Former Vikings second-round draft pick released by Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers revealed on Tuesday that the team has decided to release former Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks.

Around this time a year ago, the Minnesota Vikings made the decision to move on from longtime linebacker Eric Kendricks. Luckily, it didn't take long for Kendricks to find a new home, as he wound up landing a job with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Unfortunately for the veteran linebacker, he's in need of a new home in the NFL, once again, as the Chargers announced on Tuesday that the team has decided to release him.

Kendricks originally signed a two-year contract with Los Angeles, but his time with the franchise has already come to an end after just one season. With his release, the Chargers have created $6.5 million in much-needed cap space.

After release by the Los Angeles Chargers, Eric Kendricks could reunite with former Minnesota Vikings coach

After his time with Los Angeles in 2023, Kendricks has now played in the NFL for a total of nine years. This past season, he appeared in 15 of the Chargers' 17 games, so durability doesn't seem to be a big issue for him yet.

With Los Angeles in 2023, the former Vikings linebacker accumulated 117 tackles (seven for a loss), six pass breakups, 3.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. Among 82 qualifying linebackers in the NFL last season, Kendricks finished with the 25th-best defensive grade from PFF.

He proved he can still produce at a high level in 2023, so he's probably going to at least see what sort of interest he might have in free agency this year before calling it quits.

The Dallas Cowboys seem like a possible landing spot for Kendricks since they recently hired former Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer to be the team's new defensive coordinator. Zimmer was with the Vikings when they used a second-round pick on Kendricks in the 2015 NFL Draft.

Will the former Vikings linebacker reunite with Zimmer in Dallas, or will he end up playing elsewhere for the 2024 season?