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
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.
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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