The Vikings now have eight of 10 draft picks under contract.
Vikings sign fourth round pick Akayleb Evans
The cornerback was the 118th overall pick out of Missouri.
June 22, 2022 at 9:07PM
Fourth-round cornerback Akayleb Evans signed his rookie deal on Wednesday, the team announced, leaving only second-round cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. and second-round guard Ed Ingram unsigned. Evans was taken with the 118th overall pick out of Missouri, where he played one season after transferring from Tulsa.
The value of Evans' four-year deal is slotted off his draft position, meaning he gets a roughly $760,000 signing bonus on a contract worth up to $4.4 million.
While rookie holdouts are a thing of the past — due to slotted salaries installed in 2011 — there are still negotiations between teams and agents regarding total guaranteed money, offset contract language, signing bonus payment terms and how or whether guarantees can be voided due to on-field or off-field conduct.
Evans, the 6-foot-2-inch and 197-pound corner, was the third defensive back drafted within the Vikings' initial five selections this spring, including first-round safety Lewis Cine and Booth Jr. When players report for training camp in late July, Evans is expected to compete for a reserve role in a retooled secondary under new defensive coordinator Ed Donatell.
The Vikings' remade cornerback group now includes Patrick Peterson, Chandon Sullivan, Cameron Dantzler, Booth Jr., Evans and Kris Boyd.
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
