The Vikings Have Two Weeks to Make an Obvious Decision
Josh Frey
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One of the major benefits of selecting a player in the first round of the NFL Draft revolves around the fifth-year option.
While initial rookie contracts are always four years in length, prior to a first-round pick’s four season, teams have the ability to extend a fifth-year option onto their contracts, retaining an additional year of team control.
Last offseason, the Minnesota Vikings probably had to think for about 0.01 seconds before deciding to give Justin Jefferson his fifth-year option, and this spring, it should be a similar decision for left tackle Christian Darrisaw.
The Minnesota Vikings Have Two Weeks to Make an Obvious Decision
The Vikings officially have two weeks to make that Darrisaw decision as the deadline to pick up fifth-year options falls on Thursday, May 2nd. So far, there have been three players who have seen their options picked up:
- WR Jaylen Waddle (No. 6 overall pick)
- WR Devonta Smith (No. 10 overall pick)
- DE Jaelan Phillips (No. 18 overall pick)
It should be noted that Smith actually received a three-year contract extension this spring from the Philadelphia Eagles, but that will kick in following his fifth season. His new deal is worth $75 million and includes a guaranteed amount of $51 million.
This spring, Darrisaw’s fifth-year option actually will be cheaper than some of the other offensive tackles from his class. This is because, despite being one of the better left tackles in the entire NFL over the past couple years, he still is yet to make a Pro Bowl.
As a result, while Penei Sewell and Rashawn Slater will cost the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers $19.04 million for their fifth years, the Vikings will only need to pay $16.037 million to keep Darrisaw around in 2025.
Darrisaw’s option will be based on his playing time, seeing as he’s played at least 50% of the Vikings’ snaps over his first three seasons.
Of course, there have been some rumblings that Darrisaw could be included in a trade for the Vikings to move up the draft board, but the far more logical decision would be to keep the left tackle around for the long term.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Spotrac helped with this article.
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Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.