Vikings reward Herrera

The Minnesota Vikings have signed right guard Anthony Herrera to a five-year contract extension that includes $5 million in guaranteed money. The deal is worth a maximum of $15 million with incentives and has a total base value of $13.75 million.

The contract will make Herrera the 26th highest-paid guard in the NFL.

“It’s nice to have him for another five years,” Vikings coach Brad Childress said. ”He’s come a long way in a short period of time and (we) appreciate his contribution. He’s a good person and a good football player, and he adds something to the offensive line.”

Herrera is playing this season under a one-year, $850,000 tender offer he received from the Vikings as a restricted free agent last March. He was set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.

Originally signed as an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee in 2004, Herrera appeared in only two games with the Vikings last season under then first-year coach Brad Childress. The 6-foot-2, 315-pound lineman played on special teams in both games.

But this year Herrera got reps with the first team in training camp and clearly was allowed to battle Artis Hicks for the right guard spot. He played but did not start in the first four games.

In the Vikings’ fifth game, Herrera replaced Hicks in the starting role against the Chicago Bears. Rookie running back Adrian Peterson rushed for 224 yards in that game, establishing a team record. The mark stood until Peterson set an NFL single-game record by rushing for 296 yards against San Diego three games later.

Since Herrera moved into a starting role the Vikings have averaged 207.5 rushing yards per game. Before Herrera took over, the Vikings were averaging 135 yards per game on the ground.

“Every time you get an opportunity in this league, you’ve got to do your best to take advantage of it,” Herrera said.