Vikings general manager Rick Spielman has made multiple first round picks over the last three drafts, wheeling and dealing his way to a second – even third – selection near the end of the first round. With that, the organization will have some decisions to make on whether it wants to exercise fifth-year options for seven players in the next three offseasons.
We'll table the discussions regarding wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, cornerback Xavier Rhodes, defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, linebacker Anthony Barr and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater for the next two offseasons, though your heads are already spinning on who should receive a fifth-year option from this group.
This year, it starts with the 2012 class with first round left tackle Matt Kalil and safety Harrison Smith entering their fourth, and currently final, year of their rookie contracts. The window to exercise the fifth-year option or extend first round picks from the 2012 class opened on Dec. 29 and closes on May 3.
The top ten picks have their salaries decided by the average of the top ten highest salaries for players at the same position during the previous year, which would be the same amount as transition tags. Kalil, picked fourth overall in 2012, would have his salary determined in this manner.
The average salary of the third through 25th highest salaries at the same position determines how much picks 11-32 will receive in their fifth-year options. Smith, picked 29th overall, would fall under this category.
"That'll be interesting, because now we're getting into these next three years; We have seven of them that we're going to have situations that we're going to have to deal with," Spielman said. "This year, it'll be Kalil and Harrison Smith. If you exercise those options, you definitely have them under contract for that fifth year. We just have to talk through internally, and we've already had some initial discussions on some teams you look at, they exercise that option, but then they try to work out a long-term extension for those guys."
Smith would be a no-brainer to exercise and possibly even incorporate the option into a long-term extension during the offseason. He's a top five player at his position and will be one of the key pieces for this Vikings defense under head coach Mike Zimmer.
Kalil showed improvement at the end of the season, but the Vikings will be tasked with the decision of whether they want to retain Kalil's rights for what will likely be a hefty price. The transition tag last year for offensive linemen was $10.039 million. Kalil will have the second highest cap hit among Vikings offensive linemen next season at $6.29 million with a $3.08 million base salary.
The Vikings can exercise the fifth-year option to Kalil, but it wouldn't be guaranteed until the first day of the 2016 league year. The only exception would be if Kalil suffers a serious injury next season, which is possible for an offensive lineman in a season when right guard Brandon Fusco and Phil Loadholt were placed on injured reserve, the fifth-year option would be fully guaranteed. It's noteworthy that Kalil had minor knee surgery last offseason that led to his slow start.
What's clear is the Vikings will exercise a fifth-year option for the first time after declining to offer one last year to quarterback Christian Ponder, who will become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. The 2011 draft class was the first to go through the process when the NFL implemented the fifth-year option in the most recent collective bargaining agreement. It's still a fairly new process but one the Vikings will likely be faced with every offseason considering Spielman's draft tendencies.
