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One of many "big" off-season decisions the Vikings need to make...
The Riley Reiff Decision is Really About Ezra Cleveland
With the Minnesota Vikings pressed up against the salary cap heading into next season, one common suggestion to remedy the situation is releasing Riley Reiff. As a 32-year-old due to make $13.95 million next season, Reiff is the football equivalent of Old Yeller. Despite coming off one of the best seasons of his career, the Vikings may not be able to find the cap room to keep him around.
But as easy as this decision seems, it will be more difficult than it looks because it will say more about Ezra Cleveland than it will about Reiff.
To say Cleveland’s rookie season didn’t go to plan is an understatement. As an offensive tackle drafted in the mold of Brian O’Neill, it was assumed that the Vikings second-round pick would be on course to take over for Reiff at left tackle. In fact, there was a chance they would flat-out release Reiff before the season, which would clear the runway for Cleveland to take off.
Instead of getting reps and learning behind Reiff at left tackle, the Vikings announced before training camp that Cleveland would be getting reps at guard. With Dakota Dozier, Pat Elflein and Dru Samia as his main competition, putting Cleveland at guard would be his fastest path to getting on the field — at least in 2021.
But the Vikings’ comments regarding Cleveland prior to the season painted a different story.
During the Vikings’ post-draft press conferences, Minnesota’s college scouting director Jamaal Stephenson noted that Cleveland had “guard flexibility.” That comment should have made Cleveland’s switch in 2020 a little less surprising, but Cleveland himself also hinted after making his NFL debut last October that it could be his long-term position.
“I’m not 100 percent sure,” Cleveland told Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribunewhen asked if he viewed himself as an NFL tackle. “I know that I like tackle and I like guard both the same. … Honestly, wherever the team needs me, I’ll play and try to do my best.”
Outside of a company line, doing his best is what Cleveland did at his new position last season. Cleveland graded 29th among qualifying guards per Pro Football Focus and was the third-highest graded lineman on the team behind Reiff and O’Neill.
While Cleveland wasn’t a dominant all-pro, he showed enough with his athleticism to suggest that a long-term move to guard could be in his future. His final month of the season showed some flaws in his game, including a lack of strength against bigger, powerful maulers such as Akiem Hicks, but Stephenson suggested that was to be expected.
“I think even Ezra would tell you he needs to get stronger,” Stephenson said. “I think that’s something really easy to work on.”
Put it all together and there’s a compelling argument to keep Cleveland at guard. He’s already received a full year of coaching and reps at the position and would give the Vikings one less spot to worry about heading into the offseason.
This puts the situation with Reiff front and center. If the Vikings were to keep Cleveland at guard, it could create a hole on the outside if they decide to let Reiff go.
Rest of article:
the-riley-reiff-decision-is-really-about-ezra-cleveland
The Vikings have enough contract flexibility (release, restructure) in their higher paid players (Rudy, Harry, Barr, etc) to keep Reiff if they want to. So I think the decision to extend him, trade him or release him pivots on what they decide to do with Danielle Hunter.
Hunter is under contract until 2024, so an argument can be made to say, "hey, you missed a year, get out there and prove you're healthy and we'll look at your contract in '22." An argument can also be made that he's woefully underpaid--ranking 18th among the highest paid DEs, when he's very clearly a top 5 guy in terms of performance.
I tend to believe that Cleveland would be pretty good out at LT, so if they decide to give Hunter a new deal, they pretty much have to remove Reiff from the cap. And IF they do that, then our pick at #14 is much more likely to be an OL.
Just some things I think I think.
Yup, we have the back-drop of Hunter and lots of other players who could be cut or re-structured.
The other big piece of this is obviously the draft.
If a really good OT is there @ 14? They may very well be forced to go that route and really change how they manage existing OL.
I think the best thing about Ezra right now, is you have flexibility. I don't think Ezra and Reiff are the only two pieces as part of the equation as well. I think you need to look at all of your holes and figure out how to fix them. That goes all the way to our need at DT, S, DE, and LG.
I think the sum of the parts can be equally as beneficial with or without Reiff depending on how they use his money. But I wouldn't sleep on them moving O'Neill to LT. Everyone assumes it would be Ezra but I would say there is an equal chance they consider O'Neill at LT.
Redo Reiffs contract and keep Cleveland at guard and sign another &$@&!$ guard! Stop goofing around and at least get a middle of the road free agent guard who is not a train wreck! Then draft a couple guys and coach them up to be backups etc. The Oline is terrible again and I am sick of this same issue year after year.
Quote: @PSBLAKE said:
Redo Reiffs contract and keep Cleveland at guard and sign another &$@&!$ guard! Stop goofing around and at least get a middle of the road free agent guard who is not a train wreck! Then draft a couple guys and coach them up to be backups etc. The Oline is terrible again and I am sick of this same issue year after year.
I won't disagree that the O-line still needs to be improved. In the run game they're effective its in pass protection that they really struggle. Dozier was a complete liability. The rest of the line was up & down, which all O-lines are. Part of the issue is Kirk holding the ball at times. I would argue that at least 1/3 of the sacks and pressures Kirk faced in the latter portion of the season was avoidable if he would get the ball out faster. His time to throw is one of the lowest in the league. For pocket passers it would be the lowest (longest).
Part of this is why Kirk has such good stats under pressure, he invites it. Its controlled chaos in a way. But yeah, its not a trait that is going to make you O-line look great in pass protection. If you ran the same line back with a league average player in Dozier's spot I think you'd see an improvement but it wouldn't be this drastic turn around.
Quote: @PSBLAKE said:
Redo Reiffs contract and keep Cleveland at guard and sign another &$@&!$ guard! Stop goofing around and at least get a middle of the road free agent guard who is not a train wreck! Then draft a couple guys and coach them up to be backups etc. The Oline is terrible again and I am sick of this same issue year after year.
This is where I’m at. I know this team has a lot of holes and salary cap issues. Bad combination.
But all I’ve seen on the field and all I’ve heard from fans for years is how bad the O-line is and how it’s holding the team back. Now that we’re maybe/kind of/almost set to have a decent OL in 2021, we’re going to let the starting LT walk? No thanks.
Keep Reiff. Sign or draft a G early. If the defense stinks for another year so be it, but at least we’ll finally get to see what Kirk can or can’t do behind a good OL.
Quote: @"Geoff Nichols" said:
@ PSBLAKE said:
Redo Reiffs contract and keep Cleveland at guard and sign another &$@&!$ guard! Stop goofing around and at least get a middle of the road free agent guard who is not a train wreck! Then draft a couple guys and coach them up to be backups etc. The Oline is terrible again and I am sick of this same issue year after year.
I won't disagree that the O-line still needs to be improved. In the run game they're effective its in pass protection that they really struggle. Dozier was a complete liability. The rest of the line was up & down, which all O-lines are. Part of the issue is Kirk holding the ball at times. I would argue that at least 1/3 of the sacks and pressures Kirk faced in the latter portion of the season was avoidable if he would get the ball out faster. His time to throw is one of the lowest in the league. For pocket passers it would be the lowest (longest).
Part of this is why Kirk has such good stats under pressure, he invites it. Its controlled chaos in a way. But yeah, its not a trait that is going to make you O-line look great in pass protection. If you ran the same line back with a league average player in Dozier's spot I think you'd see an improvement but it wouldn't be this drastic turn around.
as a frustrated fan I do not know how many times I was yelling at Kirk to throw the stupid ball! Is every pass pattern a deep route? Are there no quick slants in the playbook? Can the tight ends run a short stop route? Are the defenses that we played so spectacular that when it is third and three everyone is so covered up Kirk has to hold on to the ball for five seconds until someone breaks open down field? I agree the Oline could have been helped exponentially by a QB that gets rid of the ball quickly or can get out of trouble with his legs. But we do not have one.
Quote: @MaroonBells said:
The Vikings have enough contract flexibility (release, restructure) in their higher paid players (Rudy, Harry, Barr, etc) to keep Reiff if they want to. So I think the decision to extend him, trade him or release him pivots on what they decide to do with Danielle Hunter.
Hunter is under contract until 2024, so an argument can be made to say, "hey, you missed a year, get out there and prove you're healthy and we'll look at your contract in '22." An argument can also be made that he's woefully underpaid--ranking 18th among the highest paid DEs, when he's very clearly a top 5 guy in terms of performance.
I tend to believe that Cleveland would be pretty good out at LT, so if they decide to give Hunter a new deal, they pretty much have to remove Reiff from the cap. And IF they do that, then our pick at #14 is much more likely to be an OL.
Just some things I think I think.
The Vikings gave Hunter the early extension in July of 2018 and he went out and got 14.5 sacks in both of the next two years before getting hurt this year.
They can and should extend him now before it gets even more expensive.
Here is an example contract redo/extension ...
He currently has 3 mil in prorated signing bonus that counts against the cap in 2021 & 2022.
He currently has 2 mil in restructured salary that counts against the cap in 2021, 2022, & 2023.
His current cap hits are 17.75, 17, & 14 mil.
Give him a 5 yr 100 mil deal with a 25 mil signing bonus.
His salaries would be 7, 8, 20, 20, & 20 mil.
His cap hits would be 17, 18, 27, 25, & 25 mil.
Include incentives to give him more based on production.
In 2023, if they wanted to move on from him they would eat 17 mil in deal money but save 10 mil in cap space.
If he is doing well, as I suspect he will be, then they can restructure his deal to gain cap space if necessary.
This sample deal actually lowers his 2021 cap hit by 750K and raises it by 1 mil in 2022 and by 13 mil in 2023.
In 2023, they could be free of a huge QB cap hit.
If I am running the Vikings, this is the deal I would propose.
Quote: @"Geoff Nichols" said:
I think the best thing about Ezra right now, is you have flexibility. I don't think Ezra and Reiff are the only two pieces as part of the equation as well. I think you need to look at all of your holes and figure out how to fix them. That goes all the way to our need at DT, S, DE, and LG.
I think the sum of the parts can be equally as beneficial with or without Reiff depending on how they use his money. But I wouldn't sleep on them moving O'Neill to LT. Everyone assumes it would be Ezra but I would say there is an equal chance they consider O'Neill at LT.
Does the team think Udoh could play RT? That would seem to be a factor in the idea of moving O'Neill to LT. Or will they let Hill leave in free agency and count on Udoh as their swing tackle?
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