Minnesota Vikings’ owners facing tough financial decisions
First and foremost, Minnesota has to figure out what to do about the quarterback position.
During the 17 years that Zygi and Mark Wilf have owned the Vikings, the team has made the playoffs seven times. The loss on Sunday to the Detroit Lions makes the postseason unlikely this season. Going forward, the Wilfs face difficult spending decisions.
Foremost will be quarterback. It’s unclear whether the underwhelming play of Vikings backups will improve Kirk Cousins’ free agency market, which could reach $40 million next spring.
It seems likely that had Cousins not been lost for the remaining nine games due to Achilles surgery, the Vikings would have won a couple more games and been a legitimate NFC North contender with the Lions.
But Cousins isn’t expected to be fully recovered in March when free agency begins. The draft isn’t until April, and there’s no guarantee the Vikings could get an elite QB. There’s also the risk that Cousins, 36 next year, could reinjure the Achilles. That risk will affect how much money the Vikings would be willing to guarantee in a contract.
The Vikings can’t go into next season with Nick Mullens, Josh Dobbs or Jaren Hall as their starter.
It’s unclear whether the Wilfs are willing to pay Justin Jefferson the mega-deal he wants (anticipated $150 million for five years). Will they re-sign free agent Danielle Hunter ($65 million or so for three years)? Hunter turns 30 next season.
With Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson signed, would the Vikings dare trade Jefferson for draft picks to take a quarterback?
Going forward, there are multiple intertwined pieces to the Vikings’ puzzle for the Wilfs to try to figure out.
—Best free agent bet for Cousins, if the Vikings don’t re-sign him, seems to be the Atlanta Falcons, who could have $50 million in salary cap space after some anticipated player cuts, including QB Taylor Heinicke, the ex-Viking.
—The Vikings this season are the 17th-oldest team in the NFL. The Packers are the youngest. The Lions rank No. 11.
—Joe Mauer needs 75 percent from among nearly 400 baseball writers for Hall of Fame election in the former Twin’s first year of eligibility. With nearly 10 percent of ballots this month known, tracked unofficially by Ryan Thiboudaux, Mauer on Saturday was trending at 76.3 percent.
The 2024 Baseball Hall of Fame class will be inducted on July 21 in Cooperstown, N.Y.
A children’s book centered on Joe Mauer, “The Right Thing To Do” about the Twins great’s kindness off the field by KSTP-TV’s Joe Schmidt, will be launched at a party at Target Field on Jan. 20.
—Defenseman Brock Faber, the ex-Gopher who is a rookie with the Minnesota Wild, is on pace to receive a maximum $1 million in incentive bonuses this season. That would be more than his salary.
Faber, from Maple Grove, has four contract levels of production worth $250,000 apiece: top-four Wild defenseman in ice time; 10 goals or 25 assists; all-NHL rookie team, and top-two defenseman in blocked shots. He also is among the top-three team defensemen in plus-minus on ice, but only four categories count toward the $1 million in bonuses.
Faber, 21, has an entry-level contract with a base salary of $832,000.The Wild acquired Faber in the Kevin Fiala trade with the Los Angeles Kings. A left winger, Fiala, 27, has 29 points in 29 games this season.
—That was ex-Gophers men’s basketball coach Dan Monson leading Long Beach State to its recent 84-79 victory over Southern California, which featured the college debut of LeBron James’ son, Bronny. That made Long Beach State the only team in the country this season with road victories against teams in the Big East (DePaul), Big Ten (Michigan) and Pac-12 (USC).
—Max Shikenjanski, the former Stillwater QB star who suddenly as a Gophers freshman is backup to Cole Kramer for Tuesday’s Quick Lane Bowl game against Bowling Green, is unfazed that Minnesota has three incoming QBs in its 2024 recruiting class and couldn’t be more excited about his status.
—Deephaven’s Tim Herron of the Champions Tour underwent Dupuytren’s contracture hand surgery the other day so he can practice without pain, which has limited his play.
—Some Target Center courtside seats for Timberwolves games are $1,500 per ticket. In Los Angeles for Lakers and New York for Knicks games, courtside seats approach $4,000 apiece.
