9:55am: The Vikings have informed Patterson that they won’t be picking up his option, a source tells Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.
9:49am: The Vikings have option decisions on three players to announce today, and they’ve already made at least two of those decisions. According to agent Sunny Shah (via Twitter), Minnesota has picked up the fifth-year option on his client, cornerback Xavier Rhodes. The team has also exerci
sed its fifth-year option on defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
[RELATED: 2017 Fifth-Year Option Decision Tracker]
Both moves had been anticipated, since Rhodes and Floyd have been solid pieces of the Vikings’ defense since joining the team, and their projected 2017 salaries aren’t exorbitant. Floyd, the 23rd overall pick in 2013, will earn a $6.757MM salary on his 2017 option year, while Rhodes, the 25th overall pick, will be in line for an $8.026MM salary.
While Floyd, who has started 23 games for Minnesota over the last two seasons, figures to continue in a similar role going forward, Rhodes will have a little more competition at cornerback in 2016 and 2017 — the Vikings used their second-round pick on Friday to nab Clemson’s Mackensie Alexander, one of the top cornerbacks in this year’s draft, so he’ll join Rhodes, Terence Newman, Trae Waynes, and Captain Munnerlyn in Minneapolis.
The Vikings’ third option decision today is for wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, who would be owed a $7.915MM salary in 2017 if the team picks up his fifth-year option. It does not appear likely to be exercised.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
How does the 25th pick make more than the 23rd?
I think the option’s salary is based off the top 5 or 10 salaries at the position.
It’s a positional thing — for picks outside of the top 10, it’s calculated by determining the average of the 3rd through 25th highest-paid players at that position. Since cornerbacks are generally higher-paid than defensive tackles, Rhodes earns a little more than Floyd.