Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah looks on before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Details emerge of Vikings' contracts with free agent signings

Originally posted on Minnesota Vikings on SI
By Will Ragatz | Last updated Mar 11, 2025 3:48 PM ET

There's always more to an NFL contract than the initial numbers that are reported by the insiders who break the news. A three-year, $60 million deal, for example, might functionally be worth a decent amount less than that, based on how much of the money is guaranteed and whether or not incentives are required to reach the maximum value.

That example — three years, $60 million — is what was reported on Tuesday morning as the contract former Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen is signing with the Minnesota Vikings. But with details flowing in, we now know a lot more about what Allen's deal actually looks like. The same is true with Byron Murphy Jr., and we'll update this post as the contract details come in for players like Will Fries and Javon Hargrave.

Jonathan Allen contract details

There's a lot of information there, but let's go over what matters. It's actually a three-year, $51 million deal, with an additional $9 million available in incentives. That ties Allen for the 15th-highest average per year (APY) among NFL defensive tackles. And while his cap hit jumps from $6.4 million this season to $21.6 million in 2026, the Vikings have a clear out in two years.

As you can see on the far right side, they'd incur less than $5 million in dead money and clear up nearly $18 million in cap space if they release Allen in the 2027 offseason. Just $23.255 million is fully guaranteed at signing, with another $8 million becoming guaranteed if he's on the roster on the third day of the 2026 league year.

Byron Murphy Jr. contract details

Murphy's deal was initially reported as being worth $66 million over three years. That $22 million APY would've made him the fourth-highest-paid cornerback in the league. In actuality, it's a three-year, $54 million deal with $12 million in available incentives. An $18 million APY ties Murphy for 14th at the position, which feels more in line with his ability.

Like with Allen, the cap hit for 2025 is less than $7 million. Murphy got $34.78 million fully guaranteed, which encompasses his 2025 and 2026 base salaries and an $18 million signing bonus. It's a contract that could be revisited two years from now to manage Murphy's 2027 cap hit. There are three void years added to the end of the deal for cap purposes.

If players like Allen or Murphy reach their contract incentives, which are often based on playing time, stats (sacks or interceptions, for example) and postseason honors, that's a good problem for the Vikings to have.

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This article first appeared on Minnesota Vikings on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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