After the Vikings agreed to an extension with tight end Josh Oliver earlier today, it will appear that safety Josh Metellus is next in line for a long-term pact. The upcoming free agent eschewed a minicamp hold-in as he awaits a resolution on his contract, although he’s been sitting out the faster-pace seven-on-seven drills, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert.
Metellus all but said that he hopes to stay in Minnesota for the long haul, and he acknowledged that his camp has discussed a brand new contract with the Vikings front office. The defensive captain was also quick to disregard his limited workload during OTAs and minicamp.
“That’s a part of the method straight away,” Metellus said (via Seifert). “I mean, the coaches in front office, everybody understand, you already know, situation I’m here. I’m constructing that chemistry my recent teammates and the old teammates, and I’m here being the identical guy I’m on a regular basis. So that you guys know me. It ain’t nothing change.”
It’s still a promising development that the 2 sides have apparently engaged in extension talks. We heard back in February that the front office could consider an extension for the veteran safety, but we haven’t heard anything definitive until now.
A former sixth-round pick, Metellus has evolved into certainly one of the Vikings’ most dependable defenders. He had a breakout campaign when he began 17 games in 2023, and while he had a bit less responsibility in 2024, he still put up big numbers. The 27-year-old finished the campaign with 103 tackles, five passes defended, and a pair of interceptions. The Michigan product surely wouldn’t warrant a contract that sniffs the highest of the positional market, however the two sides could find common ground in relation to contract term.
With Camryn Bynum now not in the image, the Vikings aren’t as deep at safety as they once were. Harrison Smith will proceed to steer the unit, but Metellus’ “limited” status would mean more reps for the likes of Jay Ward and Theo Jackson.
