On Thursday, the Minnesota Vikings announced that they have agreed to a contract extension with veteran safety Josh Metellus. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Vikings reportedly gave Metellus a two-year extension worth $13 million, and it includes $6 million guaranteed. The Minnesota safety is now under contract until 2026.
With Thursday's news, Metellus is now the first Vikings Day 3 draft pick (fourth round or later) to earn an extension from Minnesota since Stefon Diggs in 2018. The Vikings selected 48 players on Day 3 of the draft from 2015 to 2020, and Metellus and Diggs are the only two from that group of 48 to go on and get a contract extension from the team.
The extension for Metellus isn't a massive contract, but it's one that Minnesota clearly felt was necessary, and that shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. The Vikings' locker room and their coaching staff view the veteran safety very highly, as evidenced by the fact that he was recently voted to be a team captain for the 2023 season.
Since joining Minnesota in 2020, Metellus has found most of his success on special teams. However, he's also been solid on the defensive side of the ball during his limited opportunities to be a starter during the last few seasons.
With Brain Flores now in charge of the Vikings' defense, there has been talk of Metellus getting more defensive snaps this year by using him as a third safety out on the field in select packages.
Locking Metellus up for a couple more seasons also gives Minnesota a bit of insurance if veteran safety Harrison Smith decides to retire in 2024 or 2025. Smith has been in the NFL since 2012 and his time in the league is nearing the end.
Metellus is the fourth player to sign an extension with the Vikings this offseason, and he's the first member of Minnesota's 2020 draft class, which also includes Justin Jefferson, to get a contract extension from the franchise.