So I’m still playing a little catch up, but thought we should discuss how the Minnesota Vikings did a re-do of the 2013 NFL free agency period when last week they traded for WR Mike Wallace from the Dolphins and subsequently cut WR Greg Jennings. A bit of a whirlwind, so let’s get to the soggy bottom of this.
WE DID WHO?
Last week, the Vikings traded for former Pittsburgh and Miami receiver Mike Wallace. The trade included Wallace himself, plus a 2016 7th-round draft pick from the Dolphins, for a Vikings 5th-round draft pick this year. Essentially you drafted Mike Wallace in the 5th round this year. Not awful!
Following that acquisition, the Vikings then cut receiver Greg Jennings from the team. Jennings was prepping for his third season with the Vikings, part of a five year contract that he originally signed with the team after leaving Green Bay before the 2013 season. Probably was a poor career move on his part, aside from the boat loads of cash he can now swim in. Jennings’ original contract called for something like 5 years, $45 Million dollars, with near $18 million of that guaranteed. It was a hoss of a contract when offered in 2013, but was actually less then what Mike Wallace’s contract with the Dolphins was (5 years, $60 million, $30 million guaranteed).
I don’t know how the contract stuff all works out – if Mike restructures with the Vikings or how much the Vikings are still on the hook for with Jennings – but the basics of it are that the Vikings decided to do a do-over on Free Agency 2013 and ended up getting a guy Spielman wanted in Mike Wallace. This also made the team younger at the wide receiver position by about 3 years or something. And everyone loves youth! And potential!
OK, WHY MIKE?
Mike Wallace had an awesome set of four season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he had 6, 10, 8, and 8 touchdowns per season from his rookie to fourth year. He also had a year with over 1,200 receiving yards, which is choice. He’s considered a deep threat I suppose, but his yards per reception has decreased every year since his second season. At 28 years old, he’s a nice, young player likely in his prime to add to your stable of developing receivers, and – throwing aside Greg Jennings’ silly cap number for 2015 – would have been a nice addition to truly solidify the Vikings receiving core.
People also seem to think Wallace is a phenom at making like one handed catches and other ridiculous receptions. I don’t really think that’s the case, and more so just think he gets pretty lucky sometimes. Doesn’t mean that’s bad, just means that maybe the deep throating is a little premature.
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BUT OK, WHY GREG?
But, Greg is old and pricey, and once you acquire Mike Wallace Greg becomes expendable. Which is too bad, because Greg had to come here (for a shit ton of money, of course) and play two seasons with Christian Ponder, Matt Cassel, and finally some Teddy Ballgame before getting kicked out of town. So, imagine that, coming from Aaron Rodgers. Probably should have requested a do-over. But now that he’s 31 and the Vikings are looking to surround their sexy new franchise quarterback with offensive weapons that he can grow with long-term, Jennings probably wasn’t in that plan. Which is kind of weird.
DO WE CARE AT ALL?
Yes, but it’s still weird. Again, Mike Wallace is cool to have on this team. But I’d prefer Mike Wallace AND Greg Jennings. It doesn’t really sound like Greg was interested in restructuring, so, fine, he was cut. But now your receiving core is Wallace as your veteran – who doesn’t really seem like a great veteran teacher to me – plus former street urchin Charles Johnson, Jarius Wright, and Cordarrelle Patterson, who is edging close to bust status. That doesn’t sound like a reliable group that can help each other AND help a young quarterback like Teddy Bridgewater.
And what are the Vikings going to do? Probably draft a receiver in one of the first three rounds of this year’s NFL draft. So then you’ve invested in that guy, which adds five receivers, with no room for that Jennings-type veteran and / or mentor that can help these guys along. That’s what I’d prefer, anyway. Maybe it’s not needed, but that seems like the way to set yourself up for success when you have so many other young guys on the team.
In the end though, trading for Wallace and dropping Greg were seem as pure football and money moves, but – as Sid Hartman-y as this sounds – I don’t think it takes into account all the intangibles Jennings could offer this young team, and that might be a problem.
TRUE STORY!
In 2013, Greg Jennings had the 12th highest cap hit for a team at the wide receiver position in the NFL. Know who had the largest cap hit? Mike Wallace. So … I don’t know. This doesn’t save money immediately, right? But maybe in the long term? I don’t even know if that’s true. What a weird scenario.
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