Vikings Defender is Careening Toward a Major Raise

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At present, Josh Metellus is wildly underpaid.

The do-it-all Vikings defender has become a fan favorite. Brian Flores moves him all over the place, asking him to soak up snaps in the slot, in the box, and at free safety. For good measure, there are also snaps as a wide corner and even along the defensive line. His financial future is going to change this offseason.

Vikings Defender Josh Metellus Set for a Major Pay Raise

Picked at No. 205 in the 2020 NFL Draft, Mr. Metellus has been a tremendous success.

Of course, it took some time before he fully blossomed. Mike Zimmer was the original defensive coordinator (or, rather, the head coach who functioned as the defensive coordinator) and then there was Ed Donatell. Metellus was a backup throughout these years.

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Minnesota Vikings safety Josh Metellus (44) does a Thriller zombie dance after intercepting a pass against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, October 29, 2023, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Vikings won the game, 24-10.

But then Flores arrived.

The current DC gets a lot of love for his aggressive, blitzing ways. So, too, does he garner praise for the creativity with which he deploys his players. By no means does Flores feel constrained to limiting a player to a certain area of the field just because of that player’s position. Dropping a pass rusher into coverage or putting a safety along the defensive line isn’t unusual for Coach Flores.

Josh Metellus thrives under this approach.

Nov 12, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) is tackled by Minnesota Vikings safety Theo Jackson (25) and safety Josh Metellus (44) during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Making it work is a good balance of size and speed. Oh, and then no shortage of hard work and brains.

Being able play at so many different spots requires Metellus to put in a lot of work in preparation. A simple truth in sports is that when an athlete makes something look effortless, there has almost certainly been a lot of effort put in behind the scenes. One has to assume that that truth applies to the versatile safety. Metellus has a brain in his head and he must work hard during the week.

Per PFF, Metellus finished the 2024 season with 512 snaps in the box, 330 snaps in the slot, 90 snaps at free safety, 63 snaps along the defensive line, and 33 snaps as a wide corner (playoffs included). Plus, Metellus still plays a vital role on special teams, earning 210 snaps for Matt Daniels’ portion of the game in the regular season.

Dec 22, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Theo Jackson (26, second from right) leads a dance with cornerback Shaquill Griffin (1), safety Camryn Bynum (24), safety Josh Metellus (44), defensive tackle Harrison Phillips (97) and cornerback Dwight McGlothern (29) following his interception against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

All of that work came at a cap hit of just $3,725,000 in 2024. The present word is that 2025 is going to involve a $7,375,000 cap charge for Metellus. Look for the number to get adjusted, likely due to an extension.

Josh Metellus turned 27 on January 21st. He still has a lot of good football ahead of him, making an extension that provides the dual benefit of relieving some cap pressure for the team in the present while better compensating a core player for his top-tier football very sensible.

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, as a co-host for Notes from the North, and as the proprietor at The Vikings Gazette, a humble Vikings Substack.