Brez Accolades & 2020 Financial Challenges

[purplefaithful]

Vikings officials get a lot of praise for the way the organization is run. The owners, coaches and players are often considered parts of a first-class team, and their practice and game facilities are some of the best in the NFL.
But there’s no doubt one of the most important roles is handled by Rob Brzezinski, the executive vice president of football operations. He is often tasked with figuring out how to not only sign key free agents such as quarterback Kirk Cousins, as he did in March of 2018, but also to find ways to keep talented players General Manager Rick Spielman drafts and Mike Zimmer and his assistants develop.
That was especially apparent in the tremendous amount of work that went into signing tight end Kyle Rudolph on Tuesday to a four-year extension that will keep the former first round draft pick here through 2023 and is fully guaranteed through the 2020 season.
Rudolph, who was set to make $7.625 million this season, will instead make a fully guaranteed $9.25 million.
The Vikings had $207.8 million allotted to 90 players, including Rudolph’s original deal, which only made the negotiation trickier.
“Every negotiation is unique and challenging, and we try to take care of our players and keep as many of our players as we can,” Brzezinski said. “But it is a challenge making everything fit within the economics of our system.”
The lack of salary cap flexibility meant that Rudolph’s name came up in trade rumors for weeks. With teams such as the Patriots in desperate need of a quality tight end, there was good reason to think Rudolph might not be back.
http://www.startribune.com/vikings-have-...511216512/

[Guest]

2020 challenges
According to Spotrac.com, the Vikings already have $210 million allocated to 64 players next season, a payroll already exceeding last year’s $207.8 million. And that’s before factoring in Rudolph’s extension.

Among offensive players in 2020, Cousins will see a pay increase to $31 million from $29 million. Wide receiver Adam Thielen’s contract will increase by more than $4 million to $12.8 million. Wide receiver Stefon Diggs will go up $2 million to $14.5 million. Tackle Riley Reiff will earn an extra $1.5 million to $13.2 million.
On defense in 2020, the biggest jump in salary will belong to Griffen, who will go from $7.9 million to $13.9 million. Barr will jump from $5.6 million to $12.7 million and linebacker Eric Kendricks will earn $10.03 million, up from $4.85 million. Defensive tackle Shamar Stephen will increase from $2.3 million to $5.03 million.
“We have an expensive roster and so, we’re always looking to the future,” Brzezinski said.
The real headaches will come into play when you consider those salary cap increases don’t even factor in the unrestricted free agency of 16 players.
“We have a number of them,” Brzezinski said. “Trae Waynes is probably the biggest of them. I can’t remember off the top of my head, but we have a number of them and Trae Waynes is probably the most prominent.”

[Guest]

The Vikings will find a way to make it work.  The salary cap has been going up 10-12 million every year since the last CBA...  then you add in the fact that we have the flexibility to move on from Griffen (would free up 13 million), Reiff (would free up almost 9 million), and could restructure Harrison, Linval, and Cousins (if all goes well this year) to free up some additional money.

[Guest]

@"Wetlander" said:
The Vikings will find a way to make it work.  The salary cap has been going up 10-12 million every year since the last CBA...  then you add in the fact that we have the flexibility to move on from Griffen (would free up 13 million), Reiff (would free up almost 9 million), and could restructure Harrison, Linval, and Cousins (if all goes well this year) to free up some additional money.

Agreed. 

[Guest]

I would think the hard part is not the individual deal but to not box yourself in so that later you can’t make an addition or keep someone.  Everything keeps changing and like Brez said you have to be looking forward. The man definitely earns his salary.