With rookie camp set to open, Vikings sign five more draft picks

The Vikings got half of the draft class under contract Thursday, one day ahead of the opening of rookie minicamp.

In addition to first-round safety Lewis Cine, who agreed to terms Wednesday, the Vikings announced Thursday they had signed fifth-round defensive lineman Esezi Otomewo, fifth-round running back Ty Chandler, sixth-round receiver Jalen Nailor and seventh-round tight end Nick Muse.

Each received a standard four-year contract, with only Cine, the first-round pick, receiving a fifth-year team option. The Vikings got deals done with half of the 10-man draft class before rookies — drafted and undrafted — as well as tryout players take the field for this weekend's minicamp.

Sixth-round pick Vederian Lowe signed his rookie deal on Friday morning.

Four players don't yet have agreements: second-round cornerback Andrew Booth Jr., second-round guard Ed Ingram, third-round linebacker Brian Asamoah, fourth-round and cornerback Akayleb Evans. Unsigned rookies still join teammates for practices under "participation agreements" that guarantee they will receive the same contract value — slotted by draft position — if they were healthy.

Cine's 32nd overall selection means his four-year deal is worth nearly $11.5 million with about a $5.5 million signing bonus. He became the first player taken with the final pick of the first round to get his deal fully guaranteed; last year, the top 28 first-round picks got fully guaranteed contracts.

Late-round picks like Otomewo, Chandler, Nailor, Lowe and Muse have to make the 53-man roster every season to see the full value of their rookie deals, as they get far less guaranteed money. For instance, Otomewo — the ex-Gophers defensive end drafted 165th overall — agreed to a deal worth just under $4 million based on his draft position, but only about $300,000 is guaranteed through a signing bonus.