Has Rick Spielman’s free agency start boosted his contract hopes?

The released players

It’s easy to forget that the NFL is a business and Rick Spielman made the decision to part ways with experienced duo Xavier Rhodes and Linval Joseph.

The pair saved the Minnesota Vikings around $18 million in salary-cap space that has allowed Spielman and the Viking to make some moves and enhance their prospects going forward.

Both Rhodes and Joseph are clearly on the decline and they were not worth anything near the salaries they were set to make in 2020. Parting ways with the pair allowed Minnesota to explore other options and give current roster members the opportunity to step up and make a starting spot their own.

Rhodes was a first-round selection and did perform largely up to expectations before a significant downturn in the last couple of seasons. Giving the player a fresh start is mutually beneficial and it was the right time for both parties to move in a different direction.

Defensive tackle Joseph was a big-money free agent signing from the New York Giants, one of many such moves by the Vikings under Spielman. He has had his ups and downs, but his time in Minnesota has more good than bad. Joseph was not out of work long and recently agreed to sign a two-year, $17 million deal with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Josh Klein’s release was a strange decision. The offensive guard doesn’t save that much in cap relief and was only on the Vikings’ roster for the 2019 season. This is also not an area of the field where Minnesota is particularly strong and the player did perform well at times last term.

The NFL is a cutthroat business and in Rhodes and Joseph’s case, they were prime candidates for the chop given their high salaries. The Vikings are better off for it at the moment providing both are replaced with quality reinforcements.