Kyle Van Noy gets a real Vikings deal, with sack money

A practice squad call-up usually gets you the minimum and a locker. Van Noy got a lot more than that, according to Mike Garafolo.

Mike Garafolo

@MikeGarafolo

When the #Vikings’ signed LB Kyle Van Noy to the active roster this week, he got more than a standard minimum salary for such a promotion. His deal pays $2.75m in base value with just under $2m guaranteed. Another $250k in incentives that start at 4 sacks (he’s already at 1.5).

Minnesota moved the 35-year-old outside linebacker to the 53-man roster on September 29. He had been on the practice squad since September 2 and was elevated for each of the first 3 games. Through those 3 games he had 7 tackles, 4 of them for loss, and 1.5 sacks. That is not what you expect from a guy who was technically a practice squad player. On the same day the Vikings put tight end Josh Oliver on IR with a torn biceps and promoted quarterback Max Brosmer too.

Week 3 is what earned him the bump. In the 23-16 road win over Tampa Bay, Van Noy played just 17 snaps and still got all 1.5 of his sacks plus 3 tackles. PFF gave him an 84.6 grade, the 3rd-best of any Vikings defender that day. That's a lot of damage for a part-timer.

Brian Flores noticed. The Vikings' defensive coordinator said it was Van Noy's best game and added, "He's impactful in both the run and the pass game, so expect to see more of him, for sure." Flores also called him a "great teammate, unselfish." Coming from Flores, that's a strong endorsement.

So here's the money. The deal carries $2.75 million in base value, with just under $2 million of it guaranteed. Minnesota isn't paying him like a body to fill out the roster. They're paying him like part of the pass-rush rotation, and the bonuses are tied to that same job. The $250,000 in incentives starts at 4 sacks, so Van Noy needs 2.5 more to hit the first one. He's 3 games into the season.

The question now is what "more of him" actually looks like. 17 snaps produced 1.5 sacks. If Flores bumps him up to a real rotational share, that 4-sack line could come early, and the Vikings would be happy to pay it. A 2-time Super Bowl champ who signed for practice squad money in September is playing for real bonus money in October. That's a good month.