EAGAN, Minn. — Joshua Metellus has lined up almost everywhere for the Vikings defense the past two years.

In this situation, however, the hybrid dynamo is glad to be staying in the same place: Minnesota.

"I wanted to be here. I love it here. This is home. I want to finish my career here," Metellus said. "I feel like I embody exactly what we want to build here, and I want to win a ring for this city. I understand the city is due for something big. So I'm just pouring everything I have into this."

Less than a full week into his sixth NFL training camp, the 2020 sixth-round selection and the team reached a multiyear deal to keep Metellus in Purple.

Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell announced the news Saturday during a media session that included comments from General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah before Metellus walked up to the podium. He chose to wear a T-shirt in honor of fallen teammate Khyree Jackson, who tragically passed away in a July 2024 auto accident.

"When he first got on the team, we talked about this. I told him what I was chasing. He was a big believer in that process of working hard, doing things the right way," Metellus later explained. "So I kind of took him under my wing, like, 'I'm going to show you how I do it, and throughout this year, I'm gonna show you how I go about being a pro, how I go about getting my job done,' and for him to still be here with me right now, to see me get here is special."

Adofo-Mensah said Metellus has become a "program player" who "loves his community, loves his team, loves the fans, loves the city."

"He embodies the relentlessness and work ethic that we value in this team. His story is a story of undeniable determination," Adofo-Mensah said. "It's a story that Josh should be proud of, not only for himself, but also as an example for his teammates. Just really excited to keep him in this community that we have. One of the reasons why this sport is so special is because of the relationships, and Josh has made some incredible relationships with everybody in this building, his teammates, football operations, but one of the best things about Josh is he's made a great relationship with the state of Minnesota."

It's a love story that began when Metellus was selected in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. But his path wasn't linear. Metellus was initially cut from the squad but kept working and believing. He earned his way back to the roster and has continued earning respect and responsibility.

Metellus has totaled more than 2,000 defensive snaps in two seasons with Brian Flores as Minnesota's defensive coordinator, becoming a unique chess piece.

O'Connell noted he counted Metellus lining up at seven different positions in one game last season.

"Throughout Flo's time here, they've continued to layer upon layer things in the defense based upon his roles, which are inside the box as a linebacker type, a down safety, big nickel," O'Connell said. "He can play man-to-man coverage at all five spots, whether it's a really good back — we put him on the Christian McCaffreys of the world — we put him on dynamic tight ends, bigger slot receivers, and it allows our corners to stay matched and then also hold a lot of the disguise that we want to show, as well."

Metellus said he's valued the opportunity to earn trust in so many roles.

"It's meant a lot, from the front office down to the coaches, down to my teammates, just that trust and that belief in me as a player, me as a leader, me as a guy who comes to this building and gives my all and am always where my feet are," Metellus said. "And it means a lot to have people backing you. That's a big reason why I am where I am today. I didn't do this without all the people in my circle. This is for everybody around me. This isn't just for me. I'm a product of my environment, and my environment has done really well."

Metellus is excited about a good deal of continuity that has been accentuated by the Vikings offseason moves and the quest to maintain the reputation of being one of the NFL's toughest defenses to solve.

Asked Wednesday at what level — as in not the ground floor — the defense is reaching, he smiled and quipped, "Oh man, we're about to hit master's level at this point."

"Just the ability to understand how we get played and understand the mindset teams come into on Sunday, when they come against the Vikings," Metellus said. "You get guys who have been in the system and guys who understand what certain things are supposed to feel like, so when you add new things, it's just going to gel better, and it's easy to get the new guys up to speed."

Via the new three-year contract that extends through the 2028 season, Metellus is a tenured professor, passing along the message of, "It all means something. It's not just crazy stuff that floats up on the board. All this stuff works."

The 27-year-old who is seemingly always smiling off the field can grin a bit bigger.

The deal is the result of a player who worked his way up from excelling on special teams to handling a workload of breadth and depth in a strong defense while still helping out football's third phase.

Metellus played just 16 snaps on defense as a rookie and only 54 in 2021, but he was on the field for 262 and 298 special teams snaps, respectively, in those seasons.

His role began growing on defense in 2022, the first year of O'Connell's tenure (258 snaps in addition to 381 on special teams), and mushroomed in 2023 upon Flores' hire.

Metellus started all 17 games of 2023 and played 1,065 defensive snaps. He recorded career highs of 112 tackles on defense, seven tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 10 QB hits and four forced fumbles. He was one of five players in the NFL that season with at least four forced fumbles, 2.0 sacks and an interception.

During its 2023 Week 14 broadcast of the Vikings 3-0 win at the Raiders, FOX showed a graphic that listed Metellus as having lined up at the following 12 positions: strong safety, free safety, left cornerback, right cornerback, slot cornerback, left inside linebacker, right inside linebacker, middle linebacker, left outside linebacker, right outside linebacker, right defensive end and left defensive tackle.

Versatility is something Flores appreciates from players, if you haven't noticed.

The organization also appreciates what Metellus has done as a leader on and off the field.

Metellus was first tabbed a captain at the end of the 2022 campaign after Brian O'Neill suffered a season-ending injury. He was chosen to be a season-long captain by teammates in 2023 and again in 2024.

"I think he's really proud to be a Minnesota Viking. I think his journey is something that means a lot to him," O'Connell said. "Not all of these things are the same, right? You've got first-round picks that eventually get their massive extensions. But some guys don't get to come into this league with that type of path, and they've got to earn it from where they're selected, and earn it from what their roles are early on in their time, and then eventually, when you get to a place where you've developed this kind of value for a team, I think it's really awesome.

"I think it's great for our team to see when you're at 91 guys in camp and the other 90 guys hear about this today, I think that's really cool for not only Josh, but our football team, and the journeys ahead for all of our guys," O'Connell added.

Last season, Metellus recorded 103 tackles on defense, to go along with two tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, two interceptions, five passes defensed and a forced fumble. He started 10 of 17 games and logged 991 snaps on defense and another 210 on special teams.

The Florida native also has shown his wit as the host of the popular "Tell Us with Metellus" video segment created and produced by the Vikings Entertainment Network and did so again during Wednesday's post-practice media scrum.

"I'm just happy to be out here with the guys, seeing you guys' faces and seeing the smiles," Metellus said. "I know y'all excited. It'd been a long summer for y'all. Ain't nothing going on, but it's just fun being back out."

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