https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/onsi/what-might-fair-contract-extension-for-brian-oneill-look-like

What Might a Fair Contract Extension For Brian O'Neill Look Like?

O'Neill's case is tricky because for as consistent as he's been, he's getting a bit older and has dealt with a few injuries in recent years.

Brian O'Neill wants a new contract. The Vikings want to keep him around. But finding fair value for both sides could be somewhat tricky, given O'Neill's age and recent injury history.

A new report from ESPN's Kevin Seifert has confirmed what we suspected, which is that O'Neill's lack of participation in Vikings OTAs — he was present but not in uniform for both practices open to the media over the last couple weeks — is related to his desire for a contract extension. The Vikings' standout right tackle is headed into the final year of the five-year, $92.5 million deal he signed with Minnesota back in 2021, two different general managers ago.

Per Seifert, O'Neill will be in uniform and participating at least to some extent in this week's mandatory minicamp, which begins on Tuesday at TCO Performance Center. Unlike OTAs, skipping minicamp comes with fines. O'Neill will presumably be doing enough to avoid those fines but still limiting his workload to some degree in an effort to minimize injury risk.

"Brian O'Neill turns 31 in September," Seifert wrote in a follow-up tweet. "Everyone in the building wants him to remain with the Vikings, but a contract befitting his stature is complicated and is really a decision that needs to be made by a permanent general manager. Over to you, Nolan Teasley."

O'Neill has been the Vikings' starting right tackle almost since the moment he was drafted in the second round out of Pitt in 2018. This offseason's retirements of C.J. Ham and Harrison Smith (though the latter's isn't official) have made O'Neill the Vikings' longest-tenured player, as he heads into his ninth NFL season.

Virtually everything about O'Neill's Vikings career has been positive. He's made two Pro Bowls and been a model of consistency at the right tackle position. He isn't immune to bad reps or subpar games, but the complete picture of his season always ends up looking very good, whether you're watching the tape or glancing at his PFF grades. O'Neill is a locker room leader who is basically a lock to be voted as a captain for the sixth straight year this fall. He's one of the best second-round picks in Vikings history, joined on that Mt. Rushmore by Matt Blair, Sammy White, and either Eric Kendricks or Dalvin Cook.

Yet even with that context established, it's not quite as simple for Teasley, Rob Brzezinski, and the Vikings as giving O'Neill whatever he asks for on a new contract. He'll be 31 in September. He's a great offensive lineman but not a truly elite one. And although he's played 124 of a possible 133 games in his career, he has suffered a notable lower-body injury in three of the last four years (Achilles tear in Week 16 of 2022, ankle sprain in Week 14 of 2023, MCL sprain in Week 4 last year).

The Vikings drafted Northwestern tackle Caleb Tiernan in the third round this year, giving them a potential fallback plan if they can't agree to terms with O'Neill. Still, Tiernan is entirely unproven and will be an outlier if he overcomes his arm length and plays tackle at a high level in the NFL. The Vikings, with a win-now roster, should absolutely be looking to keep O'Neill around. There's no reason why he can't continue to hold down the right tackle spot and deliver borderline Pro Bowl play for several more years.

The question is what kind of deal makes sense for both the Vikings and O'Neill, in terms of length and average value. Anything above $26 million per year would be top-five tackle money, which is probably a touch too rich. But O'Neill is due a raise from his previous $18.5 million AAV and will likely become one of the league's highest-paid right tackles. Could $24-25 million per year over three or four years be the sweet spot? Let's say three years and $72 million, with a good chunk of guaranteed money and some extra incentives if he plays all 17 games and/or earns Pro Bowl or All-Pro honors. That feels rather fair for both sides.

It'll be interesting to see what happens, especially considering the Vikings may have big contracts coming for Murray and Jordan Addison next offseason, if all goes right. Does Teasley wait until training camp to get a look at Tiernan before deciding? Will O'Neill and his camp draw a hard line or acquiesce a bit to make sure he has long-term security before this season begins?

Getting a deal done makes sense for both the Vikings and O'Neill, but there are several factors that each side will have to consider in negotiations.