Jay Ward

Career StatsF

Year	Team	GP	INT	PD	Tkl
Career		50	—	1	41
2025		17	0	0	27
2024		16	0	1	6
2023		17

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

Jay Ward's four-year, $4.5M extension with Minnesota represents a fair deal for an unproven safety, earning a solid C CVI that reflects appropriate market positioning for a developmental player. At $1.1M annually, the Vikings are paying replacement-level money for a player who hasn't yet established himself as more than a depth piece, which creates reasonable upside without significant downside risk. The contract structure heavily favors Minnesota with just $700K guaranteed out of the total deal, giving the organization multiple exit ramps if Ward doesn't develop into the contributor they're hoping for. Ward's unproven status means this is essentially a bet on potential rather than established production, but the financial commitment aligns with that reality — this isn't franchise-altering money for a safety position where teams can find adequate contributors throughout the draft and free agency. The Vikings get cost control on a young player with developmental upside, while Ward secures four years of job security in a league where most players his caliber are fighting for roster spots annually.

Performance Analysis

Jay Ward receives an F grade as a Vikings defensive back who has been a consistent presence on special teams without making any impact on defense. His 41 tackles across 50 games over three full 16-17 game seasons shows he is valued enough to be active every week, but the zero interceptions, zero passes defended of note, and zero sacks tell the story of a player with no defensive impact. Ward has played on all three of Minnesota's special teams units, which is why he keeps getting dressed on gameday. The F grade accurately reflects his defensive contributions, which have been essentially nonexistent despite the extensive playing time on special teams.