As the Vikings went down to the wire in contract negotiations with receiver Justin Jefferson last weekend, the team created nearly $10 million in cap space on Saturday.
Vikings add nearly $10 million in cap space by restructuring Brian O'Neill's contract
The move happened Saturday, when the Vikings were still in negotiations about an extension for receiver Justin Jefferson.
September 13, 2023 at 5:37PM
The team did a salary conversion with right tackle Brian O'Neill, taking more than $13 million of his previously scheduled $14.4 million in base salary and turning that into a signing bonus. That allows the Vikings to spread roughly $3.3 million in cap hits over each of the next four years of his contract — creating $9.99 million in space this year.
The team has about $13 million in cap space, according to OverTheCap.com, which can be rolled into 2024 if unused. O'Neill's cap hits are now $9.67 million this year, $23 million next year, $26 million in 2025 and $23.2 million in 2026.
Whether the Vikings were bracing for a Jefferson extension or preparing to add veteran talent is unknown at this point. Jefferson, the 2020 first-round pick, is under contract through 2024. The team also has the franchise tag in the event he's unsigned in 2025.
"Of course I would want a contract to be done," Jefferson said last week when asked if Sunday's season opener was a deadline for this year. "But at the end of the day, it's all up to them and what ownership wants to do with that."
After Sunday's loss, Jefferson was asked again about his contract.
Asked if stalled negotiations changes the way he feels about the team or wanting to stay in Minnesota, Jefferson replied, "Not really. I have the same mindset as I had before."
Head coach Kevin O'Connell after Sunday's loss alluded to negotiations being set aside for now, saying of Jefferson, "He knows that I support him 100 percent. He was all-in today and really has been. We would have loved to get something done with Justin, but the decision was made. I do not for one second believe that Justin is not going to put his best foot forward like he did today, and really was pretty darn special today."
Veteran guard Dalton Risner, who started 62 games for the Broncos and visited the Vikings in August, remains a free agent.
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
