According to a report by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Minnesota Vikings are working on a restructured contract with linebacker Anthony Barr.
Per Fowler, the restructure would lower Barr’s $12.3 million salary for 2021 while making him a free agent in 2022, one year before his current deal expires in 2023.
Barr has been a key component in Mike Zimmer’s defense but has just one sack since signing a 5-year, $67.5 million contract prior to the 2019 season.
Barr also is coming off a torn pectoral muscle that forced him to miss the final 14 games of the 2020 season.
According to Spotrac, the Vikings have $9.6 million in cap space after the releases of Kyle Rudolph and Dan Bailey last week.
Although the Vikings are under the cap in advance of the new league year, which begins on Thursday, Over The Cap estimates the Vikings will need $11.5 million to sign their upcoming draft class.
That has created the need for the Vikings to clear cap space ahead of free agency with the legal tampering period beginning on Monday.
Barr’s agreement would help the Vikings add players in free agency and fill holes on a defense that ranked 29th in points allowed last season.
