Riley Reiff Agrees to Contract with Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings announced they have officially come to terms on a contract with offensive lineman Riley Reiff on Friday.

ESPN's Ben Goessling reported it's a five-year deal worth $58.75 million.

ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported Reiff's agreement with the Vikings on Thursday. USA Today's Tom Pelissero reported Reiff's deal will "stack up well" with other big deals handed out to free-agent offensive linemen.

Reiff quickly earned playing time on the Detroit Lions offensive line after the team selected him with the 23rd overall pick in the 2012 draft. After spending part of his rookie season as a reserve, he started all but three games over the past four years.

The 28-year-old Iowa product spent a vast majority of that time filling the crucial left tackle spot. The Lions took fellow tackle Taylor Decker in the first round last year, however, which led to changes up front, including Reiff moving to right tackle.

Although the switch was a talking point entering the season, which ultimately ended with the Lions going 9-7 and earning a playoff spot, the veteran downplayed the situation. He told Tim Twentyman of the team's official website it was a straightforward process.

"It's coming in here and working with the guys," Reiff said in August. "It's just coming to work every day and trying to find ways to get better. Whether it's film study. Whether it's technique. It's really boring, actually. It's not some magical equation. I come in here and work hard and pay attention, listen and just try to make the group better."

He handled the move itself fine, but the week-to-week consistency issues that plagued him on the left side remained a problem on the right. His up-and-down play was part of the reason the team's line ranked 18th in pass protection and 31st in run blocking, according to Football Outsiders.

Those continued struggles up front despite the changes last offseason raised questions about whether the front office would shake things up again before the 2017 campaign.

In the end, the Lions are moving forward without Reiff. Even though the tackle hasn't provided the type of value Detroit expected from a first-round selection, it's a bit surprising the team didn't make a bigger push to bring him back given its long-standing issues on the right side.

The Vikings desperately needed an upgrade at both tackle spots with Andre Smith and Matt Kalil both being free agents. Kalil, whose career in Minnesota was a massive disappointment after being the No. 4 draft pick in 2012, will sign with the Carolina Panthers, per Schefter. 

All told, Reiff has been a league-average or slightly better tackle throughout his career. Now the question is whether there's still some untapped potential as he transitions to a new organization.