4 Vikings who could be extended next after Justin Jefferson signing

After months of negotiation and trade rumors, the Minnesota Vikings and Justin Jefferson agreed to a four-year, $140 million contract on Monday. The contract contains the most guaranteed money for a wide receiver at $110 million and bests San Francisco 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa for the highest annual value ($36 million) for a non-quarterback.

But as Vikings fans close the book on Jefferson’s quest for a new contract, the question becomes who is going to get paid next.

The Vikings don’t have a lot of players who are ready for a payday but there are several players who could go to the negotiating table in the coming months. In this article, we’ll take a look at four players who could be due for an extension and what their chances are of cashing in soon.

4 Minnesota Vikings who could be extended next after Justin Jefferson

Harrison Phillips - DL

Harrison Phillips isn’t a high priority for the Vikings front office, but he’s a player they could want to keep around.

Phillips led all Vikings interior defenders with 838 snaps last season and he plays an important role on the interior of Brian Flores’s defense. While Phillips battled injuries in the final month of the 2023 season, a lot of that could be trying to make up for the lack of options along the defensive line, and he could be in a more suitable role this season.

With Phillips’s role as a leader in the locker room and off the field, he’s the type of player the Vikings prefer to keep around. Phillips isn’t going to break the bank but he could get an extension in the coming months that keeps him in Minnesota past the 2024 season.

Brian O’Neill - RT

We’ll talk about the Vikings' other offensive tackle later in the article, but Brian O’Neill could also be due for an extension. 

O’Neill saw a slight dropoff in his play after recovering from a partially torn Achilles suffered late in the 2022 season, but he remains a cornerstone of the offensive line.

O’Neill is currently under contract through the 2026 season but has no guaranteed money remaining past this upcoming season, which is usually a time when the two sides start negotiating a new contract.

At 29 years old, this could be O’Neill’s last big payday and could lead to a contract that makes him a Viking for the rest of his career.

Camryn Bynum - S

A fourth-round pick out of California, Camryn Bynum has not only made the transition from cornerback to safety, but he’s cemented a role in the Vikings' defense.

Bynum isn’t going to blow anyone away with his physical ability – he recorded a 7.83 RAS score coming out of college – but he makes up for it with his preparation and instincts. Bynum posted a career-low 58.7 PFF rating in his first year as a starter in 2022 but is strong in run defense (74.1) and tackling (80.1) grades.

Bynum took another step forward under Flores last year and is entering the final year of his rookie contract. While he won’t break the bank, Bynum could be a player worth keeping around.

Christian Darrisaw - LT

With Jefferson’s contract out of the way, the attention will likely turn to Christian Darrisaw. The Vikings’ first-round pick in 2021, Darrisaw entered the starting lineup midway through his rookie year and has become just as important to Minnesota’s offensive line as Jefferson is to the receiving room.

Darrisaw ranked eighth among starting tackles in overall PFF grade last season, and his 31 pressures allowed could have been lower if not for Joshua Dobbs and Nick Mullens taking over for Kirk Cousins midway through the season.

One of the most important players on the roster, Darrisaw is in line to make big money and could surpass Houston’s Laremy Tunsil ($26 million) for the highest annual value and New York Giants tackle Andrew Thomas ($67 million) for the most money guaranteed by a left tackle.

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