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MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Vikings did right by left tackle Riley Reiff after he barely missed a playing time incentive for the 2020 season. According to a league source, the Vikings awarded Reiff a $1 million signing bonus to the 32-year-old’s contract to make up for a lost incentive he would have earned in Week 17 had he not missed the Detroit Lions game due to being on the COVID-19/Reserve list. The restructured contract Reiff agreed to last September had a playing-time incentive built in and would have earned him a $1 million bonus had he taken 93.75% of snaps during the 2020 season. He finished just shy of that number, logging 92.6% of snaps in 15 games. NFL Network first reported the news of Reiff’s bonus. Reiff took a $5 million pay cut last season after the Vikings acquired defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and his $12 million salary in a trade at the end of the preseason. At the time, the acquisition left the Vikings with less than $1 million in cap space. Reiff, who had a $10.9 million salary that came with a $13.2 million cap hit, was approached about restructuring his contract, which lowered his cap charge to $8.2 million and earned him a base salary of $5.9 million. Ngakoue was traded to the Baltimore Ravens after the first six games of the season. Rieff has one year remaining on his contact before being eligible for free agency in 2022. He is due a $5 million roster bonus on March 19 and can earn up to $300,000 if he makes the Pro Bowl in 2021. Talks of an extension could come soon for Reiff, who has no guaranteed money left on the $11.65 million he’s slated to earn in 2021. The Vikings are an estimated $7.6 million over the cap, according to ESPN’s Roster Management System, and likely have to restructure or part ways with several veterans to get into the black ahead of free agency.
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