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Josh Robinson, Jarius Wright, Rhett Ellison, Robert Blanton due raises

MINNEAPOLIS -- If Josh Robinson, Jarius Wright, Rhett Ellison and Robert Blanton are back with the Minnesota Vikings in 2015, all four will see substantial pay raises over what their initial rookie contract called for them to make.

All four players will receive pay bumps under the new rookie wage scale that was introduced as part of the 2011 collective bargaining agreement. Players taken between the third and seventh round of the draft can trigger a Proven Performance Escalator by playing at least 35 percent of their team's offensive or defensive snaps in two of their first three seasons. Blanton, Ellison and Wright will earn base salaries of $1,574,000 in 2015, while Robinson -- who was taken 66th overall in 2012 -- will make $1,564,000, according to NFL Players Association salary data.

The salary increases total a combined $3,531,804 in 2015. The salary cap is expected to rise in 2015, possibly to the neighborhood of $140 million. The Vikings currently have about $129.8 million in cap commitments for 2015, according to ESPN Stats and Information, but that could change through releases or restructured contracts for players such as linebacker Chad Greenway, left guard Charlie Johnson or wide receiver Greg Jennings (to say nothing of what might happen with Adrian Peterson).

It's probably safe to expect the Vikings will go into the new league year with at least $15 million of cap space, and there are few pressing needs among their own pending unrestricted free agents. Even with the pay bumps for some of their younger players, they should be in a solid cap situation by the start of free agency.