The Vikings’ Most Lucrative Cut Candidates
No massaging the basic numbers or shenanigans with the salary cap. Instead, just a humble list of the Vikings’ most lucrative cut candidates.
At some point, there needed to be a cut off, so we’re only including players who could give Minnesota a minimum of $3 million in added cap space for a simple pre-June 1st cut. At each step, there’s a consideration of the player alongside a concluding word to predict whether the chance of a cut is low, medium, or high.
The Vikings’ Most Lucrative Cut Candidates
Cut Candidate #1 — Brian O’Neill, Right Tackle
Potential Savings: $14,296,108
A homegrown talent who now has a “C” on his chest, Brian O’Neill has distinguished himself as one of the NFL’s foremost offensive tackles.
He got snagged at No. 62 back in 2018 and has smashed expectations since then. He gets overshadowed in an NFL that boasts some elite offensive tackles in players like Penei Sewell, Lane Johnson, Rashawn Slater, Tristan Wirfs, and Trent Williams, but O’Neill is a fantastic player who is foundational to the Kevin O’Connell offense.
Expect the 29-year-old tackle to keep calling Minnesota home for several more years. He isn’t getting cut.
Chance of Being Cut: Low
Cut Candidate #2: Josh Metellus, Safety
Potential Savings: $6,375,000
Metellus, like O’Neill, is one of Minnesota’s key leaders.
Where the safety distinguishes himself is in his versatility. Brian Flores can lean on Metellus to put in work all over the field. Most prominently, Metellus functions as a safety, a slot corner, and a linebacker. He gets sprinkled in along the d-line and as an outside corner, too.
He’s 27 and is coming off a season where he had 103 tackles, 2 interceptions, 5 passes defended, and 6 QB hits. Look for him to be extended since he isn’t going anywhere.
Chance of Being Cut: Low
Cut Candidate #3: Andrew Van Ginkel, Outside Linebacker
Potential Savings: $5,800,000
Van Ginkel is basically the perfect Flores outside linebacker. Both men are very intelligent and very interested in playing versatile football.
By the time the year was over, the former Dolphin was sitting on 79 tackles, 11.5 sacks, 19 QB hits, 18 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 2 touchdowns off of those interceptions, 6 passes defended, and 1 forded fumble. Van Ginkel was rewarded for his excellent season with a trip to the Pro Bowl. He was named a second-team All Pro and finished 7th in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
He’ll continue being a key defender for Coach Flores in 2025.
Chance of Being Cut: Low
Cut Candidate #4: Josh Oliver, Tight End
Potential Savings: $5,152,000
Fans looking for huge receiving numbers will need to look elsewhere. Oliver isn’t in town to lead the team in catches, yards, and touchdowns but to be an excellent blocker.
To that end, he’s excellent at his job. The issue is that he’s entering the final year of his contract and will be carrying a large cap charge: $9,424,000. Cutting the veteran tight end would mean regaining $5,152,000 in cap space.
Look for an extension even if a cut wouldn’t be totally shocking.
Chance of Being Cut: Medium
Cut Candidate #5: Garrett Bradbury, Center
Potential Savings: $3,622,000
No doubt, the former 1st-Round choice has been a bit of a disappointment. Fans expecting the second coming of Jason Kelce have been letdown.
Bradbury offers high-level athleticism while having a brain in his head. He’s respected by his teammates and will likely be a good resource for a young passer, making him an appealing option if the Vikings hand things off to J.J. McCarthy.
Truly one that could go either way, but I tend to lean toward Mr. Bradbury being around for a bit longer.
Chance of Being Cut: Medium
Cut Candidate #6: Ed Ingram, Guard
Potential Savings: $3,325,000
One of the worst picks of the Adofo-Mensah era, Ingram has never developed into the impact guard Minnesota was hoping for when sinking a 2nd into the LSU alumnus.
Ingram was benched for Dalton Risner during the 2024 season. Keep in mind that Risner is a left guard who had never played right guard in his NFL career. Very small chance Ingram is back given the on-field struggles that led to being benched, the need to improve along the iOL, and the potential cap savings.
Chance of Being Cut: High
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on social media (Bluesky & Twitter). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.
