Barr taking a different approach in negotiating his contract with the Vikings
By Chris Schad
The Minnesota Vikings linebacker has taken a different approach to getting a new contract from the team than those in the past.
The Minnesota Vikings are a team that has a blue collar reputation.
For a team filled with undrafted players (Adam Thielen, Andrew Sendejo) and late-round draft picks that have become stars (Stefon Diggs, Danielle Hunter), they have created an underdog mentality that not only impacts the team on the field, but off of it as well when it comes to contract extensions.
When a player is due for an extension, general manager Rick Spielman gets the job done with little, if any, noise. The most recent examples have happened this offseason when deals for Eric Kendricks and Hunter were done seemingly with a single push notification.
This offseason has been an outlier in general because the Vikings have had four key cogs due for a contract extension. With the salary cap situation also becoming complicated due to the signing of Kirk Cousins, the theme this offseason has been Minnesota figuring out who they will keep and who will they let walk.
Related Story: After Hunter, who should the Vikings extend next?
Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr finds himself in the middle of this discussion. Although the linebacker hasn’t made a major impact that would require an elite level of money, he still feels that his work on the field should be rewarded.
The difference between Barr and those who have been in his position before is that he has made measures to make sure his voice is heard in negotiations.
It started back during OTAs when Barr skipped the first session of voluntary workouts while taking out an insurance policy in case he were to get injured in his contract year.
Then the linebacker started taking reps as a pass rusher, which could have been either a new wrinkle in Zimmer’s scheme or an attempt to drive up his value in negotiations.
The events at OTAs were merely a whimper, but the volume got turned up when Barr made comments to Nick Shook of NFL Media last month.
"“I don’t really get into the numbers. It’s more about feeling valued and respected than the actual dollar amount. They kind of go hand in hand, I suppose, but I love being in Minnesota and I love my teammates. I want to be there long term. I’ve felt I’ve worked really hard, improved from my first day there to where I am now. I think I’m a totally different football player. It’s not really up to me. I feel like all the work I’ve done so far, you’ve got to go off that. You can’t really go off what-ifs or this or that. Let the chips fall where they may. It’s not my decision; it’s on them, and I would like to get it.”"
The comments were something that jumped off the page since it has been a while since the Vikings have had a contract dispute go public.
Minnesota Vikings
In 2013, Percy Harvin was seeking a contract that was in the neighborhood of eight years and $132 million. Minnesota balked at that asking price and with Harvin’s mercurial history, he was dealt to the Seattle Seahawks for a package of picks including a 2013 first-rounder that wound up turning into Xavier Rhodes.
Back in 2015, Adrian Peterson wanted more money from the Vikings despite missing a majority of the 2014 season due to a child abuse case.
While Peterson channeled his inner Iron Sheik and flirted with the idea of playing elsewhere, Minnesota eventually gave in to this situation thanks to the running back being the centerpiece of their offense. The Vikings agreed to restructure Peterson’s contract, which added three-years and $44 million to his current deal.
Looking at Barr’s situation, he might be a vital cog to Minnesota’s defense, but it’s clear that he may not be the impact player that the Vikings would normally be sprinting to sign.
Next: 4 free-agents the Vikings could sign before camp
Making the choice to vocally display his unhappiness with his contract could be a decision that could see him wearing a different jersey next year. But it could also be just one phone call away from a different resolution.