On Monday, the Minnesota Vikings released veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks after an eight-year career with the team. The move frees up $9.5 million in cap space for the money-strapped Vikings, and because he’s a vested veteran, Kendricks is immediately a free agent capable of signing with any team he wants. He does not have to wait until the start of free agency, because his contract has already been terminated.
The Detroit Lions find themselves in an interesting situation at linebacker. They currently only have Malcolm Rodriguez (age 23) and Derrick Barnes (23) under contract, and while both players could be the starting two for the future, the Lions could use both some assurance and some experience at the position.