Danielle Hunter...dodged that cap bullet?
A quick look at the highest paid NFL players...#21 jumped out at me.
Kwesi dodged that cap hit bullet...how else might one deploy $35.6 million in roster depth? I believe he did.
Does Hunter deserve a higher salary than JJetta?
I started at #10 below...we all pretty much know who the top ten are.
I highlighted current and former Vikings for comparison reasons...what they signed for elsewhere means a bullet dodged.
In 2025, we basically have both Greenard and Van Ginkel for the same cap hit as Hunter.
Another interesting cap space structure I noticed.
Last year, Greenard's cap hit was $5.7mm. This season (2025), it's $22.3mm. In Brez we trust.
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10. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
AAV: $52 million
11. Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
AAV: $51 million
12. Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals
AAV: $46.1 million
13. Deshaun Watson, QB, Cleveland Browns
AAV: $46 million
T-14. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons
AAV: $45 million
T-14. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
AAV: $45 million
16. Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams
AAV: $42 million
17. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
AAV: $40.25 million
18. Myles Garrett, edge, Cleveland Browns
AAV: $40 million
T-19. Derek Carr, QB, New Orleans Saints*
AAV: $37.5 million
* Carr is set to retire but his contract hasn't officially come off the Saints' books yet.
T-19. Geno Smith, QB, Las Vegas Raiders
AAV: $37.5 million
21. Danielle Hunter, edge, Houston Texans
AAV: $35.6 million
22. Maxx Crosby, edge, Las Vegas Raiders
AAV: $35.5 million
23. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
AAV: $35 million
T-24. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
AAV: $34 million
T-24. Nick Bosa, edge, San Francisco 49ers
AAV: $34 million
26. Sam Darnold, QB, Seattle Seahawks
AAV: $33.5 million
27. Baker Mayfield, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
AAV: $33.33 million
28. D.K. Metcalf, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
AAV: $33 million
29. A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
AAV: $32 million
30. Chris Jones, DT, Kansas City Chiefs
AAV: $31.75 million
Please God, just one Lombardi before I die.
Montana Tom wrote:
Last year, Greenard's cap hit was $5.7mm. This season (2025), it's $22.3mm. In Brez we trust.
I hope so. Per OverTheCap, Vikings are nearly $54M over the cap for next year. Recent history has proven Brez has a plan, but it looks like the Vikings shot their wad on this year's signings.
Letting the oft injured Hunter walk was probably a good idea.
I noticed that about Greenard's 2nd-year cap hit last year. You can see the wisdom in structuring a contract so that you pay low in tight years and pay high when you have a lot of cap space, but that one seemed more severe than most.
"All those who believe in psychokinesis, raise my hand." —Steven Wright
If McCarthy can keep the train on the tracks, KAM will look like a genius, for all of the reasons (aka the highlighted names) listed above.
pattersaur wrote:
If McCarthy can keep the train on the tracks, KAM will look like a genius, for all of the reasons (aka the highlighted names) listed above.
KAM needs to hit on Turner too...
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
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