Four Players Could Be Preparing for Their Final Game in a Vikings Uniform
In all likelihood, the Minnesota Vikings will play their final game of the 2023 season when they take on the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
Though there still is a path to the playoffs for Minnesota, they need a win against a team that they’ve already lost to this season and then get some major help from other teams across the league. Because of this reality, here is a look at four players who could be preparing for their final game in a Vikings uniform.
OLB Danielle Hunter
Danielle Hunter has been one of the most ferocious pass-rushers in the NFL throughout the 2023 season. His 21 tackles for loss are tied for first in the league, and his 15.5 sacks rank fifth. He is in line for a big pay day when he enters free agency following the conclusion of the 2023 season.
The Vikings have an extensive list of free agents this offseason, and at some point, Minnesota will have to pick and choose where they want to spend their money. Hunter is likely near the top of that list of priorities, but he and Minnesota already had trouble reaching an agreement to keep him around in 2023.
The 29-year-old pass-rusher will inevitably get plenty of offers from teams across the league, and the Vikings will need to spend a hefty amount to keep him around. We’ll see what happens when March rolls around.
S Harrison Smith
Since he was drafted in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft, Harrison Smith has been a prominent piece in the Minnesota Vikings defense. He earned the nickname “Hitman” for being a vicious tackler and has recorded 1013 tackles, 45 tackles for loss, 19.5 sacks, 85 passes defended, 34 interceptions, and 12 forced fumbles. That interception total ranks second among all active players behind only Smith’s former Vikings teammate, Patrick Peterson (36).
Now, though, Smith is preparing for his 176th regular season game in a Vikings uniform, and it could be the final one for the soon-to-be 35-year-old safety. This is because of his cap situation going into the offseason.
Per Over the Cap, Smith carries a whopping $19.2 million cap hit in 2024 as well as a $22 million cap hit in 2025. His 2024 and 2025 totals are the fourth-highest among all NFL safeties as he enters his age-35 and age-36 seasons. The Vikings would save $11.384 million of that 2024 cap hit if they were to cut him in the spring. This would also ensure that they save all of the money going Smith’s way in 2025 (again, per Over the Cap).
If this is the end for Smith, it has been one heck of a ride for the Hitman.
LB Jordan Hicks
After a bit of a disappointing 2022 season in Minnesota, Jordan Hicks bounced back in a huge way during 2023 under Brian Flores’ tutelage. Hicks signed a two-year/$10 million contract back in 2022, and he has been worth every penny of that for this season’s performance alone (though, in fairness, he did accept a pay cut coming into the current season).
Despite missing five games on IR, Hicks has piled up 100 tackles, four tackle for loss, a sack, five passes defended, an interception, and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. He is also PFF’s 22nd-highest graded linebacker among players with at least 400 defensive snaps this season. Now, he hits free agency in March hoping to land one more big deal.
WR K.J. Osborn
K.J. Osborn has been as consistent a WR3 as the Vikings could have hoped for over the past few seasons. Since 2021, Osborn has totaled 156 receptions, 1836 yards, and 15 TDs in the Vikings offense, and now, he is at the end of his rookie contract.
When Osborn enters free agency, he will inevitably be a target for multiple teams, and given the money being thrown in the direction of wide receivers over the past few years, his price tag might be too much for Minnesota to be able to retain him.
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Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.