Jarius Wright has signed a contract extension with the Minnesota Vikings, the team announced Thursday.
The former Arkansas wide receiver’s new deal is worth $14.8 million, including $7 million guaranteed, and keeps him in Minnesota through the 2019 season.
A native of Warren, Arkansas, Wright was a fourth-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft and had career-highs of 42 receptions and 588 yards last season. He also started seven games and caught two touchdown passes, including a screen pass he took 87 yards for a touchdown in overtime that beat the New York Jets.
After not playing the first half of his rookie season, Wright has emerged as one of the Vikings’ top weapons. He has 90 catches for 1,332 yards and seven touchdowns in his career.
During the preseason, Wright caught six passes for 76 yards. The Vikings open the season on the road at 9:20 p.m. Monday, playing the San Francisco 49ers.
Here is a look at the other 13 former Razorbacks that made 53-man rosters in the NFL.
*AJ Derby (Patriots) and Tevin Mitchel (Colts) are on injured reserve, while Javontee Herndon (Chargers) is on the practice squad.
Alvin Bailey – Seattle Seahawks
Week 1: noon Sunday, at Rams
The former Arkansas offensive lineman played in all three of the Seahawks’ preseason games and even started Week 3, which is typically used by NFL teams as a dress rehearsal for the season.
However, in that Week 3 preseason start, Bailey struggled. He was flagged for a false start and gave up a sack. Seattle gave him a chance to win the starting left guard position, but he lost it to Justin Britt. Instead, he is listed as the second-team left tackle, left guard and right tackle on the team’s website.
Knile Davis – Kansas City Chiefs
Week 1: noon Sunday, at Texans
A year removed from the most productive season in the NFL, Davis could see another increase in his numbers. He piled up 1,439 all-purpose yards (463 rushing, 147 receiving and 829 returning kicks) and got a lot of playing time after star running back Jamaal Charles was injured.
The Chiefs hope to keep Charles healthy this season, meaning they’ll likely give Davis more reps to relieve Charles early in the year. During the first two preseason games, Davis played 51 snaps, more than any other Chiefs player. He ended the preseason with 52 yards on 15 carries, while catching four passes for 23 yards.
Trey Flowers – New England Patriots
Week 1: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, vs. Steelers
Flowers was selected by the Patriots in the fourth round of this year’s draft and has shown flashes of his All-SEC talent in New England. Against the Green Bay Packers in the preseason, he sacked All-Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
However, a few plays later, he went down with an injury that caused him to miss about a week. He returned to play in the Patriots’ final two preseason games – finishing his first preseason with nine tackles, four hurries and a batted pass – and has been a full participant in practice this week. Flowers is listed as a third-team defensive end on the team’s website.
Brett Goode – Green Bay Packers
Week 1: noon Sunday, at Bears
During his seven seasons in Green Bay, Goode has never had a bad snap that directly resulted in a turnover. Since winning the job in 2008, the former Arkansas long snapper has played in 112 consecutive games.
Chris Gragg – Buffalo Bills
Week 1: noon Sunday, vs. Colts
Despite catching eight passes for 128 yards and one touchdown this preseason, Gragg is fourth on the Bills’ tight end depth chart. It appeared that his roster spot was in jeopardy, but the Bills decided to keep four tight ends on their 53-man roster.
In two seasons, Gragg has caught 12 passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns.
(Side note: The Bills’ No. 1 tight end is Charles Clay, a Little Rock native who went to Tulsa.)
Zach Hocker – New Orleans Saints
Week 1: 3:05 p.m. Sunday, at Cardinals
It appears that the third time is the charm for Hocker, who won the Saints’ starting kickoff job to begin the season. New Orleans is his third stop since leaving Arkansas, as he was a seventh-round pick by the Washington Redskins in 2014 and spent time with the Miami Dolphins this spring.
The former Arkansas kicker made 4 of 5 field goals, which his only miss being from 50 yards, and 1 of 1 extra points, which were backed up during the preseason. His four makes include kicks from 47, 50 and 53 yards. He was one of only seven kickers to make multiple field goals of at least 50 yards this preseason. Hocker also had four touchbacks out of five kickoffs.
Ryan Mallett – Houston Texans
Week 1: noon Sunday, vs. Chiefs
It was a tough preseason for the former Arkansas quarterback. After being named the Texans’ backup to begin the season, Mallett missed a practice and complained publicly. He lost the starting job to Brian Hoyer, but has said he expects to play at some point this season.
Mallett started two games in 2014 before an injury ended his season. During the preseason, he completed 24 of 37 passes (64.9 percent) for 190 yards and one touchdown.
Darren McFadden – Dallas Cowboys
Week 1: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, vs. Giants
The injury-plagued former Arkansas running back began training camp on injured reserve, but played in three of the Cowboys’ preseason games, rushing for 41 yards on seven carries (5.9 yards/carry) and catching two passes for nine yards.
He is expected to start Week 1, but Dallas will likely use a running back-by-committee approach, playing Joseph Randle, Lance Dunbar and newly acquired Christine Michael alongside McFadden.
Jason Peters – Philadelphia Eagles
Week 1: 6:10 p.m. Monday, at Falcons
After being selected to his seventh career Pro Bowl last season, you’d think there wouldn’t be too much for Peters to work on. However, if you thought that, you’d be wrong.
The former Arkansas offensive lineman decided to give up sweets – including ice cream – and start riding a bike around Philadelphia this offseason. The result has been a weight decrease of 25 pounds, from 345 to 320.
Darius Philon – San Diego Chargers
Week 1: 3:05 p.m. Sunday, vs. Lions
Philon was selected by the Chargers in the sixth round of this year’s NFL draft and is listed as a second-team defensive end on the team’s website. Because the Chargers rotate players on the defensive line, he should get some early playing time.
During the preseason, Philon made seven tackles in four games.
Chris Smith – Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 1: noon Sunday, vs. Panthers
After being active for only half of his rookie season and playing mainly as a third-down guy, Smith will have an expanded role in 2015.
With Andre Branch out because of an injury, the former Arkansas defensive end will serve as the Jaguars’ pass-rushing defensive end on first and second down. He had seven tackles during the preseason.
Martrell Spaight – Washington Redskins
Week 1: noon Sunday, vs. Dolphins
Spaight racked up 20 tackles in four preseason games, which was tied for 14th in the NFL, and is listed as one of the Redskins’ second-team inside linebackers on the team’s website.
The former Arkansas linebacker was selected by the Redskins in the fifth round of this year’s NFL draft. He is expected to contribute a lot on specials teams, as veteran special teams player Adam Hayward suffered a season-ending ACL injury Aug. 20.
Travis Swanson – Detroit Lions
Week 1: 3:05 p.m. Sunday, at Chargers
With Dominic Raiola gone, Swanson has taken over as the Lions’ starting center. He started the teams’ first three games this preseason before getting Week 4 off.
Last season, Swanson was solid in a limited role that included starting some for injured right guard Larry Warford and playing as a sixth offensive lineman in heavy sets. This year will be his first since leaving Arkansas to get significant playing time at center.
All game times CT.