Vikings guarantee big money to lesser known UDFA

Tyler Forness

Vikings guarantee big money to lesser known UDFA image

The Minnesota Vikings giving undrafted free agents major guaranteed money has become commonplace with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. They gave Ivan Pace Jr. $216k and Andre Carter II $340k in guarantees last year and that didn't end up slowing down this year.

Edge rusher Gabriel Murphy ended up getting $225k in guarantees along with a $20k signing bonus, but he wasn't the only one who got heavy guaranteed money. Maryland wide receiver Jeshaun Jones also got $225k in guaranteed money with a $10k signing bonus.

This is somewhat of a surprise to see Jones get that kind of money. He was Dane Brugler's 56th-ranked wide receiver and was just after the cutoff of the players that Brugler wrote up. Jones was an above-average athlete who looks to project well to the slot based on his measurables.

What do Adofo-Mensah, head coach Kevin O'Connell and wide receivers coach Kennan McCardell see in Jones to warrant the guaranteed money? OTAs and training camp will tell us all we need to know.

Tyler Forness

Tyler Forness Photo

Tyler Forness was previously the managing editor of USA Today's Vikings Wire. His work has been featured on Sports Illustrated, USA Today, Voices of Wrestling, SB Nation, and NBC Sports Edge among others. He is an avid wrestling fan, craft beer connoisseur, and loves the run-n-shoot offense. You can find him on Twitter/X @TheRealForno.