The Full List of Vikings Free Agents
The Minnesota Vikings enter the offseason earlier than they had hoped after finishing the regular season with a 14-3 record, having the chance to clinch the top seed in the NFC playoff picture in the campaign’s final week. The club had two chances to earn a spot in the divisional round but failed twice.
The Full List of Vikings Free Agents
In the offseason, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has to overhaul the roster as numerous players are set to become free agents. In fact, more than half the players might not be employed in the Twin Cities by the time training camp begins.
The Vikings have roughly $70 million in cap space to retain the players from this list and acquire new free agents.
Quarterbacks
- Sam Darnold
- Nick Mullens
- Daniel Jones
- Brett Rypien
J.J. McCarthy is the one remaining passer on the roster. The Vikings will look to support him with another veteran signal-caller, but it remains to be seen if that is Nick Mullens, Daniel Jones, or someone else.
Sam Darnold has likely played himself out of the massive contract everyone predicted a couple of weeks ago and probably out of Minnesota, too. He will still look to be someone’s starter in the upcoming season. Retaining Darnold is only an option if the Vikings are extremely skeptical about McCarthy.
Running Backs
- Aaron Jones
- Cam Akers
Aaron Jones was signed to solidify the running back position in the 2024 season, and he has done that, securing more than 1,500 yards from scrimmage. His age and some durability issues this past season are concerns going forward.
Akers is still a solid rotational back, even after two torn Achilles tendons. He’s one of Kevin O’Connell’s guys; seeing him back on another cheap one-year deal isn’t out of the question.
Wide Receiver
- Brandon Powell
- Trent Sherfield
Both Powell and Sherfield played roles on offense and special teams. Sherfield is a solid gunner in punt coverage and one of the best blocking WRs, while Powell is a returner and shifty depth receiver in the middle of the field.
The two veteran wideouts were good in their roles and relatively cheap.
Tight End
- Johnny Mundt
Johnny Mundt is a do-it-all depth tight end. He is cheap, knows the offense, and is another favorite of O’Connell. The Vikings could go in a different direction, but keeping the affordable and familiar guy on a depth spot like TE3 isn’t the worst move.
Offensive Tackle
- Cam Robinson
- David Quessenberry
If healthy, the starting spots will be handled by Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw in the foreseeable future. David Quessenberry has proven this year that he is a reliable backup on both sides of the line, and Cam Robinson was acquired as a half-season rental.
Quessenberry’s return seems more likely.
Offensive Guard/Center
- Dalton Risner
- Dan Feeney
- Henry Byrd
The interior of the line is still a mess, and it’s time to invest. The good news is that O’Connell indicated the organization’s intention to do so after the defeat.
This group is unpredictable.
Defensive Interior
- Jonathan Bullard
- Jerry Tillery
- Jalen Redmond
Tillery and Bullard are veteran placeholders. The rush defense was elite according to all metrics, but the pass rush from the inside was nonexistent. Redmond was a surprise playmaker for a few weeks, and keeping the restricted free agent is a no-brainer.
EDGE
- Patrick Jones
- Jihad Ward
Patrick Jones recorded a career-high seven sacks this year, but he encounters the problem that he is behind two Pro Bowlers, Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard, as well as rookie first-rounder Dallas Turner, whose role will expand. He might want to seek a different situation.
Jihad Ward was primarily used as an inside pass rusher in obvious pass situations, and he did quite well in that position.
Linebacker
- Kamu Grugier-Hill
Veteran Kamu Grugier-Hill replaced Ivan Pace and Blake Cashman during their injury stints and played a role on special teams. Teams could do worse at backup linebacker.
Safety
- Harrison Smith
- Cam Bynum
- Theo Jackson
This one might sting, but Harrison Smith is expected to retire. He has played 200 games. If he wants to return, though, the Vikings will undoubtedly offer him a deal.
Cam Bynum was a solid safety in the past couple of years. Losing both starters could lead to problems, so keeping Bynum around is reasonable.
Theo Jackson has always earned a ton of praise. With a potential shakeup in the safety room, he might be in a position to earn a bigger role.
Cornerback
- Byron Murphy
- Stephon Gilmore
- Shaq Griffin
- Fabian Moreau
This is certainly the best cornerback group the Vikings have had in more than half a decade. Byron Murphy should be kept after a Pro Bowl season, and extending one of Shaq Griffin and Stephon Gilmore could reduce the risk if the Vikings want to invest in the draft but need a veteran as insurance.
Punter
- Ryan Wright
Punter Ryan Wright is a restricted free agent. Compared to last year, more of his punts landed inside the 20-yard line, which is a positive.
This one could go either way.
Editor’s Note: Information from Over The Cap helped with this article.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt