5 extremely early Vikings cut candidates for the 2024 offseason
By Chris Schad
Brian O'Neill - RT
Brian O'Neill is a cornerstone of the Vikings' offense heading into next season, but there's a scenario where he could wind up being a cut candidate in 2024.
O'Neill is returning from a partially torn Achilles tendon suffered in a Week 17 loss to the Green Bay Packers. While his recovery has reportedly gone ahead of schedule, it's a difficult injury to not only return to the field but return to their pre-injury form.
An example of this is former Vikings offensive lineman Phil Loadholt, who suffered a full Achilles tear during a 2015 preseason game and never played another down in the NFL. Loadholt's injury was more severe than O'Neill's, but there is a scenario where O'Neill isn't the same player and could see a decline in his performance.
This could be a reason why the Vikings didn't restructure O'Neill's contract this offseason. If he regresses, the Vikings could save $9.9 million by cutting O'Neill by June 1 and $15 million as a post-June 1 cut. While such a move would leave a gaping hole on the right side of the offensive line, it could be solved during free agency or by tapping into a loaded draft class.