In less than one week’s time, the Minnesota Vikings have had three starters go under the knife for significant surgery: Adrian Peterson (meniscus), Matt Kalil (labrum) and, most recently, Sharrif Floyd (reportedly meniscus).
Not only does the organization suffer by not having those three around for the foreseeable future, but the players themselves could be watching millions of dollars go out the door as they stand on the sidelines.
Adrian Peterson
With one year left on his contract, Peterson is due a spectacular $18 million total in 2017. Six million of that is due the third day of the league year in March, meaning the Vikings will have very little time after the end of the season to make a decision on the future of the greatest running back in their franchise’s history.
At age 32, Peterson is unlikely to bounce back as spryly from knee surgery as he did in 2012, when he was in his physical prime. That, plus that fact that Peterson’s current contract has him making $6 million more annually than the next highest paid running back in LeSean McCoy. With none of Peterson’s gaudy salary guaranteed, the Vikings will be hard-pressed to dole out that money to a back coming off another knee operation.
The next several months will also be telling. Minnesota is set to embark into a two- or three-headed running back system with Jerick McKinnon, Matt Asiata and new signee Ronnie Hillman. The three combined are making just over $2 million this year and would come at only a slightly higher price tag next season (Asiata and Hillman will be free agents).
There was very little chance Peterson would have seen his full salary barring another record-breaking rushing season, but the odds of him getting paid fully are now slim to none, simply based on his age, the reduced emphasis on workhorse running backs in the NFL and salary cap considerations. It will likely be a renegotiation or a release.
It’s quite possible the Vikings already have a plan in place for how to deal with Peterson.
General manager Rick Spielman addressed Peterson’s future in a February press conference.
“You’re always thinking about [life after Peterson],” said Spielman. “At running back, you’re one injury away. We’ll eventually get down there. I think Adrian is still a very productive running back in this league. He won the rushing title again [last] year. It’s amazing, the stamina and the physical specimen that he still is, but at some point, everybody has to retire. I don’t know when that point is. … When you’re building a roster, regardless if you have an Adrian Peterson or not, you’ve got to anticipate the potential disaster of a player being gone because of an injury and how you’re still going to be an effective football team even if he’s not there.”
Matt Kalil
In Kalil’s case, he’ll enter free agency coming off the first major injury of his career – a devastating financial blow to a guy who went over four years without missing a start.
Fortunately for Kalil, he’s getting paid over $11 million this season as a result of the Vikings picking up his fifth-year option prior to the 2015 season, but he’ll have to sign a bridge deal this spring if he hopes to recoup that type of figure again.
Kalil is still just 27 years old, meaning he’s likely to draw some attention on the free agent market. Having started over 65 games in his career, teams will like his experience, since quality left tackles are hard to find. Plus, there’s always that tantalizing 2012 season in which Kalil was selected to the Pro Bowl and blocked for a 2,000-yard rusher.
He’ll have to take a pay cut, however — probably somewhere between Chris Hairston and Donald Stephenson’s contract. Two years, $8 million or two years, $10 million makes sense for Kalil as he proves whether or not he can rebound from a labrum repair. But will it be with the Vikings? Maybe, maybe not. Zimmer has always raved about Kalil’s toughness and had been thrilled with his play before Kalil’s hip flared up. “I think he’s much improved,” Zimmer said in late August. “He has been as good as any of the offensive lineman we have right now.”
Sharrif Floyd
While his surgery was the least severe of this injured trio, Floyd may stand to lose the most. While Peterson already has a fortune and Kalil was able to secure his lucrative fifth-year salary, Floyd is set to make more in his fifth year than he has in his last three seasons combined. A $6.75 million base salary awaits if the Vikings retain Floyd, but per the latest collective bargaining agreement, the fifth-year option is not guaranteed until the first day of the league year next March.
The Vikings may ask Floyd to renegotiate. The organization has leverage as they’ll be able to cite Floyd’s litany of nagging injuries – particularly in the knees – and the team’s depth at the position. Tom Johnson and Shamar Stephen will both get additional reps next to Linval Joseph at defensive tackle, and both have proved to be more than capable of taking on significant responsibilities.
Floyd appeared to be in Zimmer’s doghouse last week when the coach said he was “used to” Floyd being injured. Friday, the coach was asked how Floyd’s absence affected the team’s rotation. “It doesn’t,” Zimmer said. He also added, “Sharrif’s not here, so we don’t even need to talk about it.”
The cases of Peterson, Kalil and Floyd go to show that very little in the career of an NFL player is guaranteed, especially the money. These three may be losing millions.
