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John Randle joins 'Super Bowl Live' to discuss Vikings' future

John Randle joins 'Super Bowl Live' to discuss Vikings' future

Yahoo05-02-2025
Hall of Fame defensive end John Randle joins 'Super Bowl Live' to discuss the Minnesota Vikings' future.
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Vikings, versatile safety Josh Metellus agree to 3-year, $36M extension, AP source says
Vikings, versatile safety Josh Metellus agree to 3-year, $36M extension, AP source says

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Vikings, versatile safety Josh Metellus agree to 3-year, $36M extension, AP source says

The Minnesota Vikings and versatile safety Josh Metellus agreed Saturday on a three-year, $36 million contract extension, according to a person familiar with details of the deal. Metellus, a 2020 sixth-round draft pick out of Michigan, is a key piece of coordinator Brian Flores' defense and has started 27 games the past two seasons while playing in multiple spots. The Vikings announced the extension for Metellus, but didn't provide financial terms. The person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because terms weren't announced, said the contract includes $25 million in guaranteed money. Metellus was entering the final year of his deal, so the extension keeps him with the Vikings through 2028. 'Minnesota, I'm here, baby,' a smiling Metellus said at a news conference announcing the deal. 'I love it here. ... This place is home for me.' The 27-year-old Metellus has four career interceptions, five forced fumbles, 2 1/2 sacks and nearly 300 combined tackles in five NFL seasons. "Josh, since he got here has become a program player for us," general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said. 'He embodies the relentlessness and work ethic that we value in this team.' Metellus played primarily on special teams during his first two seasons, but saw an increased role on defense after Kevin O'Connell took over as the Vikings' head coach in 2022. Flores made Metellus a key contributor on defense when he joined O'Connell's staff in 2023, with O'Connell saying Metellus lined up in seven different spots last season. 'I don't like to get into the positions,' Metellus said. 'I just think I'm a damn good football player.' Metellus has also been a team captain for the Vikings. 'Such a vital part of our success on and off the field,' O'Connell said. 'It's hard to imagine them making them any better as a player and person than Josh Metellus. What he means to me, personally, our friendship, our bond we've formed, I'm absolutely thrilled for Josh, his family and Vikings fans that they get to see him for years to come in a role that's become really special to him and how he's attacked it and helped us become what we are defensively.' ___ AP NFL:

Vikings sign Josh Metellus to 3-year extension: How he thrives in Minnesota's system
Vikings sign Josh Metellus to 3-year extension: How he thrives in Minnesota's system

New York Times

time2 hours ago

  • New York Times

Vikings sign Josh Metellus to 3-year extension: How he thrives in Minnesota's system

EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings placed the cherry on top of an efficient offseason Saturday, agreeing to terms with safety Josh Metellus on a new three-year contract worth up to $42 million, the team announced. 'Such a vital part of our success on and off the field,' coach Kevin O'Connell said. 'It's hard to imagine them making them any better as a player and person than Josh Metellus.' Advertisement This wasn't a surprise. Metellus is represented by agent Drew Rosenhaus, who has orchestrated numerous deals with the Vikings in recent years. Over the last few months, Metellus deferred any contract questions to Rosenhaus, and last week, the defensive back spoke optimistically about the possibility. He said Saturday that he never wavered in his preference. He wanted to remain with the Vikings, the team that drafted him in 2020 in the sixth round. He also knew that his versatility could come with complexity in terms of how much he'd be worth. Metellus' impact runs parallel to defensive coordinator Brian Flores's arrival in 2023. Metellus had already become a key special teams contributor at that point, but Flores recognized Metellus' physical traits and mental acumen. Metellus played 1,065 defensive snaps in 2023, then 991 last year. He has combined for 219 tackles, five forced fumbles and three interceptions over that span — a statistics package depicting all of his abilities. 'At the end of the day, the versatility is just who I am as a player,' Metellus said. 'I always tell you guys I'm a big football guy. I don't like to get into positions. I just think I'm a damn good football player.' Include his role behind the scenes — few members of the Vikings' roster are more reliable for youngsters needing advice — and it's easy to understand why Minnesota sought to keep him in purple. This deal punctuates an active offseason. The team extended O'Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. It improved the trenches both offensively and defensively. It extended edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel and tight end Josh Oliver. The only item remaining on the laundry list is ensuring young quarterback J.J. McCarthy is as prepared as possible come Week 1 in Chicago on Monday night. The 27-year-old has become one of the cornerstones of Flores's helter-skelter defense. He's categorized on the team website as a safety, but that doesn't do it justice. Advertisement He plays linebacker. He's frequently lined up against bigger-bodied receivers and tight ends in the slot. He'll even align on the line of scrimmage, showing the potential that he could rush the passer. Last year, Flores said: 'Josh is as valuable a player on the roster as we have.' Metellus' contract was set to expire after the 2025 season, and the Vikings' safety room already thinned this offseason with Cam Bynum's departure. Securing Metellus keeps another one of the defense's core players intact. It also eliminates any potential preseason hoopla. One of the bright points of Adofo-Mensah's tenure is the team's ability to generate these deals without any publicly disgruntled parties. That's a rarity in the NFL. Few coordinators have done as exceptional a job as Flores over the last two seasons. Metellus has had a hard time in recent days quelling his excitement for what's possible during this go-around. There's optimism in how much interior defenders Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave will affect the quarterback, which will force the ball out faster. The early returns on cornerback signings Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah have also been positive. O'Connell spent a minute Saturday expressing how impressive Rodgers has been in terms of how often he's in the correct positions. Minnesota has done enough through two seasons that they won't be able to reinvent the entire wheel, but Flores will certainly have some schematic tweaks up his sleeve to confound quarterbacks just as he has the last couple of years.

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