The running back is now expected to be a part of the 2018 Minnesota Vikings after reportedly agreeing to restructure his current contract.
In terms of straight up statistics, Latavius Murray was not one of the best running backs in the NFL last season. However, he was still an important part of the success experienced by the Minnesota Vikings on offense in 2017.
With the combination of Murray and Jerick McKinnon, the Vikings finished last season with the league’s seventh-best rushing attack.
While McKinnon has already moved on and joined the San Francisco 49ers, there was some talk that Murray could be released by Minnesota if he did not agree to a pay cut before Friday. Well according to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin on Thursday, it appears as though Murray has actually agreed to earn less money in 2018.
Latavius Murray has restructured his contract with the Vikings ahead of Friday's deadline where $5.15 million of his $6.35 million cap hit would have become guaranteed, sources told ESPN. https://t.co/7jDSJ8yHZe
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) March 16, 2018
Based on the deal he signed in 2017, the running back’s cap hit this year would have been $6.35 million (the sixth-highest of any NFL running back in 2018). But with the news of Murray agreeing to a restructured contract, expect that cap hit to decrease quite a bit.
Not only did Minnesota want to free up some more money to spend this offseason (perhaps on Sheldon Richardson), but they also didn’t want to pay Murray that much to be the team’s backup behind Dalvin Cook in 2018.
With the restructure, the Vikings don’t have to worry so much anymore about finding another running back this year. Cook and Murray should make for a nice duo in Minnesota’s offensive backfield next season.
Next: Which 2018 free-agents will the Vikings re-sign?
Despite agreeing to get paid less, it was still an exciting day for Murray as the running back also announced on social media that he is engaged. Congratulations to him on that, but hopefully a wedding ring isn’t the only ring in his near future.