5 players the Vikings could extend before the 2023 season
By Adam Carlson
Ezra Cleveland, offensive line
The interior of the offensive line has been a bit of an issue for the Minnesota Vikings over the past few seasons. Despite spending a lot of draft capital and salary cap space on the three positions, they still haven’t seemed to get it right.
Of those three individuals, Ezra Cleveland has been the strongest performer and is entering the final year of his rookie deal. Minnesota could choose to wait until next offseason to make a decision on his future, but that time shouldn’t be necessary.
The Vikings need his stability while they work to find or create solid options at center and right guard. He shouldn’t be someone the team lets walk in free agency after the upcoming season since it would just create another hole.
Cleveland is set to have a salary cap hit of approximately $3.4 million in 2023 and extending him past that season shouldn’t be an expensive option, but would save the team another offensive line headache down the road.