NFL free agency is just around the corner and soon the Vikings will be forced to make some big decisions on some key veteran players.
One of those players is linebacker Chad Greenway, who at age 32, is entering the final year of his contract and is scheduled to count $8.8 million against the salary cap.
According to 1500 ESPN, Greenway is one of the Vikings veterans that could be asked to restructure his contract to remain with the team – Matt Cassel and Greg Jennings are a couple of the others.
The difference between Greenway and either Cassel or Jennings is that the South Dakota native has played his whole career in Minnesota. The Vikings drafted him in the first round in 2006 and he’s solidified a linebacker spot on their defense since 2007.
“I think everybody knows what type of player and person he’s been,” Vikings general manager Rick Spielman told reporters at Gophers Pro Day. “We’d love to have Chad Greenway finish as a Minnesota Viking. He’s under contract. There’s no deadline. We’re under the cap. There’s no deadline (on making that decision).”
Greenway led the Vikings in tackles for six consecutive seasons, but he’s coming off a year in which injuries limited him. Still, he finished second on the team with 93 tackles in just 12 games in 2014.
He told FOX Sports North last week that he “just doesn’t feel like he’s done.”
Chad Greenway says "I just don't feel like I'm done." #Vikings http://t.co/Ah84W3xOFp via @FoxSports
— Brian Hall (@MNBrianHall) February 27, 2015
Pro Football Talk notes that since the end of the season Greenway has said he’d be willing to restructure his contract to remain in Minnesota, and has expressed confidence that he’ll be back.
Given the NFL’s $143 million salary cap, the Vikings have about $17 million in available cap space.
Spielman wouldn’t acknowledge if the team and Greenway have already had some discussions, but said “there are some things we’re working through internally” as they prepare for free agency.
