Cut, Keep or Restructure: Making Call on Vikings' Worst Contracts

The Minnesota Vikings, for the most part, have done a nice job of managing their salary cap over the past few seasons. Minnesota should re-evaluate a couple of bad contracts this offseason, however.

Rob Brzezinski, the Vikings' vice president of football operations, is widely considered to be one of the NFL's best at salary-cap management and negotiating player contracts. With that said, it should come as no surprise that Minnesota will enter the 2015 offseason under the salary cap once again.

With an estimated $10 million in salary-cap space this offseason, Minnesota will have some wiggle room to extend player contracts or address needs during free agency. However, the team can add even more space by either terminating or restructuring a few contracts that could hinder Minnesota's future.

Although Minnesota only has a couple of bad contracts on its hands this offseason, injuries to Brandon Fusco, Phil Loadholt and Kyle Rudolph last season could make their recently signed contracts look bad next offseason—in a worst-case scenario.

Let's take a look at Minnesota's five worst contracts and how the team should handle them this offseason.

QB Matt Cassel

Rogelio Solis/Associated Press

Matt Cassel entered the 2014 season as the Vikings' starting quarterback. During a Week 3 matchup against the New Orleans Saints, however, he injured his foot and was lost for the rest of the year.

Cassel's injury forced rookie Teddy Bridgewater into starting for the remainder of the year. Bridgewater put together the best rookie quarterback season in Vikings history and, as a result, has already been named the team's starting quarterback for the 2015 season.

As it stands now, Cassel would enter the 2015 season as the second highest-paid backup quarterback, behind only the Oakland Raiders' Matt Schaub. His two-year, $10.5 million contract has an average annual salary of $5.25 million and will pay him $4.75 million in 2015. To put this number into perspective, Bridgewater will be paid roughly $1.5 million in 2015, as he will only be playing in his second season under his rookie contract.

Since Bridgewater is the starter moving forward, Minnesota doesn't need to commit as much money to Cassel. The Vikings could potentially cut Cassel—no guaranteed money is remaining on his contract—and sign a free-agent quarterback or draft a signal-caller to back up Bridgewater next season.

However, keeping Cassel on his $4.75 million salary is probably the best option. Minnesota doesn't currently need to commit a boatload of money to Bridgewater, and having a capable starter who already knows the playbook is a major asset to the team.

Decision: Keep

DE Brian Robison

Jim Mone/Associated Press

While Minnesota's defensive line was tremendous in 2014 as a unit, defensive end Brian Robison did not have a strong season.

According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Robison ranked 22nd among 4-3 defensive ends with an 8.0 pass-rush productivity rating and was third-worst among 33 qualifying 4-3 defensive ends with a 3.6-stop percentage. Additionally, his 4.5 sacks this season were his worst total since 2010 when he only started two games, per Pro-Football-Reference.

Robison was given a four-year, $22.4 million contract extension last offseason, which isn't looking good right now. At 31 years old, he may be slowly regressing, and his 2014 season could be an example of what to expect moving forward.

If this is the case, the team needs to restructure his contract as soon as possible. With dead cap hits of $3.0, $2.0 and $1.0 million over the next three seasons, it wouldn't be in the best interest of Minnesota to cut him, especially without a viable replacement currently available. However, paying him $5.45, $5.05 and $6.6 million over the next three seasons isn't ideal either.

Assuming Robison is willing, Minnesota could benefit this season and in the future from renegotiating his contract. With that said, however, it is unlikely he would be willing to renegotiate just one season after signing the deal.

Decision: Restructure

WR Greg Jennings

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

Greg Jennings hasn't played poorly during his first two years in Minnesota, but he hasn't played like the elite wide receiver his contract would suggest he is.

According to Pro-Football-Reference, he has totaled 1,546 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns through two seasons as a member of the Vikings. He currently plays under a five-year, $45 million contract, which has an average annual salary of $9 million.

By comparison, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown totaled 1,698 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns just last season, and he currently plays under a five-year, $41.96 million contract, which has an average annual salary of $8.32 million.

What makes Jennings' contract even tougher to swallow is the $12 million in dead money over the next three seasons, which makes cutting him difficult. As a result, the best possible option is to restructure his contract to fit his level of performance.

Additionally, cutting Jennings wouldn't be in the best interest of the team, despite the massive $11 million 2015 salary-cap hit, because he was the most consistent option for Bridgewater last season. His veteran presence is also valuable in the locker room.

Decision: Restructure

LB Chad Greenway

USA TODAY Sports

Chad Greenway continues to finish near the top of the Vikings defense in tackles, but it has become obvious that his skills have regressed.

According to Pro Football Focus, Greenway ranked 21st among 28 qualifying 4-3 outside linebackers with a 7.6 tackling efficiency, and his negative 6.4 coverage grade ranked sixth-worst at his position.

Greenway, who signed two-year, $12.6 million contract extension last offseason, will earn $8.8 million in 2015, assuming his contract isn't terminated or restructured. While he may be capable of performing at a high level still, he hasn't provided great results over the past two or three seasons. As a result, paying him $8.8 million next season isn't in the best interest of the team.

Although Greenway is a likely candidate to restructure his deal—and he could potentially be a solid option at middle linebacker—it makes the most sense for the Vikings to part ways with their longtime outside linebacker.

Cutting him would only result in a $1.7 million dead cap hit, and Gerald Hodges performed well enough late in 2014 to warrant having an opportunity to start. Additionally, Minnesota could draft a potential Greenway replacement this May.

Greenway will go down as one of the best Vikings of all time, but the most cost-effective option would be to release the declining veteran.

Decision: Cut

RB Adrian Peterson

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Adrian Peterson may still be the best running back in the NFL when he inevitably returns from suspension, but he may not be worth his current contract.

Peterson signed a six-year, $86.28 million contract back in 2011, and $47.4 million remains on the deal. He is due $15.4, $15.0 and $17.0 million from 2015 to 2017, but only $2.4 million in guaranteed money is left on his contract.

Suspension aside, paying Peterson these high cap numbers over the next three seasons is absurd. Accounting for more than 10 percent of the team's salary cap is far too high for even the best running back in the NFL. As a result, Minnesota must restructure his contract, and if he refuses to agree to less money, then the team should cut him.

Paying Peterson less money—or terminating his contract if this isn't an option—has nothing to do with his 2014 suspension. It simply does not make sense in today's NFL to pay a running back this much money when it could be going toward an elite pass-rusher, left tackle or wide receiver—possibly even two!

Jerick McKinnon isn't Peterson and almost certainly never will be, but his production-to-contract ratio is far better for the team's future success than Peterson's.

While no Vikings fan wants to see Peterson go, it is the best option for the team's future if he is unwilling to restructure his contract. The Vikings should first attempt to renegotiate with Peterson—once he is allowed to speak with the team—but be ready to move forward if they cannot reach a more team-friendly deal.

Decision: Restructure or Cut

Contract and salary-cap information courtesy of Spotrac.

For more Vikings statistics, analysis and discussion, you can find me on Twitter @RobertReidell.