Having re-signed defensive coordinator, Brian Flores and seen one of the two main competitors for his services, the Baltimore Ravens, hire Los Angeles Chargers DC Jesse Minter, the Minnesota Vikings‘ focus will gradually shift towards their many offseason personnel decisions to make.
Currently, the Vikings are a projected $37 million over the 2026 cap, per Spotrac – ranking 30th in the NFL – which could make it a challenge to retain departing free agents this coming spring.
However, with potential player cuts and salary re-structures likely looming over the next couple of months, it is likely that Minnesota should be able to keep some of their highest performing free agents.
And one that has been projected to remain with the team, per Alec Lewis of The Athletic, is four-time All-Pro long snapper Andrew DePaola. DePaolo has made either the first or second All-Pro team since 2022, and is set to be a free agent in March, having signed a three-year extension back in spring 2023.
“Only one Vikings player has earned All-Pro honors in each of the last four seasons: DePaola.” Lewis wrote on Thursday. “He is the team’s NFLPA player rep, and veterans and younger players on special teams appreciate his voice in the locker room. As long as Matt Daniels is the special teams coordinator, DePaola is likely to be the team’s long snapper. This is perhaps the easiest call on this list.”
Andrew DePaola Has Turned Into the NFL’s Best Long Snapper
Long snappers do not classically break the bank, even on veteran contract extensions. Currently, the highest paid LS by average-per-year (APY) is the Kansas City Chiefs‘ James Winchester on his one-year $1.65 million deal – all of which was fully guaranteed.
And at the moment, DePaola ranks 18th in the NFL by APY for the position. But after his stellar spell with the organization, there is little doubt that whomever manages to retain his services will be making the Rutgers alum the highest paid long snapper in the NFL.
Since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2012, DePaola spent his rookie years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, before struggling to find his footing in the ensuing couple of seasons after his departure. He bounced from the Bears to the Panthers and then on to the Raiders before finally finding his way to Minnesota.
And it was with the Vikings where he finally reached his peak well into his mid-30s, earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors for the first time in 2022.
DePaola Could Still Have Some Time Left Despite Age
Now, the only main question that remains with DePaola is how long he can maintain his current level of play.
Aged 38, DePaola is quickly approaching 40 years of age. But unlike many other positions in the NFL, the lack of physical exertion required at the position has meant that older, experienced and vastly skilled long snappers have been able to outlast almost every position in the league – with the exception of quarterback.
Indeed, DePaola is only the fourth oldest LS in the league right now, with the likes of the Titans‘ Morgan Cox, the Panthers’ JJ Jansen and the 49ers’ Jon Weeks all either 40 years of age – or are set to hit the landmark within the next few months.
Vikings Predicted to Re-Sign Four-Time All-Pro