The Vikings’ Next Contract Extension is Now Complete
K. Joudry
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Well, maybe it’s not the extension that most folks have been waiting for, but it’s certainly good news.
Josh Metellus has agreed to a new deal, making the safety and special teams stud the Vikings’ next player to agree to a contract extension. His deal comes on the heels of the one for T.J. Hockenson, who snagged a headline-grabbing contract that’s not as scary once one looks under the hood.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter was on the most recent news, reporting that Metellus is sticking around for a couple more years: “The Vikings and safety Josh Metellus reached agreement on a two-year extension worth up to $13 million, including $6 million guaranteed, per source. The deal was confirmed by agents Drew Rosenhaus and Ryan Matha.”
The Vikings’ Next Extension Goes to Josh Metellus
Since being a 6th-round selection back in 2020, Metellus has done very little but impress. He survived the mass exodus of former Zimmer/Spielman players to live on last year’s roster for Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Even more impressive is that the new GM has referred to him as a “core pillar.” Clearly, the new leadership tandem values what Metellus offers.
Going into 2023, the expectation is that Metellus is going to be a critical player for both Matt Daniels and Brian Flores. He’s also a team captain.
As we’ve discussed previously, Metellus got in on 258 defensive snaps last year (easily the most of his career) and delivered 5 PDs to go alongside his interception. The PFF fans will be encouraged to know that the analytics website gave him a robust 85.1 grade for his efforts. Even more encouraging is that he lined up in the slot for 31 snaps.
Recently, O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah discussed the decision to keep a half dozen safeties on the roster. Part of the calculus involved trying to measure what kind of impact these players could have when it comes to helping the corners and linebacker. Flores, quite evidently, will be leaning on his safeties plenty on Sundays, so fans should expect to see a hearty portion of Metellus on their TV screens.
As with any NFL contract, we’ll need to wait and see some of the finer details. The Schefter report says that it’s a 2-year extension worth up to $13 million. In all likelihood, the team has a few options when it comes to saving some money down the line. One has to assume that Metellus is thrilled with the deal, especially when we remember that his career earnings currently sit at under $2.5 million.
Metellus seemingly confirmed his enthusiasm before the news hit. Check out his tweet:
The tweet containing just the emoji hit social media less than 20 minutes before Schefter broke the news. Back in May, I referred to Josh Metellus as “a sneaky extension candidate.” Every so often, a take ends up aging well. Before the Metellus deal, the Vikings were projected to have more than $48 million in 2024 and more than $168 million in 2025. So, don’t get too worried about the finances.
As if there wasn’t enough attention, all eyes will now turn to Mr. Justin Jefferson and his impending deal. Nick Bosa just signed his own monstrous deal, so the NFL’s WR1 should be next.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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 as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.