The Vikings got half of the draft class under contract Thursday, one day ahead of the opening of rookie minicamp.
In addition to first-round safety Lewis Cine, who agreed to terms Wednesday, the Vikings announced Thursday they had signed fifth-round defensive lineman Esezi Otomewo, fifth-round running back Ty Chandler, sixth-round receiver Jalen Nailor and seventh-round tight end Nick Muse.
Each received a standard four-year contract, with only Cine, the first-round pick, receiving a fifth-year team option. The Vikings got deals done with half of the 10-man draft class before rookies — drafted and undrafted — as well as tryout players take the field for this weekend's minicamp.
Sixth-round pick Vederian Lowe signed his rookie deal on Friday morning.
Four players don't yet have agreements: second-round cornerback Andrew Booth Jr., second-round guard Ed Ingram, third-round linebacker Brian Asamoah, fourth-round and cornerback Akayleb Evans. Unsigned rookies still join teammates for practices under "participation agreements" that guarantee they will receive the same contract value — slotted by draft position — if they were healthy.
Cine's 32nd overall selection means his four-year deal is worth nearly $11.5 million with about a $5.5 million signing bonus. He became the first player taken with the final pick of the first round to get his deal fully guaranteed; last year, the top 28 first-round picks got fully guaranteed contracts.
Late-round picks like Otomewo, Chandler, Nailor, Lowe and Muse have to make the 53-man roster every season to see the full value of their rookie deals, as they get far less guaranteed money. For instance, Otomewo — the ex-Gophers defensive end drafted 165th overall — agreed to a deal worth just under $4 million based on his draft position, but only about $300,000 is guaranteed through a signing bonus.
