Vikings Could Have a Controversy Brewing
Last week, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said his team had near 100% participation at the first few days of organized team activities (OTAs)
Vikings OTAs are fully underway, and one small absence could signify a mini-controversy for the purple team.
There’s a reason he said “near.”
Safety Josh Metellus didn’t appear to be in attendance, a possible signal that the veteran defensive back is staging a mini-holdout.
No Josh Metellus at Vikings OTAs
To the naked eye, onlookers could not find Metellus at Vikings OTAs, an odd revelation given that the event otherwise had excellent attendance.
Craig Peters of Vikings.com later spilled the beans, “Veteran cornerback Jeff Okudah was involved early in coverage, lining up opposite of Murphy in a 7-on-7 grouping that also included Pace and Blake Cashman at inside linebacker, Andrew Van Ginkel on the edge, and Harrison Smith and Theo Jackson at safety. (CB Isaiah Rodgers and all-arounder Joshua Metellus were not at the voluntary session). Jay Ward also logged some work in filling in for Metellus.”
Metellus was not there in Eagan for OTAs.
So, while the (possible) holdout may not extend to mandatory minicamp in eight days, it’s notable that Metellus didn’t show up at an otherwise well-attended gathering.
Metellus Due for an Extension
To be clear, Metellus perhaps signaling a low-drama holdout is not a scourge. The man deserves an extension.
His current contract will expire after the 2025 campaign, and right now on the calendar is the precise time when negotiations would heat up and eventually finalize. Impactful players and coaches rarely play out the final years of their contracts, and there’s no reason to believe Metellus would be an exception.
The man does it all in Brian Flores’ defense on Sundays, a Swiss Army knife asset who has stolen Vikings fans’ hearts.
Minnesota drafted Metellus in 2020, one of the last productive selections by former general manager Rick Spielman, and the 6th-Rounder is in line for a pay bump. He routinely logs Pro Football Focus grades above 65.0 and is a team captain.
Long story short, his extension probably won’t balloon into a full-blown saga. This brand of Vikings will take care of the 27-year-old.
Andrew Van Ginkel Paved the Way
Soon after the 2025 NFL Draft, current general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah put pen to paper with outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, adding an extra year and $23 million to his bank account. Until that agreement, Van Ginkel lived on a team-friendly deal — not unlike Metellus at the moment, who earns $4 million per season.
If Adofo-Mensah was willing to hand Van Ginkel a sweet deal, it would be strange to play hardball with Metellus.
How Much for Metellus?
The most expensive safety in the business, Detroit Lions defender Kerby Joseph, earns just over $21 million per year after his recent extension. Metellus won’t quite approach that number.
However, it may be reasonable to assume middle ground for Metellus, conceivably a deal for three years and $33 million, which would connect him to Minnesota for the rest of his physical prime.
It’s worth noting that in addition to Metellus on the safety depth chart, the Vikings employ Harrison Smith, who may retire after the 2025 campaign, and Theo Jackson, who is largely unproven right now but will receive a starter audition in September.
The Vikings need safeties for the long haul after Metellus’ buddy, Camryn Bynum, joined the Indianapolis Colts in March via free agency.
Janik Eckardt’s Take on Metellus
Janik Eckardt wrote about Metellus last weekend, “In April, Metellus was asked about a new deal. He didn’t really want to talk about it, pointing to the private aspect of those conversations. Then, he noted that he would want to spend his entire career in the Twin Cities.”
“What could a contract look like? Let’s set the baseline and say that $4 million per year isn’t going to cut it. A couple of safeties make north of $20 million a year, and eight others have a deal worth at least $15 million per season, including departed safety Cam Bynum, Metellus’ dance partner, who headed to Indianapolis in this year’s free agency. A total of 18 safeties earn at least $10 million per season.”
Metellus is also durable; he hasn’t missed a game in the last three seasons. Not a single one.
Eckardt continued, “Metellus surely belongs in that group. He won’t be cheap, but he has earned every penny. An annual salary of $12-14 million is realistic. Metellus is a unicorn, a one-of-a-kind defender who can play all over the field and do every job imaginable. He is a locker room leader and one of the most popular players on the team.”
“Considering his worth for the defense and the locker room, a new deal should be ready for his signature soon. It’s a no-brainer. He’s now 27 years old.”
Although unlikely, if Metellus didn’t attend mandatory minicamp on June 10th, the plot would really thicken.
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