The Minnesota Vikings have yet to come to an agreement with their top draft pick, quarterback J.J. McCarthy. While contracts can take a while, they always get done with draft picks. The CBA and the cap on rookie contracts makes things easier for teams, but the tiny details can make things difficult.
Those details, such as signing bonus money and whether it is deferred, are believed to be holding up McCarthy’s contract, as Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press noted in a recent column. Walters said there are rumors that McCarthy wants all of his signing bonus up front.
The former Michigan Wolverine is expected to sign a four-year deal worth $22 million. It will also include a fifth-year option because McCarthy is a first-round pick. The signing bonus is expected to be around $13 million. What could hold things up is whether that signing bonus is deferred over the length of the contract.
The contract will be done; it is a matter of time. McCarthy hasn’t missed any team workouts and is clearly excited to be a Viking.