SB Nation Minnesota - Matt Kalil, Minnesota Vikings Reach Contract Agreement

Vikings, Matt Kalil Reach Contract Agreement, According To Report

2012-07-26T17:33:16Z

The big snag between the Minnesota Vikings and first-round draftee Matt Kalil had been the talk of offset language, but they worked through that on Thursday and reached a contract agreement.

Many of the top-end first-round picks were the last to sign with their respective teams, despite the new collective bargaining agreement attempting to rectify holdout situations by putting caps on what rookies can make depending on their draft positioning. If we've learned anything, it's that players, teams and, of course, agents will find something to fight over when negotiations are going down.

Guaranteed money is the new "big issue." Players still need to negotiate what portion of their allotted salary is guaranteed, while teams are trying to play preemptive damage control in the event that their chosen player happens to be a bust. This is where offset language comes in, and has been an issue.

In so many words, offset language is a way for teams to get out of paying guaranteed dollars in the event that they cut a player before the contract is up. If a player signs for a deal that is equal to or greater than the guaranteed dollars that were remaining on the previous contract, then the first team no longer has to pay that money. It's offset to the new team. The player gets what he was originally supposed to make regardless. No offset language means that player would get paid by the first team and the second team.

Kalil, like many of the top-end players in the 2012 NFL Draft, want no offset language. The Vikings don't. Something had to give, and now, it looks like something has, as the Pioneer Press reports via Twitter that the two sides have agreed to terms and that a deal should be signed on Thursday.

They followed up with another Tweet that says the deal is essentially in Kalil's favor:

I'm told Kalil is getting fourth year guarantee. Not sure if it's totally guaranteed, but sounds like no offset language.
— Pioneer Press (@VikingsNow) July 26, 2012

In all, it didn't actually make much sense for the Vikings to stick to this issue. Kalil is going to be their left tackle, and it's hard to imagine him not performing up to par for his contract. Left tackles have a much higher rate of success than most other drafted positions, and even if he doesn't perform up to standards, it's hard to imagine the Vikings getting someone better to play the position over the next four years.

For more on the Minnesota Vikings, go to Daily Norseman. You can also get all of your professional football news over at SB Nation's NFL hub.

Josh Robinson Signs Four-Year Deal With Minnesota Vikings

2012-07-26T00:22:57Z

The Minnesota Vikings have come to an agreement with third-round pick Josh Robinson. The cornerback, selected No. 66 overall in the 2012 NFL Draft out of Central Florida, has signed a four-year deal, via ProFootballTalk.

Robinson was happy to tweet the news on Wednesday, along with a picture of his first professional jersey:

Official like a ref and a whistle!! Signed that paper!! Thank you Father! twitter.com/JROB_2one/stat…
— Josh Robinson(@JROB_2one) July 25, 2012

The Vikings will begin their training camp on Thursday. There have been a flurry of signings ahead of camps opening, but Minnesota still has yet to finalize a deal with first-round pick Matt Kalil. Negotiations with Kalil have been held up because of offset language.

For more the Minnesota Vikings, head over to The Daily Norseman. More news and analysis on the NFL as training camps officially start up can be found over at SB Nation's dedicated NFL hub as well as at SB Nation's Youtube Channel:

Minnesota Vikings Working Out Contract With Matt Kalil, But Offset Language Providing A Hold Up

2012-07-25T16:04:59Z

Training camps are slated to start in the NFL on Wednesday, but Matt Kalil isn't with the Minnesota Vikings at the start as he and the team continue to work out the contract for the draft's fourth overall pick.

Under the new CBA, rookies are recieving a lot less money than they were in years previous, but guaranteed money is still a big seller in contract negotiations among rookies. In Kalil's case, the talks appear to be getting held up by an odd thing -- putting full offset language into whatever the potential contract is. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk reported on the matter on Wednesday:

Per a source with knowledge of the negotiations, the Vikings want offset language in the contract offered to left tackle Matt Kalil, the fourth overall pick in the draft. The Vikings are pushing the issue even though the player taken in front of Kalil (Browns running back Trent Richardson) and three of the five players taken behind him have avoided the offset duty completely. (The player taken directly after Kalil, Jaguars receiver Justin Blackmon, presents a different set of circumstances given his post-draft DUI.)

For more on Matt Kalil and the Minnesota Vikings, head over to The Daily Norseman. More news and analysis on the NFL as training camps officially start up can be found over at SB Nation's dedicated NFL hub as well as at SB Nation's Youtube Channel:

Vikings Training Camp Primer: Offensive Line

2012-07-19T19:00:48Z

In 2011, the Minnesota Vikings' offensive line was a below-average group by most measures, but there is new hope for the unit in 2012, thanks to the addition of the man that the Vikings hope will hold down the left tackle spot for the next decade and beyond.

Players in camp: Matt Kalil (starter), Charlie Johnson (starter), John Sullivan (starter), Brandon Fusco (starter), Phil Loadholt (starter), Joe Berger, Patrick Brown, Chris DeGeare, Tyler Holmes, Levi Horn, DeMarcus Love, Austin Pasztor, Quentin Saulsberry, Geoff Schwartz, Darrion Weems

The selection of Matt Kalil with the fourth overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft was a no-brainer for the Vikings. Charlie Johnson just wasn't a good fit at the position in 2011, and it's really hard for a young quarterback like Christian Ponder to develop if he's constantly looking up at the Metrodome ceiling. So, they took the man who didn't allow a sack at left tackle in his two years as a starter at Southern Cal. To tell you how talented Kalil is, as a sophomore he competed with current Dallas Cowboys' tackle Tyron Smith for the left tackle spot for the Trojans. Kalil won the job and, despite playing right tackle, the Cowboys took Smith with the ninth overall pick in the 2011 Draft. So, Smith was good enough to be top ten NFL draft choice, but he wasn't good enough to play left tackle at USC, because he couldn't beat Matt Kalil out for the spot. Kalil will, hopefully, be the Vikings' answer at left tackle for a long time.

Johnson will now kick inside to left guard, replacing the departed Steve Hutchinson. Johnson has a lot of talent, but his skill set is much better suited to a guard position than to being put out on an island at left tackle. While Hutchinson was still performing at an admirable level near the end of his Vikings' tenure, the drop-off to Johnson shouldn't be that large.

Center John Sullivan has become the leader of the offensive line in Minnesota. Sullivan was one of the league's better centers last year, and the lone bright spot on the offensive line. The Vikings recognized this, and rewarded Sullivan with a long-term contract extension. With Hutchinson gone, a young offensive line will look to Sullivan for leadership and guidance, and if he can remain healthy, Sullivan will continue to get better.

At right tackle, we have the man that might be the most frustrating offensive lineman in the league in Phil Loadholt. Loadholt is a 6'8", 345-pound monster that, for some reason, has a tendency to forget that he's 6'8" and 345 pounds. He has always been very good in the run blocking department, but speed rushers have their way with him far too frequently. If he can become more consistent and keep his technique sharp, he has the potential to be one of the league's better right tackles.

Right guard will provide the one real competition for a starting spot along the offensive line, as the other four positions are basically set. The main combatants for the spot will be Brandon Fusco, one of the Vikings' sixth-round choices in the 2011 draft, and Geoff Schwartz, who was signed in the off-season after missing the entire 2011 season. Fusco was getting the first-team snaps in camp, as Schwartz was still sort of getting into the swing of things after missing an entire season. The team like Fusco's tenacity as well as his versatility (he was drafted as a center coming out of college). Schwartz was named the Carolina Panthers' "secret superstar" by Pro Football Focus after an outstanding 2010 season. If he can regain his 2011 form, there's a very good chance that he could unseat Fusco for the starting job. Whoever loses the Fusco/Schwartz battle will be the primary backup along the interior.

One of the more interesting names to keep an eye on in camp will be second-year tackle DeMarcus Love. Love, another of the Vikings' sixth-round picks in 2011, found himself in an awkward position in 2011. The Vikings thought enough of him to keep him on the 53-man roster all season, but he was not activated for a single game last season. Love has a lot of talent, which is why the Vikings kept him on the 53-man roster (since there was no chance of him getting through to the practice squad), and it will be interesting to see how he develops this season. He could be the top backup tackle if the team feels that he has progressed enough.

As far as the remaining backups, the final two spots will likely go to Berger and DeGeare. DeGeare actually started a couple of games for the Vikings in 2010, but showed up to camp in 2011 out of shape, got cut by the Vikings, and found himself on Minnesota's practice squad for most of last season. Berger got a couple of starts for the Vikings last season, and the team seems to like him.

One player that is a practice squad candidate is Saulsberry. Saulsberry went undrafted out of Mississippi State, but many experts had a him as a draftable prospect, with some having him as high as the fifth or sixth round. He's a dark horse to make the big roster coming out of camp, but has a very good chance of ending up on Minnesota's practice squad, in my opinion.

Making the cut: Kalil, Johnson, Sullivan, Fusco, Loadholt, Schwartz, Love, Berger, DeGeare
Not making the cut: Brown, Holmes, Horn, Pasztor, Saulsberry, Weems

Positions on the 53-man roster accounted for: 27 out of 53

We'll have another easy one tomorrow, as we look at the specialists on this year's installment of the Minnesota Vikings.

2012 Vikings Offseason: Leslie Frazier Believes Rookies Will Play Big Roles

2012-07-15T15:44:39Z

After seeing his rookies in offseason OTAs and minicamps, Minnesota Vikings coach Leslie Frazier came away pleased with their progress and looking forward to seeing the youngsters compete in pads, says Sid Hartman of the Star-Tribune.

The Vikings finished 3-13 last season, so left tackle Matt Kalil, the No. 4 overall selection out of USC, as well as former Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith, the No. 29 overall pick, will be immediate upgrades to Minnesota's personnel. Frazier also praised cornerback Josh Robinson, the team's third-rounder, and former Arkansas receivers Jarius Wright and Greg Childs.

Kalil's development will be crucial so that the Vikings can protect quarterback Christian Ponder, their first-round pick in 2011. Frazier says facing off against Jared Allen and Brian Robinson in pads in training camp can only help Kalil get better quickly.

Hartman mentions that Ponder did not have much practice time before last season began, so his first true offseason with the team could be an opportunity for the former Florida State Seminole to make a big leap.

All told, early playing time is readily available in Minneapolis.

For more on the Minnesota Vikings, check out the Daily Norseman, and head over to SBNation's NFL hub for all news and analysis.

Vikings' Christian Ponder Thrilled To Have Matt Kalil Protecting Him

2012-06-08T13:00:54Z

Minnesota Vikings fans can expect better quarterback play in 2012 - that's almost entirely guaranteed. Donovan McNabb was the guy to start the season, or more accurately, the quarterback formerly known as Donovan McNabb was the guy. He was benched in favor of rookie Christian Ponder, who played well with the usual rookie jitters.

One thing that seemed to limit him in his rookie season is the fact that he spent a sizable portion of it on his back. Offensive line play was certainly lacking for Minnesota in 2011, and that's something the team addressed in the first round with the drafting of left tackle Matt Kalil - making him the No. 4 overall pick in the draft.

As it turns out, Ponder recognizes that the drafting of Kalil will help him, and is ecstatic about the move, according to the Star Tribune:

"I haven't stopped smiling since that Thursday night of the draft," Ponder said Wednesday afternoon during an interview on "NFL Total Access" which aired on the NFL Network. "I'm definitely excited that we picked up Matt. He's already impressed me. He's come into these OTAs and he's working hard. He's a big guy, he's really athletic and he's going to do a great job. Obviously he did really well at USC and he's going to continue that and be really good in the NFL. Hopefully we have 10-15 years together with the Vikings."

In so many words, Ponder is saying "Oh my God the guy we had last year was terrible. I don't even remember his name, all I know is Tupac at Coachella was more solid than he was. Matt Kalil is my hero." Of course, that's paraphrasing, but it's basically what he said. Just read it again.

For more on the Minnesota Vikings, go to Daily Norseman. You can also get all of your professional football news over at SB Nation's NFL hub.

2012 NFL Draft: 'Cleveland Did The Right Thing,' According to Vikings GM Rick Spielman

2012-05-01T15:45:18Z

The Pioneer Press had a Q&A with Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman, who addressed a number of topics (even if he didn't touch a question about the recent arrest of running back Caleb King).

One of the issues discussed was what exactly transpired between the Vikings and Cleveland Browns during the first round of the NFL Draft.

The two teams, as you probably know, swapped picks, with the Browns moving up to No. 3 to get Trent Richardson and the Vikings dropping to No. 4 to get Matt Kalil, who they were expected to take all along at No. 3. The Vikes also landed Cleveland's fourth-, fifth and seventh-round picks.

From the Pioneer Press interview:

BS [Bob Sansevere]: One of the stories flying around is about Cleveland and whether any other team was prepared to trade with you....Was there a deal in place with another team?

RS [Rick Spielman]: We did have offers on the table, I can tell you that. I'm not going to tell you who or what. But I will say Cleveland did the right thing...

I think both teams benefited from that trade. Cleveland got a very unique running back (Trent Richardson), and it's very important for their offense - and I think we were able to accomplish what we wanted.

Over the weekend, The Cleveland Plain Dealer quoted Browns president Mike Holmgren saying that Cleveland had to pull the trigger on the move and didn't regret the bounty they gave up for Richardson.

For more on the Minnesota Vikings, go to Daily Norseman. You can also get all of your professional football news over at SB Nation's NFL hub, or check out SB Nation's YouTube channel:

2012 NFL Draft Grades: SB Nation Gives Final Grade Of A- To Vikings

2012-04-30T13:49:43Z

The Minnesota Vikings have been getting rave reviews from all over the place after what has looked to be a great 2012 NFL Draft. They added a bunch of important pieces, had a great trading strategy that saw them gain a bunch of picks and still get the guy they wanted in the first place -- it was a good one by most accounts.

SB Nation's video recap of the NFC North agreed with the solid reviews that the Vikings have been getting, giving Minnesota an A- for their work. In addition to Matt Kalil obviously, the SB Nation gang were impressed by the good load of wide receivers that were picked up with WR being a huge need for them going in. Dan in particular also seems to like the color purple in general.

Their A- was tied for the highest score given in the NFC North with the Green Bay Packers.

For more news and information on the Minnesota Vikings, head over to The Daily Norseman. More analysis on the NFL can be found at SB Nation's NFL hub and more on this season's draft in general can be found at SB Nation's specialized 2012 NFL Draft section.