Free-Agent Setup: Vikings vexed by quarterback quandary
Eagles defensive end Vinny Curry (75) chases Vikings quarterback Case Keenum (7) in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Minnesota Vikings are in an unusual pickle for a team that went 13-3 and reached the conference title game a month ago. They ended the season with three quarterbacks who have significant value on the free agent market -- Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Bradford and Case Keenum.
Keenum, the former journeyman quarterback who made a mere $2 million on a one-year deal in 2017, is a candidate for a $23 million franchise tag for 2018. All three of the team's experienced quarterbacks are set to become free agents, although there is some question as to whether Teddy Bridgewater's contract will toll into 2018.
That will depend on whether Bridgewater and the NFLPA can prove Bridgewater was medically able to play before Week 6 of last season. Either way, Bridgewater has not played a meaningful down of football since the 2015 season.
With Bradford expected to move on without the Vikings making an offer on the injury-prone veteran, that leaves Keenum as the player the Vikings might tag to prevent a total meltdown at the game's most vital position.
The Vikings have used the franchise tag only two times: linebacker Chad Greenway in 2011 and tight end Jim Kleinsasser in 2003. That's quite a payday for Keenum, a career backup with modest arm strength. But the Vikings have plenty of cap space and would have until July 16 to work out a long-term deal with Keenum.
The Vikings have 13 pending UFAs. Among those expected to return are kicker Kai Forbath and punt returner Marcus Sherels. Among those not expected to return besides Bradford are No. 3 running back Jerick McKinnon, linebacker Emmanuel Lamur, receiver Michael Floyd and soon-to-be 40-year-old cornerback Terence Newman. Defensive tackle Tom Johnson, 33, and guard Joe Berger, 35, might be brought back for one more year. Both are coming off a standout season in which they played all 18 games.
Unit-by-unit depth chart as of Super Bowl LII. Injured players listed as starters if that was their status when injured.
*Asterisk indicates player ended 2017 season on injured reserve.
QUARTERBACKS (A): Starter - Case Keenum (UFA). Backups - Sam Bradford (UFA), Teddy Bridgewater (UFA), Kyle Sloter.
RUNNING BACKS (C): Starters - *Dalvin Cook, FB C.J. Ham. Backups - Latavius Murray, Jerick McKinnon (UFA), *Bishop Sankey.
TIGHT ENDS (B): Starter - Kyle Rudolph. Backups - David Morgan, *Blake Bell.
WIDE RECEIVERS (A): Starters - Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs. Backups - Laquon Treadwell, Jarius Wright, Stacy Coley, Michael Floyd (UFA).
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (B): Starters - LT Riley Reiff, LG *Nick Easton, C Pat Elflein, RG Joe Berger (UFA), RT Mike Remmers. Backups - T Rashod Hill, G/T Jeremiah Sirles, G Danny Isadora, C Cornelius Edison, T Aviante Collins.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (A): Starters - DLE Danielle Hunter, DT Tom Johnson (UFA), NT Linval Joseph, DRE Everson Griffen. Backups - NT Shamar Stephen (UFA), DLE Brian Robison, DT Jaleel Johnson, DRE Stephen Weatherly, DRE Tashawn Bower, DT *Shariff Floyd.
LINEBACKERS (B): Starters - SLB Anthony Barr, MLB Eric Kendricks, WLB Ben Gedeon. Backups - WLB Emmanuel Lamur (UFA), MLB Kentrell Brothers, SLB Eric Wilson, LB *Shaan Washington.
DEFENSIVE BACKS (A): Starters - CB Xavier Rhodes, CB Trae Waynes, SS Andrew Sendejo, FS Harrison Smith. Backups - CB Terence Newman (UFA), CB Mackensie Alexander, CB Tramaine Brock (UFA), CB Marcus Sherels (UFA), S Jayron Kearse, S Anthony Harris.
SPECIAL TEAMS (C): K Kai Forbath (UFA), P Ryan Quigley, LS *Kevin McDermott, LS Jeff Overbaugh (UFA), KOR/PR Marcus Sherels (UFA), KOR Jerick McKinnon (UFA), KOR/PR Stacy Coley.
Recent Stories
Rams hard at work despite earning bye
The Los Angeles Rams will continue to stay hard at work despite earning a bye through the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs.
Players will continue to visit the ...
Packers' lost season includes losing Rodgers to concussion
Green Bay's 6-9-1 season ended with Aaron Rodgers getting knocked out of Sunday's 31-0 loss to the Detroit Lions with a concussion. That was dubious and fitting ...
49ers will retain defensive coordinator Saleh
The San Francisco 49ers gave up a lot of points and did not force many turnovers, but Robert Saleh will return for his third season as the 49ers' defensive coordinator, ...
GM Licht says Winston is Bucs' quarterback
Dirk Koetter was fired as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' head coach on Sunday, but his quarterback will be staying.
General manager Jason Licht, who will lead the search ...
Chargers get another chance against Ravens
The Los Angeles Chargers didn't have to wait long for a chance to avenge their Week 16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Los Angeles was shut down by Baltimore's stout ...
Latest Player Notes
How a Wisconsin legend got his German protégé into Badgers pro day
Mar 15, 2024
Marlon Werthmann put his life on hold for the opportunity in front of him Friday at the McClain Center.Werthmann ...
Why former Wisconsin football running back Braelon Allen didn't run the 40 at pro day
Mar 15, 2024
Braelon Allen’s sweat covered his shirt and dripped off his beard as he approached a group of reporters Friday.The ...
How can UW recruit its best class ever? It starts with these five prospects
By Andy Yamashita
Seattle Times staff reporter
Jedd Fisch has lofty recruiting goals at Washington. He didn’t waste any ...
Texas football kicks off spring practice Tuesday. We answer 24 questions for the 2024 team
Things certainly look fresh for the 2024 college football season, especially on the Texas campus.There’s a new conference ...
College Football Playoff: Conferences solve their differences (for now) and agree on general framework for 2026 and beyond
The FBS conferences and Notre Dame agreed on Friday to continue the College Football Playoff beyond the 2025 season, signing ...
Ball security, leadership key as Aztecs look to identify starting quarterback
San Diego State seemingly auditions a new starting quarterback on an annual basis.In the past 12 years, the Aztecs have opened ...
Results and more: A look at what happened at Penn State football’s Pro Day inside Holuba Hall
Most of those at Penn State’s Pro Day Friday were relatively quiet throughout the afternoon’s workouts, but there was one ...
Defense dominates first two weeks of Oregon State spring practice as Beavers ready for 2-week breather
CORVALLIS – Oregon State hit the break of spring practices Saturday, not exactly the midpoint but a good place to assess ...
Dillon Gabriel to have similar input, autonomy as Bo Nix had in Oregon’s offense
Published Mar. 16, 2024, 6:26 p.m.By James CrepeaEUGENE — Dillon Gabriel will have much of the same autonomy as Bo Nix did ...
Two transfers, one underclassman who impressed in Missouri football's spring game
With that, spring camp’s a wrap.Missouri football held its Black & Gold spring game Saturday in front of a healthy crowd ...