Vikings Defender Confirms Contract Drama
In the last few weeks, the Minnesota Vikings have granted contract extensions to general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and tight end Josh Oliver.
The Vikings have handed out several extensions this offseason, and the next guy on the list knows a deal is on the way.
Those two are connected to the franchise for the foreseeable future.
Safety Josh Metellus, meanwhile, is next — and he knows it.
Josh Metellus Confirms the Obvious
Metellus was not present for some of the Vikings’ organized team activities (OTAs) in May, leading some insightful onlookers to ask, “What gives?”
The long-time Viking later appeared at OTAs, but his contract situation lingered. The upcoming season is scheduled as Metellus’ last in Minnesota, meaning right now is a sensible time to chat about an extension.
When asked about the negotiations, though, Metellus replied Tuesday, “That’s part of the process right now. I mean, the coaches, front office, everybody understands, you know, situation I’m here. I’m building that chemistry my new teammates and the old teammates, and I’m here being the same guy I am all the time. So you guys know me. It ain’t nothing change.”
So, there’s smoke to the Metellus extension fire.
Presence at Minicamp an Encouraging Sign
No matter what, Metellus’ attendance in Eagan is a sign of smooth extension talks on the way.
Fans didn’t expect the dealings to bend contentiously, but a Metellus’ extension may be the final notable example of the summer, it’s on the do-list.
If Metellus were truly disgruntled, he would’ve skipped minicamp altogether, taking a stand while his agent fought for his deal behind the scenes.
Metellus as the All-Arounder
Minnesota deploys Metellus all over the damn place on defense, nudging his worth to the heavens for the long-term. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores, at heart, enjoys versatile defenders, and they get no more adaptive and essential than Mettelus’ tool bag.
Metellus can be a linebacker, slot corner, play his natural safety spot, blitz, line up as a faux EDGE in some formations, and adeptly stop the run.
He’s not a run-of-the-mill safety.
Fans Shouldn’t Sweat the Extension Talks
The takeaway? Much like the Adofo-Mensah mystery from January until May, Mettelus’ contract extension will be locked in sometime this summer. It’s not a cliffhanger.
Minnesota knows that safety Harrison Smith will likely retire after 2025, and Metellus’ pal, Camryn Bynum, already left this offseason for the Indianapolis Colts.
There’s a world where the purple team enters the 2026 offseason with Metellus and recently promoted Theo Jackson as the main two safeties on the roster, so it basically can’t afford to lose Metellus unless there’s a grand plan to draft a Round 1 safety next April — a strategy that worked out terribly during Adofo-Mensah’s first draft.
How Much?
Zone Coverage‘s Matt Fries recently outlined a would-be Metellus extension.
He explained, “The absolute floor is Jeremy Chinn’s $8 million, but I think offering lower than $12 million would be insulting. I see a market-adjusted version of Kyle Dugger’s contract for the ceiling, which would be roughly $16 million per year. If I were Metellus’ camp, I would try to get that. Like most things, I expect this to be negotiated towards the middle.”
“If I average Dugger and Jabril Peppers’ contracts, and prorate it for the 2025 cap, I get $12.5 million. That seems reasonable, but I think Metellus would want to clear the bar Gordon set at a minimum, so I will bump it up to $13.5 million. For term, I’ll choose a three-year extension. That would put Metellus under contract through 2028, his age-30 season. That’s just in time for him to try to cash in via free agency one more time before the twilight of his career.”
Metellus is quietly turning into one of the longest-tenured players on the Vikings’ depth chart, entering his sixth season with the club.
Fries added, “Metellus is set to earn $3.7 million this season. He has a play-time incentive that pays $1.6 million if he plays 80% of the snaps or $2.5 million if he plays 90% or more. He also has interception incentives that could pay up to $500k. It would be nice for the Vikings to wrap this incentive into the extension, making his total payout roughly $47 million over four seasons.”
“Like with his last contract, the Vikings may choose to load the deal with play time and interception incentives and maybe even add in team success, Pro Bowl, or All-Pro incentives. Those numbers would inflate the agent-driven total that Ian Rapoport or Adam Schefter would tweet out, but not alter the base deal. As it stands, this deal would likely be reported as a three-year, $43.25 million extension with $23.5 million guaranteed.”
It’s worth noting that before too long, linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. can request an extension as well.
Surprise Rocks Vikings Minicamp
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