Will Josh Metellus be a camp hold-in? Vikings brass avoids direct answers

Metellus is entering the final year of his contract and is very much underpaid based on his captain status and do-it-all performance on defense.

Josh Metellus working out during the 2025 offseason program. | Image courtesy of the Minnesota Viking

Is Josh Metellus going to be on the field practicing with his teammates when the Vikings take the field for the first time at training camp on Wednesday? We'll likely find out in real time, because he remains without a contract extension entering the final year of his deal with Minnesota.

"I know Josh has very much been looking forward to training camp getting going. He's one of our captains, one of our leaders and even throughout the spring was integral in kind of how [defensive coordinator Brian Flores] and the defensive group are looking at 2025," head coach Kevin O'Connell said Tuesday when asked about Metellus' status.

O'Connell was then asked if he expects Metellus to practice, only to have general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah take the question and say they've had "great dialogue with his agent" and "we'll navigate from there."

Year 6! Still proving them wrong, Still chasing greatness!

— Joshua Metellus (@NoExcuses_23) July 22, 2025

Metellus is due a significant raise on the two-year, $8 million deal he signed prior to his breakout 2023 season. The 27-year-old was "holding in" to some extent by electing not to participate in 7-on-7 reps at OTAs and minicamp, raising questions about his level of participation at training camp.

Asked if he's anxious to get his deal done after seeing some of his teammates (Andrew Van Ginkel and Josh Oliver) get paid, Metellus said it's not something he's worried about.

"Never anxious, man," he said in June. "I did the work the past two years. Whatever I did is out there, my tape is my tape. It's gonna play itself out. I was anxious when I got cut (as a rookie) and didn't have a job. I know what kind of player I am in this league, I've shown that. I'm only growing. It's all about timing, (the front office) upstairs and my agent doing things how they're supposed to, so I'm not worried."

The first training camp practice is at 2:30 p.m. CT Wednesday.