O.T. Takes Pay Cut

By: Viking Update Staff

Date: 2/27/2001

With just two days left to try to get the Vikings into compliance with the salary cap, Orlando Thomas avoided the axe by agreeing to re-work his contract to slash his contract for the 2001 and 2002 seasons to stay with the team. The Vikings saga with the salary cap has taken on the look of the team's annual signing of rookie draftees -- the little deals get done first before the big ticket contracts are handled.

Monday, the Vikings got another restructuring out of the way, as veteran Orlando Thomas agreed to have his cap number cut in half by accepting a massive pay cut.

Thomas was to have a cap number near $4 million, including a $1.7 million salary, but that figure was sliced by half as he accepted a two-year restructuring at about $500,000 per season. His contract will also include time incentives as he battles second-year man Tyrone Carter for a starting spot.

TUESDAY NOTES * There was no progress made on getting deals done Monday with John Randle, Todd Steussie or Robert Griffith. However, VU has been told that Randle may be willing to rework his deal, but not if it includes accepting a big pay cut. That stance doesn't make much sense because, if he is cut Thursday, he'll never get the kind of money the Vikings are currently paying him anywhere else. Steussie isn't happy with the latest team offer, which, while giving him $4-5 million up front, is for less than his current deal. Griffith and the Vikings are also going nowhere, since Griffith is looking to be paid on the same lines as Tampa Bay's John Lynch and Green Bay's Darren Sharper -- between $5-6 million -- and the Vikings simply can't afford that right now. * Negotiations continue with center Matt Birk, with both sides making concessions from their original contract proposals. * A false report leaked Monday that the Vikings had cut John Burrough for cap purposes. While Burrough wasn't cut Monday, he is definitely on the block to be released this week if he doesn't accept a pay cut. * A televised report Monday indicated the Vikings are expressing an interest in signing veteran free agent running back Adrian Murrell. However, VU is hearing that, if the right RB -- namely Wisconsin's Michael Bennett -- is available on draft day, the Vik

-- Mark (Karch 222@aol.com), February 27, 2001

Answers

I guess it's better than losing him for nothing, although not much. He is a decent player if he could stop breaking his shoulders.

-- Tom (BMatheus@aol.com), February 27, 2001.