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Vikings center Matt Birk, the last remaining link to the team’s 15-1 season of 1998, has decided not to participate in voluntary offseason workouts.
Birk is entering the final year of his contract, and the team has made no effort to extend the deal. Thus, it’s likely that Birk will hit the free-agent market in March 2009.
In 2008, he’s due to earn $5.32 million in base salary and a $400,000 roster bonus.
“I don’t feel like I need to plead my case for a contract,” Birk told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “I think my career and my 10 years in this league speak for themselves.”
The other reality Birk faces is that the Vikings might decide to approach him in August with a “take a pay cut or take a hike” ultimatum.
Then again, if Birk were to call the team’s bluff, the Vikes would be S.O.L. at the center position in 2008. Unless, of course, they draft Birk’s successor and decide to install him as the starter.
March 24th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
I think the Vikings and Birk are both taking the right approach here.
Birk is a veteran that doesn’t need to be in camp. Plus, this is the right negotiating tactic to use in his position.
He is old and has had a string of injuries so how he performs this year will go a long way toward determining what he is worth. He was good last year, but made the Pro Bowl because of name recognition and Peterson/Taylor last year more than on performance.
At the end of the day, Birk’s from the Twin Cities, has a nice little restaurant business going there, and if the Vikings are anywhere close to the money that is available when it comes time, he will be a Viking.
If we do give him a ‘take a pay cut or walk’ ultimatum with $18.6mm of cap space left, Vikigns fans should be upset with that foolish move.
And Birk shouldn’t feel slighted, he has been overpaid for years now with his injuries and related dropoff from the perennial Pro Bowler he was when he signed the contract.
There will probably be a few Birk haters from the Viking fan base that post here, because those fans who loved Randy Moss above all else will never forgive Birk for speaking out when Moss was traded.
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March 24th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
The Vikings are probably waiting for the Packers to release to release center Scott Wells. They seem to like picking up the Pack’s trash.
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March 24th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
With all the cap space the Vikes have, making a Phat Pat type of extension for someone that does deserve it, seems like a no brainer. Ryan Cook may be Matty’s eventual replacement, but right now he is adequate at right tackle, and moving him to center at this time would put the Vikes in a bigger crisis at OT and not just for depth.
Matt is smart, he helped with coaching when he was injured, obviously knows the game, so pay him the money for a few more years. It is a better deal than trying to figure out an offense behind a new guy, be it breaking in some rookie or playing musical vets while the immediate window of opportunity closes further.
Get ‘er done!
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March 24th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
I was born and raised and still live in Minnesota. Been a Vikings fan since they came into existence. They’d be idiots not to sign him. He is the anchor to the O-line and has maybe two years good play left.
As I pointed out in a previous comment, the offensive line is not solid. McKinnie may not be around because of legal troubles and the right side is a huge question mark. He and Hutchinson are the only two dependable guys.
The Vikings need Birk more than Birk needs the Vikings. Pay now or, one way or another, pay later.
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March 24th, 2008 at 11:49 pm
so since Birk has 2 years left to play in your opinion, the Vikings should sign him to a long term deal?
amazing you aren’t a GM.
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March 25th, 2008 at 10:01 am
My belief is that Matt Birk has been a center piece to the Vikings organization. (no punn on center) He has not ever to my knowledge publicly embarrassed the organization. And has been reasonable with contract negotiations. Do I think he is at the peak of his career or even slightly on the downside… sure…It happens.. But Matt Birk in three years will still be better than 80% of centers in this league. Will he be in his prime..Nope.. Is he deserving of a contract extension…Yep.. Should it be long term.. probably not.. at this stage in his career a three year extension here.. a three year there. But the way it sounds to me the Vikings are not even talking about extending him.. In my mind that seems wrong.. To someone who has been supportive of the organization..stayed clean during scandals..Been publicly supportive of the coaching changes. Maybe Matty B. will turn down a short term contract.. And thats his perogative. He can then move on.. But atleast put an offer on the table for him to refuse. The team atleast owes him that much… Im saying this assuming that he has not received an offer.. But if he has received an offer and is just being an arse..Then thats on him.
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March 25th, 2008 at 10:23 am
The Vikings may be waiting to see how the draft and McKinnie’s situation play out. Birk is durable (he took every snap in 2007) and a good citizen, but football is a business and McKinnie presents a real dilemma. McKinnie is almost certain to miss some of 2008 due to suspension, but, more importantly, his history of arrests is at odds with the type of team the Vikings are trying to build. The premier left tackles come high in the first round, but the good centers often come in later rounds (Birk was a 6th round selection, as a tackle). I would not be surprised if the Vikings’ 1st round selection was an OT and not shocked to see a deal that moves the Vikings up to take Chris Williams (but probably not Jake Long). Ryan Cook may be the eventual replacement at center, but there are some decent centers to be had in this draft who, with a year behind Birk could be the replacement in 2009. Moving up means fewer draft picks and less money to spend on older veterans. This scenario does not address the needs at defensive end, but it is critical that Peterson and Jackson have a solid offensive line. I would be sorry to see Birk go elsewhere, but that is a fact of life in the NFL.
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March 25th, 2008 at 11:58 am
I was also thinking three or four years for the extension. He may not be in the best shape of his life, but they aren’t going to find anyone better. I was worried about Cook being the weak spot in the line (keep watching, Herrera is going to be a star), but now with McKinnie in trouble, I guess he gets to be a bit less nervous.
Plus, if we lose Birk, I’ll have to get a different jersey to wear to games. I don’t really want to join the throng of Petersons, but he seems to be the only other guy who’d deserve it.
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March 25th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Sign Birk to a fair deal. He may even give a “hometown” discount. Is Dan Mozes still on the roster? He was a free agent signing last year but, got hurt. He’d be a decent player to groom to replace Matt. Hope things get worked out.
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March 25th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Old matty is a smart dude but the vikes hold all the cards. He is signed through the year and we can franchise him.
Would that be the average of the top 5 centers or the top 5 O-Line men?
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