Inside The Vikings

Vikings Create $10M in Cap Space By Restructuring Brian O'Neill's Contract

Restructuring O'Neill's deal gives the Vikings more breathing room this season.
Will Ragatz|
Vikings Create $10M in Cap Space By Restructuring Brian O'Neill's Contract
Vikings Create $10M in Cap Space By Restructuring Brian O'Neill's Contract

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Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings have created $10 million in salary cap space by restructuring the contract of right tackle Brian O'Neill. The move was done on Saturday ahead of the start of the regular season, according to ESPN's Field Yates.

This brings the Vikings from roughly $3 million in available cap space (28th in league) to roughly $13 million (4th).

At the very least, this gives the Vikings significantly more flexibility to operate throughout the season. They no longer have to be concerned about being up against the cap when they make minor roster moves.

This also gives the Vikings the room to make a more significant addition — or more than one — if they decide to go that route. The free agent market is rather barren, as is always the case during the season, but there are players out there who could at least add veteran depth to Minnesota's roster at areas of weakness. Some positions where the Vikings could consider adding include running back, interior offensive line, cornerback, and outside linebacker.

Former Broncos guard Dalton Risner spent Sunday afternoon making it clear that he's ready to join the Vikings if they make the call, but nothing seems imminent on that front.

GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could also simply roll most of the cap space over into 2024.

O'Neill is under contract through 2026 on the five-year extension he signed two years ago. In his first game action eight months after partially tearing his Achilles, the 2021 Pro Bowler was PFF's highest-graded offensive tackle in the NFL in Week 1.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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