The One Contract Holding Back the Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings' front office is finally back in the good graces of their fans, following a positive showing in the NFL Draft. Prior to that, the organization was enduring a forgettable offseason. However, despite a few good selections, there is still plenty of work to be done by general manager Rick Spielman.

The Vikings only have $12.34 million cap space to work with, and that predicament can be traced back to the pricey contract of offensive tackle Riley Reiff, who carries a $13.2 million cap hit for 2020, which is good for the second-highest mark on the team.

Minnesota signed Reiff, formerly of the Detroit Lions, to a five-year, $58.75 million contract in the 2017 offseason. Some players tend to underperform after cashing in on lucrative deals, but Reiff's play doesn't legitimize the $10.9 million base salary that's attached to his name.

The 31-year-old is nothing if not durable, but we're convinced that he would no longer be a Viking if the team had a proper contingency plan in place. The fact that Reiff accounts for the second-highest cap hit on Minnesota is ridiculous. Center Pat Elflein is the next-priciest OL on the roster, and he falls at 15th on the roster in terms of hits against the salary cap.

The Vikings owe Reiff $22.55 million over the next two years, and until his contract is off the books, the organization will continue to be limited financially.