The Facts: The Vikings have locked up Walsh. The team announced Sunday it has signed the place kicker to a contract extension. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reports it's a four-year extension worth up to $14 million with $5.25 million guaranteed, according to a source informed of the situation.
Diehards Line:The deal makes Walsh one of the five-highest paid kickers in the game. It comes one week after the Patriots made Stephen Gostkowski the highest paid kicker in the NFL. Gostkowski received a four-year deal worth $17.2 million, including a $6 million signing bonus. Walsh earned first-team All-Pro honors as a rookie, when he set an NFL record with 10 consecutive field goals of at least 50 yards. His accuracy dipped last season, when he converted just 26 of 35 attempts, a league-low conversion rate of 74.3. Despite that, the Vikings are showing faith in their 25-year-old former sixth-round pick.