Offset Language Holding Up The Vikings Deal With OT Matt Kalil

With training camp a day away and negotiations seemingly stuck between the Minnesota Vikings and top draft pick Matt Kalil, the so-called "offset" language in what will be a four-year, $20 million contract with a fifth-year option continues to be the most pressing of several issues the sides must work out, Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN reports. The Vikings, who include offset language in all of their deals as an organizational philosophy, don't want to set a precedent that could come up the next time they have to negotiate a veteran contract, too. Kalil's agents, Tom Condon and Ben Dogra of CAA, don't want to set a precedent of taking a seemingly lesser deal when several players drafted around the athletic left tackle -- including CAA clients Robert Griffin III with Washington at No. 2 and Trent Richardson with Cleveland at No. 3 -- already have signed deals that don't include offset language, AKA an insurance policy that offsets guarantees in a player's contract if he gets cut and signs elsewhere. In the end, one side will either have to cave on the offset issue or else work out a compromise in which Kalil receives other sorts of assurances in exchange -- a logical step, since both sides no doubt believe he'll be starting at left tackle for the Vikings through 2015 and beyond.

Source: The Redzone
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