McKinnie Wants A New Deal?

We tweeted earlier today that Minnesota Vikings’ tackle Bryant McKinnie signed on with Drew Rosenhaus to be one of his clients.  At the time, we didn’t think it was all that significant, because he is in the middle of a very lucrative seven-year $49 million contract that doesn’t expire until 2013.  Mike Florio (Pro Football Talk) believes the tackle wants a re-worked deal.

According to NFL rules, Rosenhaus cannot earn money from McKinnie unless and until he signs a new contract.  Of course, there is a possibility that McKinnie is looking forward to his next contract when  his current deal expires…. or he really does want to get a new deal done.  Rosenhaus, at least, is downplaying the subject and is saying that this change of agents isn’t contract related.

“This has nothing to do with respect to his contract or anything else,” Rosenhaus told Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “It’s just purely, in his mind he wanted something different.  We’re very honored to be working with him.  It’s only a positive situation for us and we have nothing but the greatest respect for him.”

McKinnie, 29, will be turning 34 when his current contract expires in 2013, meaning he likely has one more somewhat long-term deal remaining in his career.  Negotiating a lucrative contract at 34 is a little more difficult than negotiating a contract extension while you are younger… or at 29.

Personally, I am not sold that McKinnie is looking for a new deal — yet, at least.  A year or two down the road when he gets up there in age, he may hint he would like a contract extension.

A tweet sent to McKinnie asking about Florio’s speculation has not been responded yet.

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