MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Vikings already were up against the salary cap at the start of free agency. To make matters more challenging, they then found themselves in a race against the clock.
Coinciding with a wild turn of events last Tuesday when Anthony Barr reneged his verbal commitment to the Jets only to return to the team that drafted him on a new five-year deal, the Vikings simultaneously came up with the parameters of a contract restructure for Everson Griffen.
Three days into the new league year, Griffen’s $10.9 million base salary was set to become fully guaranteed.