Jarius Wright, Vikings Agree to New Contract: Latest Details and Reaction

The Minnesota Vikings announced Thursday they reached an agreement on a contract extension with wide receiver Jarius Wright. The deal will reportedly pay him $14.8 million over four years with $7 million guaranteed.   

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported the terms of the new contract. He also noted the Vikings made signing Wright, who's now signed for five more years, a priority as part of locking in their young group of offensive weapons.

The fourth-year wideout hinted toward his interest in getting an extension done earlier in the day, as noted by Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press: "Something I would definitely like to do is hopefully get a contract extension and be here a little bit longer."

He also explained to Tomasson why a new deal was important to him: "You definitely have more security. You feel better (with) a contract extension... I do think I've done enough."

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer called Wright a "great kid and works real hard,'' per Tomasson. The team's official release included a statement from general manager Rick Spielman about why the organization decided to extend Wright now:

"

Jarius has been a key member of our offense since we drafted him in 2012 and we felt it was necessary to secure his future with our organization. His commitment to this team, hard work and leadership in the WR room are several of the intangibles that he brings to our club on a daily basis and we're excited for his future with the Vikings. With the help of WR coach George Stewart, Jarius has greatly improved since coming to Minnesota. This extension stays true to our philosophy of drafting young talent, developing them in our system and rewarding their success.

"

Wright finished last season with 42 catches (third on the team) for 588 yards (second behind the since-departed Greg Jennings) and two touchdowns. He's tallied 90 grabs for over 1,300 yards and seven TDs since the Vikings took him in the fourth round of the 2012 draft.

His role heading into this season is a bit unsettled following the arrival of Mike Wallace. It gives quarterback Teddy Bridgewater multiple targets who can stretch the field, with Wright, Charles Johnson and Cordarrelle Patterson filling up the WR depth chart. It could lead to more underneath looks for the Arkansas product.

That said, he's made steady progress over his first three seasons in the league. The Vikings are showing confidence that trend will continue by handing him a new long-term deal as they prepare to open the new campaign Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers.