Inside The Vikings

Contract Incentives Revealed For Two Key Vikings Players

Looking at the incentives on Alexander Mattison and Byron Murphy's contracts.
Contract Incentives Revealed For Two Key Vikings Players
Contract Incentives Revealed For Two Key Vikings Players

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The 33rd Team has revealed details on the contract incentives for a litany of NFL players, including two key Vikings who were signed in free agency this spring. Let's go over them.

CB Byron Murphy Jr.

Murphy, a former Cardinals second-round pick, was the Vikings' marquee free agent pickup. His deal, originally reported as two years, $22 million, is actually worth $17.5 million — but it comes loaded with incentives.

Murphy can earn up to $2 million in incentives in both 2023 and 2024. The first category is playing time, which is notable because he missed a big chunk of time with a back injury last season.

  • 70 percent of the Vikings' defensive snaps: $250,000
  • 75 percent: $250,000 ($500K total)
  • 80 percent: $250,000 ($750K total)
  • 85 percent: $250,000 ($1M total)

The other category is individual honors.

  • Pro Bowl, original ballot: $250,000
  • Second team All-Pro: $500,000
  • First team All-Pro: $1 million

Only one can be earned, meaning if Murphy makes the Pro Bowl and an All-Pro team, he would only receive the All-Pro bonus.

Murphy's contract is interestingly structured, as it comes with three void years and a small year one base salary that makes his 2023 cap hit just $2.8 million.

RB Alexander Mattison

Mattison was re-signed this offseason for two years and $7 million, and if Dalvin Cook does end up being traded or released, the former third-round pick will get his first opportunity to lead the Vikings' backfield.

His incentives are quite straightforward:

  • 750 to 999 rushing yards: $250,000
  • 1,000 rushing yards: $500,000

Those apply to both 2023 and 2024, for a total of $1 million if Mattison puts together consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Vikings news and analysis all offseason long. Also, follow me on Twitter and feel free to ask me any questions on there.


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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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