Vikings Pro Bowler wants to leave the team
In a surprising development, one Vikings Pro Bowler has requested his release from the team.
The Minnesota Vikings’ offseason plans just took a complicated turn.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is reporting that Za’Darius Smith has requested his release from the Vikings.
Smith all but confirmed this report in a tweet thanking the organization and its fans.
What makes this situation even more complex is that Minnesota has no plans to honor Smith’s request, according to Rapoport.
Smith, who made his third career Pro Bowl appearance in 2022, still has two years left on his three-year deal he signed last offseason. He was one of the most productive members on the Vikes’ defense last year, registering 10 sacks and 15 tackles for loss in 16 games.
Minnesota has the option to cut Smith, which would save the team $3.33 million towards the salary cap, but that’s a drop in the bucket considering he comes with a $15.49 million cap hit in 2023.
Hopefully the two sides can work something out, but Smith seems pretty intent on starting a new chapter elsewhere. This recent development makes general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s life even more difficult with free agency beginning on March 15.
