Vikings restructure Latavius Murray’s contract entering next wave of free agency

With their biggest offseason priority in the fold after Kirk Cousins inked his three-year, fully guaranteed contract worth $84 million, the Minnesota Vikings can now shift their attention elsewhere and upgrade other positions.74

General manager Rick Spielman hinted that Minnesota wasn’t quite done in free agency, saying the Vikings will “potentially do one or two more things.” A move Thursday evening backed that up when the team restructured the contract of running back Latavius Murray,cheap nfl jerseys multiple sources confirmed to ESPN.

Given the planning by the Vikings’ front office as it relates to the salary cap, Spielman is confident the franchise will have flexibility to work with in coming seasons. Cousins’ 2018 salary comes with a $24 million cap hit, which left Minnesota with just over $26 million to use in free agency and with contract extensions before any restructuring took place.

Murray was at risk of being a cap casualty had he not agreed to a pay cut by 4 p.m. ET Friday, when $5.15 million of his 2018 salary would have become guaranteed; that would have been the sixth-highest cap hit among all running backs. The Vikings could have released Murray, whom they signed to a three-year, $15 million deal last offseason, and freed up about $5 million in cap space had he not restructured, but they worked to keep the 28-year-old in Minnesota’s backfield.

The timing of Murray’s restructuring coincides with the visit of Seattle defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson to the Twin Cities. Richardson spent time at the Vikings’ facility in Eagan on Thursday before dining with coaches and management.cheap nfl authentic jerseys The 3-technique spot is one Minnesota hopes to improve this offseason. The Vikings expressed interest in bringing back veteran DT Tom Johnson in a reduced role and are also considering options for reserve tackle Shamar Stephen. Finding interior D-line depth next to nose tackle Linval Joseph is a crucial priority in bolstering the Vikings’ pass rush.