saturday morning that he is going to retire (via CFL.ca). Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times confirmed that Freeman is indeed hanging up the spikes.
“We would like to thank Josh for his work and dedication. He was a consummate professional throughout camp,” said Montreal general manager Kavis Reed. “We respect his decision and we wish him the best in the future.”
That makes it sound as if Freeman retired of his own accord, but in reality, he may have been forced into the decision. Per Florida Football Insiders (citing Joey Alfieri of TSN690), the Alouettes had already decided to release Freeman before he decided to call it a career.
The 2009 first-round pick had several productive seasons in Tampa Bay, starting all but one regular season game between 2010 and 2012. One of his best campaigns came in 2012, when he completed 54.8-percent of his passes for 4,065 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions. He also proved to be a solid runner during his NFL career, compiling 946 rushing yards on 205 carries. Freeman’s tenure in Tampa Bay didn’t end on the best of terms, and he ended up bouncing between the Vikings, Giants, Dolphins, and Colts.
After having not played in the NFL since 2015, Freeman got a workout with the Alouettes last year. He ended up signing a two-year deal with the organization back in January.
We here at PFR wish Freeman the best in the next stage of his life.
Latest On Cowboys WR Terrance Williams
The recent incident involving Cowboys wide receiver Terrance Williams continues to get more and more bizarre as the story unfolds. First, Williams was arrested this past Saturday and charged with public intoxication and leaving the scene of an accident. What’s undisputed is that Williams’ Lamborghini crashed and he was detained while riding an electric scooter near the scene.
Williams then released a statement the day after accepting responsibility for the accident, saying that a car slammed on its brakes in front of him and he swerved to avoid it, but denied he was intoxicated. A wrinkle was thrown into the case when police released a video this morning of Williams the night of the accident contradicting his initial public account. Williams is shown telling officers that it wasn’t him who was driving the car that night, and that it was actually his friend and fellow wide receiver Kendall Wright of the Vikings.
The officers didn’t buy Williams’ claim that he wasn’t even in the car that night, as his phone was inside the vehicle. They arrested him, but the details about Wright’s alleged involvement stayed under wraps until today.
Williams’ lawyer then clarified earlier today once the video blew up online that Wright was not involved after all (Twitter link via Dallas Morning News’ Brandon George). Vikings general manager Rick Spielman then followed up and said the Vikings were standing by Wright and that Wright and his agent both assured him there was no truth to Williams’ accusation (Twitter link via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin).
Williams was already in a good amount of trouble, but his puzzling and now apparently false explanation that it was Wright who crashed his car could make matters even worse. He could be looking at a possible suspension from the league.
Working as the Cowboys’ number two receiver the past few years, Williams was theoretically in line for an increased workload after the release of Dez Bryant. The Cowboys signed Allen Hurns in free agency, but Williams was thought to have the inside track at being the team’s number one receiving option. It’s unclear if this arrest or possible suspension will change the Cowboys’ plans.
Last season, Williams caught 53 passes for 568 yards. He caught zero touchdowns for the first time in his career. Whatever happens, it’s a headache that the Cowboys absolutely don’t need in the midst of an already tumultuous offseason.
Anthony Barr Absent From OTAs
- Linebacker Anthony Barr was not present for the Vikings‘ organized team activities this week, according to Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Under the terms of his fifth-year option, Barr is fully guaranteed a base salary north of $12MM for the 2018 season, but he likely still doesn’t want to place himself in undue injury peril given that he doesn’t have a long-term contract in place. Barr’s fifth-year option doesn’t contain any sort of workout clauses, so he’s not costing himself money by not attending voluntary sessions. As Goessling tweets, Barr was present for a Mike Zimmer football camp at the Vikings’ facility over the weekend, suggesting there is no acrimony in talks with Minnesota.