What the Deal Is:
Five years of the contract
Value in total: $88 million
It’s worth $17.6 million a year on average.
Money Guaranteed: Reports say that a total of $44 million was guaranteed, with $34 million fully secured at signing. Another $10 million is guaranteed if certain things happen. It becomes real on the third day of the 2027 league year.
There is a $20 million signing bonus in the deal, as well as $510,000-a-year per-game roster bonuses and $100,000-a-year workout bonuses. You can also get incentives worth up to $6 million.
This is extremely important for the Vikings because:
Changes to the Interior Offensive Line: This move, along with the two-year, $18 million deal for former Colts center Ryan Kelly, means that the Vikings are making big changes to their interior offensive line. After playing badly at times last season, especially at right guard where Ed Ingram had trouble for long stretches, this was a very important area that needed work.
Pay for top performers: At the time of the signing, Fries was one of the six highest-paid right guards in the NFL, making him one of the highest-paid right guards right away. He was paid $17.6 million per year. This shows how much the Vikings want to improve their offensive line.
Taking care of a key need: Fries is expected to start right away at right guard, a spot where the Vikings needed an improvement. He does a good job of stopping runs and protecting passes.
Overlooking Injury: One important part of the deal is that the Vikings were ready to spend a lot of money on Fries even though he broke his tibia in Week 5 of the 2024 season and couldn’t play for the rest of the year. After the first five weeks, he played so well that teams were willing to forget his injury and still see him as one of the best interior offensive linemen available in free agency.
Flexible Contract: Even though it’s a big deal, the Vikings have some freedom under the terms of their contract, according to stories from analysts like Tyler Forness of A to Z Sports. For instance, they might be able to let Fries go after the 2026 season with a reasonable dead cap hit. This fits with GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s idea of keeping the squad open.
Reunion with a Former Teammate: Ryan Kelly, a former teammate of Fries’s on the Indianapolis Colts, has also signed with the Vikings. Since they know each other, they might get along quickly as a new inner line pair.
Biographical Information About Will Fries:
Development: Fries was picked by the Indianapolis Colts with the 248th overall pick in the seventh round of the NFL Draft in 2021. He became a solid and good player during his three years with the Colts.
Performance: He started 31 of the Colts’ 40 games, including all five in 2024 before he got hurt. Reports say that Pro Football Focus (PFF) gave him an overall score of 86.9 in those five games, which points to a big season on the way.
Reports say that Fries is a “nasty finisher” when it comes to both run blocking and pass protection. This is a good trait for the Vikings’ teaching staff, especially Head Coach Kevin O’Connell, because it fits well with the team’s desired physical style.
The Minnesota Vikings took a big risk when they signed Will Fries to improve their offensive line. This showed that they were serious about saving their future quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, and making the running game stronger.
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