Concerns Grow Over Vikings Team Captain's Behavior at OTAs

Minnesota Vikings safety and team captain Josh Metellus' participation in voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) has drawn some concerns.

While head coach Kevin O'Connell said that a near 100% of his roster is participating at OTAs, Metellus' presence has suggested that mark comes with an asterisk.

According to Minnesota Star Tribune beat reporter Ben Goessling, Metellus has not been the same active leader he's proven himself to be at this stage of the offseason due to a contractual standoff with the team.

On a June 3 episode of the "Access Vikings" podcast, Goessling suggested that Metellus, in the final year of his contract, may be staging a hold-in at OTAs until he gets a new deal with limited participation this spring.

"I think there's interest from both sides in continuing that relationship and that he continues to be an important piece of the defense in Minnesota, but as of now, that contract is not done, and I don't think there's really much in terms of guaranteed money for him at this point," Goessling said. "[Metellus] may be saying, 'I'm gonna be here so I can get my workout bonus, but I'm gonna mitigate some of what I do so that I'm not putting myself at more risk when I don't have a guaranteed contract going forward beyond this year and I want to see something get done.' 

"It's one of those things to keep an eye on. I don't know for sure that that's the only reason for it. It's possible, I suppose, that he's coming back from something (injury-wise). But the Occam's razor there would suggest that the contract is at least a factor in some of the way that he's going about it in practices that we've seen, at least to this point."

In the final year of a two-year, $8 million extension that he signed before he became a 1,000-snap starter for Brian Flores' defense, Metellus has outplayed the deal significantly.

He signed the contract as a former sixth-round pick and special teamer that Flores envisioned getting more out of due to his football IQ and instinct on the field.

Since Metellus has realized that potential, working out a new deal could prove difficult given his positional versatility -- lining up as a slot corner, at free safety and even as a pass rusher.

A to Z Sports' Tyler Forness projected a three-year, $34 million deal worth roughly $13 million a year could be the rate that would make both sides happy.