The Top Minnesota Vikings Rumor: A Defender’s Contract Stalemate is Getting Louder
For a little while, PurplePTSD has done a Wednesday morning rumor piece. The usual format involves taking on a trio of topics, but let’s shrink things down to the top Minnesota Vikings rumor.
More specifically, there’s the Josh Metellus extension situation. Word has emerged indicating that the team is looking to get the deal done, but nothing is certain until it’s precisely that: certain. Keep in mind that Josh Metellus confirmed in a chat with Darren Wolfson that he’s not participating in certain parts of practice, such as the 7-on-7 portion.
The Top Minnesota Vikings Rumor:
Josh Metellus Needs a New Extension, Conducting a Hold-In
Currently, the safety is working through a hold-in. He therefore mirrors the approach that surrounded Danielle Hunter and T.J. Hockenson in recent seasons. Justin Jefferson had his own contract issue, one that eventually got resolved by agreeing to a four-year, $140 million extension.
In a lot ways, Metellus is being pretty generous with his work efforts. He knows that he’s wildly underpaid. Rather than do something that could create a large headache, he’s still showing up to work in a goodwill effort that allows the team to avoid major media drama. Professional, team-first move from a key roster leader who is in the right for pursuing more money.
But while Metellus has done right by the team by continuing to show up, the issue will grow louder the more time passes. The problem will go from a spark to a fire if the versatile veteran isn’t working on a beefy extension by the time training camp arrives.
Camryn Bynum has moved on and Harrison Smith seems like he’s working from within his final NFL season. Securing Josh Metellus’ services therefore feels like a top priority. He’s the successor to The Hitman, filling the role quite well. No, he isn’t elite like Smith was back in the veteran’s prime, but Metellus is intelligent, hard working, and versatile. He was a wonderful pick by Rick Spielman in the 2020 NFL Draft (No. 205 overall, which is in the 6th).
The current cap charge in 2025 sits at $6,541,667. Always remember, though, that a player’s cap hit isn’t the same thing as what he’s being paid in actual money.
The top safeties in the NFL can command more than $20 million per season. Bynum, a good player who isn’t great, demanded an average of $15 million annually on the open market. One could very reasonably conclude that Josh Metellus is a better player than the new Colts safety, but the Vikings haven’t demonstrated a huge appetite for paying safety talent since Kwesi Adofo-Mensah took over.
Harrison Smith has seen his contract adjusted and trimmed under Adofo-Mensah’s watch. Bynum was leaned on while on his rookie deal before being allowed to walk away. Theo Jackson earned an extension, but for middle-class NFL money. We have yet to see Adofo-Mensah drop major money on the position.
In all likelihood, Josh Metellus is going to be the one who breaks through.
A team captain who maintains a large job on specials despite being a defensive starter, Metellus is central to what Brian Flores and Matt Daniels are looking to accomplish. The safety was in the box for 512 snaps last year while also picking up 330 snaps as a slot corner and 90 snaps at free safety (among other alignments).
Add it all together and Metellus had 103 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, and 5 passes defended (991 defensive snaps, 210 special teams snaps). Pay the player before training camp arrives. Otherwise, the situation could get tense, potentially introducing a hurdle that the team doesn’t need as it rallies around a young quarterback.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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