The Flame of Vikings Controversy Was Barely a Spark
Anytime a great player is wildly underpaid, people go on high alert. The update from Craig Peters about Josh Metellus missing practice — someone who is very underpaid — caused a bit of a kerfuffle.
On Vikings Territory, there was an exploration of the potential Vikings controversy. So, too, did PurplePTSD jump into the mix, wondering if the safety was withholding his services in a bid to pressure the team’s front office into giving him the raise he so clearly deserves. The issue is that we were dealing with a spark, one that did not ignite controversy into a flame.
The Vikings Controversy: Josh Metellus is Back at Work
First, consider the update from Peters, one that arrived on May 28th.
“Veteran cornerback Jeff Okudah was involved early in coverage,” Peters writes, “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).”
Shift forward a couple days. Maybe intentionally or maybe unintentionally, the Vikings’ social media undermined the holdout chatter.
The video was released on June 2nd. Just a few seconds into things, we see a player wearing a #44 jersey walking through the halls. Keep in mind that the practice being shown took place on May 27th, ahead of the alleged holdout day. Even still, evidence to support that Metellus has been at work.
Josh Metellus then gets shown jogging onto the field with his helmet in his hand. Metellus was not only present but in uniform, actively progressing toward his workplace: the practice field.
Folks, keep something central in mind: a player missing OTAs can occur for any number of reasons. Metellus, perhaps, had a very important family matter to deal with. He could have been dealing with some sort of sponsorship opportunity or giving back to his community with a volunteer commitment. Maybe he was given the day off to nurse an injury or had some sort of mystery reason.
The point is simply that we don’t know why he missed time. Jumping to holdout — a plausible rationale given the financial dynamic — isn’t the only possibly motivation.
One more thing. Darren Wolfson, one of the most plugged-in Vikings writers, shared a clip on social media of him chatting with Ryan Kelly on June 3rd. Wolfson describes there being 100% attendance and Kelly discusses the matter. Translation: Metellus was back to work.
Do remember, as well, that Josh Metellus showed up for an earlier portion of the offseason. The team captain even spoke to the media about his contract and his pursuit of an extension. Conveying tone in written text is difficult, but the safety didn’t appear to have too many concerns. Instead, he mostly brushed off the issue, expressing a desire to sign an extension while insisting that it’s a private matter.
Last season, Mr. Metellus payed in all seventeen games. He picked up 103 tackles, 6 QB hits, 2 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 5 passes defended, and 1 forced fumble. He did so while picking up a 65.2 PFF grade (44th among 98 considered). The year before, Metellus was sitting on a 69.2 grade (33rd out of 95 considered).
Josh Metellus is working on the final year of his two-year, $8 million contract. He’s carrying a $6,541,667 cap charge in 2025. Extending him would come with the double benefit of keeping him employed for several more years while having the potential of putting close to $3.5 million back into the 2025 budget.
Josh Metellus is 27.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and Bluesky (@VikingsGazette). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.
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