Grading The Contract: Eric Wilson’s extension with the Minnesota Vikings is eerily similar to that of his teammate
It’s a pretty wise contract for the Vikings.
One of the bigger surprises for the Minnesota Vikings in free agency came the night before the legal tampering period, as they signed linebacker Eric Wilson to a three-year, $22.5 million extension.
After a renaissance season for the ninth-year pro, Wilson was a prime target for a bigger contract. Who would give it to him was a major question mark. Not many teams would be willing to pay a market-level multi-year extension for a player who broke out so late, but the Vikings having him in the building last season made that decision that much easier.
Eric Wilson’s contract is very team friendly
When you look at the contract Wilson signed, it’s eerily similar to that which teammate Blake Cashman signed in 2024. Here are the details via Over The Cap.
It’s essentially a two-year deal worth $12.9 million. The Vikings also protected themselves a little bit with $30k in per-game roster bonuses in all three seasons. They also juiced up the workout bonus of 2028 to $500k, but he’s unlikely to see the final year of the deal.
It’s smart to frame the contract like this for the Vikings, as they are rewarding him on a small sample size of just one year. If he hits, the contract is tied for the 27th-highest in the NFL at the linebacker position, tied with Pete Werner, Alex Singleton, Nate Landman, and teammate Cashman.
In fact, the structure of Wilson’s contract is eerily similar to that which Cashman signed two years ago. The biggest difference between them was the Vikings extending the signing bonus of Cashman across five seasons instead of just three.
Overall, the move was a necessary one for the Vikings. They now have at least one linebacker under contract past the 2026 season. It’s also really important that the deal is as fluid as it is from a long-term perspective. It’s why you wait for the details of the contract, because those mean more than raw numbers. Easy win for both parties.
Grade: B+
Minnesota Vikings News
Grading The Signing: Minnesota Vikings retaining Eric Wilson sends a strong signal to free agents across the NFL
It’s not as simple as it appears on the surface.
Minnesota Vikings News
Minnesota Vikings’ run defense was a perceived problem in 2025, but the numbers tell a different story
The decision to trade Harrison Phillips didn’t have the negative impact many thought it did.
