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Coming off the most successful season in eight years, the Minnesota Vikings have worked toward solidifying their roster to continue their uprising to the top of the league. Much of that has come in the way from the stout defense that the front office has constructed.
Several of the Vikings' top talent on that side of the ball had been acquired via the draft. According to Ian Rapoport of The NFL Network, the front office has inked Pro Bowl linebacker Eric Kendricks to a lucrative long-term deal.
The #Vikings are locking up star LB Eric Kendricks to a 5-year, $50M extension, per @MikeGarafolo and me. A key part of their D just got paid. He gets $25M guaranteed. 💰💰💰
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 16, 2018
Prior to the new contract, Kendricks was in the final year of his rookie four-year, $5.1 million contract where he was set to earn $1.1 million for the $1.1 million. It is a significant uptick in pay as he has quickly proven to be a vital part of the Vikings' defense as a core piece of the linebacker core.
Through his first three seasons, Kendricks has tallied 314 total tackles with over 100 in both of the last two years. In fact, he led the team with 113 tackles in the 2017 campaign. Kendricks has been a huge part in helping the Vikings become one of the league's top defenses over the last couple of seasons.
The next major move that should come for the Vikings is re-signing linebacker Anthony Barr to an extension as he is set to play out the fifth-year option of his rookie deal that is worth $12.3 million. Like Kendricks, Barr has become a huge part of their defensive identity and figures to be a key piece to their long-term outlook.
Minnesota has constructed a roster that could see them be in the case once again to compete for a possible trip to the Super Bowl with balance on both sides of the ball. With Kendricks in place, it ensures that a major part o their defense is in place for the next several seasons.
