Minnesota Vikings NFL Draft picks have yet to sign their rookie contracts. Here’s what they are projected to earn

Going into rookie minicamp, the Minnesota Vikings have yet to sign any of their draft picks to contracts. Here’s what those look like.

Tyler Forness NFL & College Football News Writer
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Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Florida Gators defensive lineman Caleb Banks is selected by the Minnesota Vikings as the number 18 pick during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium.
Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Florida Gators defensive lineman Caleb Banks is selected by the Minnesota Vikings as the number 18 pick during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings had their largest rookie class in the NFL Draft since 2022, which was the first year under former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Interim general manager Rob Brzezinski did a really good job of navigating the NFL Draft, adding talented players across the board.

We are still waiting for all of the draft picks to sign their rookie contracts. They will impact the salary cap in a bevy of ways both this year and in the future. The Vikings have nine selections, meaning they will all have rookie salaries of $885k plus their signing bonus.


Minnesota Vikings rookie contract projections

Overall, the Vikings’ rookie pool is worth $13,298,768. That will leave them $5,333,768 in salary cap space. They will add an extra $12.5 million in salary cap space post-June 1st, with that money returning to the salary cap from the releases of defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and safety Harrison Smith.

Each draft pick will have a different salary cap hit due to the size of their bonus. Here is what it will look like for each draft pick with projections from Over The Cap.


Caleb Banks, DT, Florida

Draft pick: 18th overall
Contract value: Four years, $21,570,956
Year one cap hit: $3,921,992


Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati

Draft pick: 51st overall
Contract value: Four years, $9,684,154
Year one cap hit: $1,760,755


Domonique Orange, DT, Iowa State

Draft pick: 82nd overall
Contract value: Four years, $7,020,028
Year one cap hit: $1,276,369


Caleb Tiernan, OT, Northwestern

Draft pick: 97th overall
Contract value: Four years, $6,726,012
Year one cap hit: $1,222,911


Jakobe Thomas, S, Miami (FL)

Draft pick: 98th overall
Contract value: Four years, $6,726,012
Year one cap hit: $1,222,911


Max Bredeson, FB/TE, Michigan

Draft pick: 159th overall
Contract value: Four years, $4,880,188
Year one cap hit: $1,010,047


Charles Demmings, CB, Stephen F. Austin

Draft pick: 163rd overall
Contract value: Four years, $4,867,284
Year one cap hit: $1,006,821


Demond Claiborne, RB, Wake Forest

Draft pick: 198th overall
Contract value: Four years, $4, 658,388
Year one cap hit: $954,597


Gavin Gerhardt, C, Cincinnati

Draft pick: 235th overall
Contract value: Four years, $4,529,460
Year one cap hit: $922,365