Grade the Contract: Brian O’Neill’s extension details have been revealed, and the Vikings have more flexibility

The details on Brian O’Neill’s contract extension are in, and the Minnesota Vikings are in an interesting spot.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings tackle Brian O'Neill (75) against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium.
Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings tackle Brian O’Neill (75) against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings got a big win at the beginning of training camp when they extended right tackle Brian O’Neill. He signed a four-year extension worth up to $96 million, and it was a deal worth signing him to. Right tackles age relatively well, and the Vikings can now feel comfortable at their offensive tackle spots for a few years.

What we didn’t know at the time of O’Neill’s extension was how it was structured. That will help us determine how good or bad it is for the Vikings long-term, and we got those details today.

Brian O’Neill’s contract isn’t as strong as the numbers indicate

The numbers are in for O’Neill’s contract, and it’s structured like a five-year, $119.3 million deal with the 2026 season looped into it. Within that, the guarantees are low at just $43,38 million. Here is the full picture via Over The Cap.

A couple of things worth noting:

  • Salary cap hit for 2026 drops approximately $8.3 million, giving the Vikings $21.26 million in cap space
  • $27.1 million signing bonus
  • Guarantees dry up after 2027, and there appears to be no rolling guarantees
  • The first out the Vikings have is in 2028, where they can cut him for $12.16 million in savings and a cap hit of $16.26 million. He will only cost a projected 8.1% of the cap in 2028

It’s an interesting extension for O’Neill, who essentially was guaranteed the 2026 season by being on the roster. The Vikings were 99.99% going to keep him on the roster and not cut him, meaning he essentially got just an extra approximately $23 million in new money.

The flexibility it gives the Vikings is huge for them moving forward, especially with O’Neill already being in his age 31 season. If things take a turn with his play, they can cut ties without having to worry about a ton of dead money, and if things continue to work out, he’s on a good deal for the position. It’s a very similar structure to the Will Fries contract. Plus, the lack of guarantees gives the Vikings plenty of leverage if they were to approach him for a pay cut.

It’s a win-win for both sides to a point, but I expected O’Neill to get a better shake than he did.

Grade: B+ for Vikings, C for O’Neill

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