Vikings pick up options for Floyd, Rhodes, but not Patterson – Minneapolis Star Tribune
The Vikings have officially exercised the fifth-year options for two of their 2013 first-round draft picks, defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd and cornerback Xavier Rhodes. But they will not pick up the option for fellow first-rounder Cordarrelle Patterson, a kick returner and seldom-used wide receiver.
The options will keep Rhodes and Floyd under team control through 2017. Patterson, meanwhile, will be a free agent after this season.
The Vikings informed those players about their intentions Monday morning.
In 2017, Rhodes, entering his third year as a Vikings starter, will make $8,026,000. That is the fifth-year option salary for a cornerback drafted between picks No. 11 and 32 in 2013, per CBS Sports.
The option figure for Floyd, who has played well when healthy, is $6,757,000.
Patterson did not play on offense at all down the stretch in 2015 and has 863 career receiving yards through three NFL seasons. The writing was on the wall for Patterson even before the Vikings drafted Mississippi’s Laquon Treadwell in the first round Thursday night. His option figure would have been $7,915,000.
This is the third year that the Vikings had to make decisions on fifth-year options. Two years ago, they passed on picking up the option for 2011 top pick Christian Ponder. Last spring, they exercised the options for Matt Kalil and Harrison Smith, keeping them under contract through 2016.
Eleven rookies added
The Vikings signed one draft pick and 10 undrafted free agents, including Gophers defensive end Theiren Cockran and Wisconsin quarterback Joel Stave. The 10 will join the team’s eight new draftees and other unsigned, undrafted free agents at this weekend’s rookie minicamp at Winter Park. The Vikings have filled 89 of their 90 roster spots.
Cockran (6-6, 260) had seven tackles for loss and three sacks last season in 13 games and was named the team’s top defensive lineman.
The 6-5, 235-pound Stave was a four-year starter and had an up-and-down career but is the winningest QB (31-10) in Badgers history. He had 2,687 yards, 11 TD passes and 11 interceptions as a senior; sophomore year (22 TDs, 13 interceptions) was his best season.
Also signed as free agents were:
• Marshall cornerback Keith Baxter. Baxter (5-11, 190) started 26 games and had two interceptions. The Thundering Herd had the fourth-best pass defense (based on opponent’s efficiency) in Division I.
• Penn State tight end Kyle Carter. Carter (6-3, 250) had 84 receptions in four seasons, but only 14 for 135 yards as a senior.
• Georgia linebacker Jake Ganus. Ganus (6-2, 235) was the Bulldogs’ MVP after leading the team in tackles with 102 in 13 games, including five tackles for loss and two interceptions. Transferred after three seasons at Alabama-Birmingham when it dropped football.
• UMass wide receiver Marken Michel. Michel (5-11, 190) had 92 receptions for 1,016 yards and six touchdowns in his career. His brother, Sony, is a standout running back for Georgia.
• Florida International defensive end Denzell Perine. The 6-3, 245 pound Perine had 4.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for the loss as a senior.
• New Mexico running back Jhurell Pressley. Pressley (5-10, 203) ran for 1,083 yards (9.5 per carry) as a junior and 907 yards (6.2 per carry) as a senior.
• Kentucky State cornerback Eric Rawls. The 6-2, 195-pounder had seven interceptions in four seasons for the Division II Thorobreds. He was one of 180 players at a regional combine at Winter Park on March 5.
• Maryland running back Brandon Ross. Ross (5-10, 210) is fourth on the Terrapins’ all-time list for rushing yards (2,543) and rushing yards in a game (250 vs. Indiana in 2015), and seventh in yards per carry (5.23).
• Also, sixth-round selection Moritz Boehringer, a speedy wide receiver from Germany, became the first of the NFL’s 2016 draft picks to sign, according to the team.
