Brian O'Neill Signs Five Year Extension

[Rhodes Closed]

https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status ... 0933668868

Vikings gave Brian O’Neill a five-year, $92.5 million extension, per source.

LET'S GOOOOO!

[VikingsVictorious]

Vikings sign RT Brian O'Neill to five-year, $92.5M extension
Published: Sep 08, 2021 at 02:22 PM
Headshot_Author_Nick-shook_1400x1000
Nick Shook
Around The NFL Writer



The Vikings have secured their future on the right edge of their offensive line.

Minnesota has signed right tackle Brian O'Neill to a five-year, $92.5 million extension, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported.

The new deal gives O'Neill a massive pay raise. The tackle is set to make $2.43 million in base salary in 2021, carrying a cap number of just $2.75 million in the final year of his rookie deal, and he'll see that jump to an average of $18.5 million per year when the extension takes effect.

The new annual salary rockets O'Neill up the annual average rankings to No. 2 among right tackles, just behind New Orleans' Ryan Ramczyk ($19.2 million per year). His significant increase in compensation proves in dollars what he means to Minnesota's future up front.

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A second-round pick out of Pittsburgh in 2018, O'Neill has proven to be a tackle worth the investment. He's steadily improved with each season, posting a career-best Pro Football Focus grade of 78 in 2020, including a run-blocking grade of 83.7. That was the 10th-best mark among all tackles in the NFL last season, and in an offense that relies on Dalvin Cook in its wide-zone scheme, it's even more valuable.

If O'Neill continues on his current upward trajectory, it won't be long before most view him as a premier right tackle. Minnesota demonstrated with this extension it certainly believes he's headed in that direction.

[VikingsVictorious]

IMO he's good. He's not that good. Hopefully this deal isn't as huge as it seems.

[RandyMoss84]

That is a overpay but got what Vikings have to do to keep him so it is a good move

[Rhodes Closed]

In two years or so he'll be paid like an average lineman, so I don't really see it as an overpay tbh.

[Maelstrom88]

He has been their best lineman and durable. Good move to reward your own.

[VikingsVictorious]

He has been their best lineman and durable. Good move to reward your own.

2nd highest paid RT in the NFL. Has he even made a pro bowl? He's good. He's not worthy of this contract.

[Maelstrom88]

He has been their best lineman and durable. Good move to reward your own.

2nd highest paid RT in the NFL. Has he even made a pro bowl? He's good. He's not worthy of this contract.

I feel like the cap will go up a lot in the next few years and it will actually end up with the Vikings ripping him off and a situation similar to Hunter.

[VikingsVictorious]

2nd highest paid RT in the NFL. Has he even made a pro bowl? He's good. He's not worthy of this contract.

I feel like the cap will go up a lot in the next few years and it will actually end up with the Vikings ripping him off and a situation similar to Hunter.

I hope somebody rips me off at over $18 million a year. Even if the cap goes up he will never be getting ripped off. He and his agent played us like a fiddle.

[Bowhunting Viking]

I feel like the cap will go up a lot in the next few years and it will actually end up with the Vikings ripping him off and a situation similar to Hunter.

I hope somebody rips me off at over $18 million a year. Even if the cap goes up he will never be getting ripped off. He and his agent played us like a fiddle.

I am thinking of going into our HR dept and payroll a d ask them to rip me off for the rest of my career!! Lol.
It funny sometimes to be looking at a players contract numbers, especially older players at the end of their careers, and catch yourself thinking Wow that sure isn't very much. Then realize that to us common folk most of us would retire on the spot if handed that type of money.
Damn do I wish I would have been out 6 inches taller and about 100 lbs heavier!!!! And had more athletic ability, and.... well you get it.

[J. Kapp 11]

I feel like the cap will go up a lot in the next few years and it will actually end up with the Vikings ripping him off and a situation similar to Hunter.

I hope somebody rips me off at over $18 million a year. Even if the cap goes up he will never be getting ripped off. He and his agent played us like a fiddle.

If you or I had a skill that was worth $18 million a year, we’d probably get paid close to that.

Know why NFL players make more than doctors? Because there are 500 times more doctors in the US than there are NFL players. It’s an incredibly rare skill in an industry that makes the NFL and its franchise owners about $12 billion a year. They’re also unionized. They’re gonna get paid.

And if you play a premium position, you get paid even more.

Brian O’Neill got exactly what the market will bear. He’s made the most of his ridiculously good fortune of being born with the size and athletic ability to become an NFL player. Hats off to the man.

[VikingsVictorious]

I hope somebody rips me off at over $18 million a year. Even if the cap goes up he will never be getting ripped off. He and his agent played us like a fiddle.

If you or I had a skill that was worth $18 million a year, we’d probably get paid close to that.

Know why NFL players make more than doctors? Because there are 500 times more doctors in the US than there are NFL players. It’s an incredibly rare skill in an industry that makes the NFL and its franchise owners about $12 billion a year. They’re also unionized. They’re gonna get paid.

And if you play a premium position, you get paid even more.

Brian O’Neill got exactly what the market will bear. He’s made the most of his ridiculously good fortune of being born with the size and athletic ability to become an NFL player. Hats off to the man.

What if his contract had been 50 million a year. Would you have thought it was just fair and right or an overpay? There's a line where contracts are right and over that line it's an overpay IMO. For a good not great RT that line should be IMO 15 million at the most. I think it's an overpay that we will regret. Time will tell.

[VikingLord]

While these pro player contracts always hurt my brain a little, the real question is, is Brian O'Neill worth it? Is he good enough at RT to deserve to be paid among the best RT in the league?

I'm betting Stump would have some insight into that question and I'd love to hear his opinion of the signing.

[StumpHunter]

While these pro player contracts always hurt my brain a little, the real question is, is Brian O'Neill worth it? Is he good enough at RT to deserve to be paid among the best RT in the league?

I'm betting Stump would have some insight into that question and I'd love to hear his opinion of the signing.

The Vikings overpaid by about 2-3 million a year. He has not been a complete RT, elite at run blocking, just okay at pass blocking and there are 2 right tackles, Moton and Braden Smith who are significantly better than him who got less per year. However...

At the end of the day that extra 15 million total probably won't bite us. O'Neill's guarantees are comically low, half that of Smith an Moton's. That means if O'Neill doesn't live up to the contract, we can force him to restructure or cut him. So while the pundits and average fan will think we overpaid, it is actually a pretty good contract for the Vikings.

[VikingLord]

The Vikings overpaid by about 2-3 million a year. He has not been a complete RT, elite at run blocking, just okay at pass blocking and there are 2 right tackles, Moton and Braden Smith who are significantly better than him who got less per year. However...

At the end of the day that extra 15 million total probably won't bite us. O'Neill's guarantees are comically low, half that of Smith an Moton's. That means if O'Neill doesn't live up to the contract, we can force him to restructure or cut him. So while the pundits and average fan will think we overpaid, it is actually a pretty good contract for the Vikings.

Thanks for the insight.

Seems like the Vikings have been doing a decent job lately of finding ways to keep key players happy without tying their hands in the future. This deal seems like another example of that.