Courtesy of Vikings The Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
The Minnesota Vikings haven’t closed the door on signing Ndamukong Suh.
The five-time Pro Bowl tackle remains a free agent a week into training camps, still weighing the best deal and opportunity. But as Week 1 draws nearer, Suh will have to make a decision.
The Vikings are still at the table, but it appears the two sides are on opposite ends.
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Suh & Vikings Aren’t ‘Remotely Close’ to Reaching a Deal
Appearing on SKOR North on August 4, KSTP reporter Darren Wolfson revealed that Minnesota is still open to signing Suh — but only at a certain price that the Vikings appear unwilling to exceed.
“The Vikings would happily take Ndamukong Suh,” Wolfson said. “They would happily take him today. They’d love to have him on the practice field tomorrow — but at a very specific price point. What Suh is looking for and what the Vikings are looking to do, my understanding is the two sides aren’t remotely close.
After three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a Super Bowl win in 2020, Suh has fielded offers from several teams in the NFL, including the Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns and Vikings.
However, it has been radio silent in Vegas and Cleveland, with both teams expressing their disinterest in signing Suh heading into training camp.
Minnesota is the only team that has not backed out of the Suh sweepstakes. At the moment, however, the veteran defensive tackle appears content with holding out and leveraging his experience into a more lucrative deal.
The Vikings currently have $10 million in cap space, per Over the Cap. Suh has played for less than $10 million each of the past three seasons with the Buccaneers, but Minnesota appears unwilling to blow the rest of their cap space on the 35-year-old defensive tackle.
On the other hand, Suh has made over $166 million in his career and could walk away from the game if a team doesn’t match what he deems is his worth.
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Vikings Waiting Out Vital Decision at Center
When the Vikings allowed starting center Garrett Bradbury‘s fifth-year option to pass, pundits thought Minnesota would bring in competition for his starting role.
But a week into training camp, the same issues are arising for Bradbury and there doesn’t appear to be many viable options on the roster. Bradbury has been bulldozed several times in training camp as his struggles in pass protection have yet to be resolved.
Minnesota signed former Indianapolis Colts interior offensive lineman Chris Reed, who was expected to compete for a spot at right guard — but it’s been Jesse Davis seeing all the first-team reps so far in camp. Reed has been taking second-team center reps but guard remains his natural position.
Bradbury remains uncontested for first-team reps, but if he continues to struggle, Reed or Austin Schlottmann could be brought into the mix.
But that may not be the recipe for a team looking to win now.
The other option would be to sign free agent, veteran center J.C. Tretter, who is rumored to have the Vikings on his list of teams he’d like to sign with.
However, Wolfson isn’t optimistic about a Tretter-Minnesota signing unless the Bradbury situation worsens.
“Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has history with J.C. in their time in Cleveland together. I truly believe (a deal) would have been done already. I haven’t heard of any scheme with the Vikings and JC Tretter,” Wolfson said.