Vikings Create Cap Space, Future Flexibility By Moving on From Dalvin Cook
The Vikings have informed Dalvin Cook that he will officially be released on Friday if a team doesn't trade for him first, making him the latest in a line of productive veterans to depart from last year's 13-win team.
Cook joins Adam Thielen, Eric Kendricks, Za'Darius Smith, Patrick Peterson, and Dalvin Tomlinson in being either released, traded, or not re-signed this offseason. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, understanding that the Vikings and their negative point differential were not a true contender last season, has used this offseason to look towards 2024 with a focus on flexibility.
That approach continues by moving on from Cook, who was set to have a $14.1 million cap hit this season, plus two additional years left on the expensive contract extension former GM Rick Spielman gave him in 2020. Assuming Cook is released and not traded, the Vikings will create $9 million in cap space this year and eat $5.1 million in dead money. That includes a $2 million injury guarantee that will be eventually recouped via offsets from the contract he signs with a new team.
The Vikings could use some of that $9 million in space this summer, but they'll presumably roll over all or most of it to 2024. By releasing Cook, they're also creating $12.5 million in cap space next year, with another $3.1 million in dead money. They're currently projected to have roughly $54 million in cap space in 2024.
This offseason has been all about clearing big contract off the books and maximizing future flexibility, both financially and roster-wise. A large dead cap hit for Kirk Cousins looms in 2024 if he leaves in free agency, but that's better from a flexibility standpoint than extending him again. We'll see what happens with Danielle Hunter; trading him would be a big step towards a legitimate rebuild.
The Vikings still have a big question to answer soon at the quarterback position. But in moving on from a bunch of older, expensive players, they're taking a long-term view of their situation instead of trying to run it back with last year's team. That's the correct approach, no matter how well it works out several years from now.
Armed with plenty of cap space next offseason, Adofo-Mensah can really start to build the Vikings' roster in his vision.
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