Nick Easton tops Vikings' performance-based pay earners

Vikings guard Nick Easton, who will earn a big raise in 2018 after receiving a second-round tender in restricted free agency, also secured a nice bonus for himself based on what he did in 2017.

The former undrafted free agent, who started 12 games at left guard for the Vikings, was the team's top earner in the NFL's performance-based pay pool, which compensates players based on their playing time and salary levels.

Easton earned $244,274.55 from the main performance pool and an additional $69,120.28 from the pool available only to veterans, bringing his total to $313.394.83 in extra money for the 2017 season. His contract paid him only $525,000 in 2017.

Defensive end Danielle Hunter earned the second-most performance-based pay on the Vikings' roster, pocketing an extra $218,618.49 from the main pool and $68,828.61 from the veterans' pool for a combined $287,447.10.

Rookie Pat Elflein earned the most money from the regular performance pool, taking home $271,030, but wasn't eligible for the veterans' pool.

And quarterback Case Keenum — who's about an hour from being able to sign his shiny new deal with the Denver Broncos — made an extra $124,051.23 in performance pay. Never hurts to have a little more walking-around money, right?

Here are the Vikings' top earners in performance-based pay:

G Nick Easton: $313,394.83
DE Danielle Hunter: $287,447.10
WR Stefon Diggs: $281,782.09
T Rashod Hill: $269,277.27
LB Eric Kendricks: $214,020.25
TE David Morgan: $204,459.22
DB Anthony Harris: $204,163.02
LB Ben Gedeon: $202,003.47
FB C.J. Ham: $198,385.61
RB Jerick McKinnon: $181,437.72