The Vikings' new deal for Linval Joseph makes the nose tackle the eighth-highest paid player in the league at his position, based on his $12.5 million average salary over the next three seasons. As with Everson Griffen's contract extension, though, Joseph will have to remain an effective player for the next several seasons to realize most of the new money in his deal.
According to NFLPA salary data, Joseph's deal is worth a total of $62.5 million, with $31.5 million of that money guaranteed. However, Joseph only gets $11.15 million fully guaranteed at signing: a $6 million signing bonus (which will be paid in two installments this year and next March), a $4 million roster bonus in 2017 and a $1.15 million guaranteed base salary in 2017.
Joseph has a $1.15 million base salary in 2018 that's currently guaranteed for injury and would be fully guaranteed on the third day of the league year. He's also in line to receive a $5 million roster bonus next spring. Similarly, his $8,9 million base in 2019 and $5.3 million of his $11.15 million base salary in 2020 are guaranteed at signing, with those amounts to become fully guaranteed on the third day of their respective league years.
The final years of Joseph's deal would pay him base salaries of $10,85 million in 2021 and $11.9 million in 2022, though neither of those salaries has any guarantee attached to it. Joseph is also eligible to receive annual workout bonuses of $100,000.
His salary cap figure jumps by just $200,000, to $7.05 million in 2017, and rises by $1.2 million, to $8.05 million in 2018. Joseph will pocket a total of $11.25 million in cash this season, with the other half of his signing bonus coming next March 15.