Linval Joseph and Xavier Rhodes both garnered large salaries for next season, and the team decided to cut both of them.
However, that doesn’t mean that the team has to part ways with the two. The Vikings could re-sign Joseph and Rhodes still. There’s also the possibility that Minnesota will find replacements for Joseph and Rhodes in free agency or the draft.
I think they should at least attempt to re-sign Joseph for less money. He was decent last season, and the defensive tackle depth around him isn’t fantastic. Armon Watts and Jaleel Johnson have looked promising, but I’m not sure either of them could pick up right where Joseph left off.
Shamar Stephen, the other mainstay starter on the interior defensive line besides Joseph, had just one sack and 15 total tackles last season. If Joseph finds a different team, there’s not enough to fill the void, unless the team emphasizes that position in the draft. With the other needs the team has, it makes sense to lock down Joseph. The Vikings could still draft a player or sign one to pair alongside Joseph.
For Rhodes, it’s a little more complicated. He’s coming off a year where he had no interceptions and just six pass deflections in 2019, allowing 66 receptions on 81 targets. If the team makes the decision to keep Rhodes, it’ll be on a very cheap contract, and he might not be a starter. For Rhodes and the Vikings, it might be time for a change.
Either way, this move made sense. Minnesota now has over $20 million in cap space, per Over The Cap. That money can be allocated to Joseph or Rhodes on cheaper contracts, and help re-sign players like Anthony Harris, if that’s possible, Mackensie Alexander and others.
Minnesota can now be a buyer on the free agency market, so cutting Joseph and Rhodes is a no-brainer. But will either of the two be back next season? It’s hard to say at the moment.