Report: Vikings in Trade Talks Involving Veteran Defender
The Minnesota Vikings have about two weeks to clear their salary cap deficit and become cap compliant ahead of the new league year starting. They can achieve that by restructuring contracts or by parting ways with players via trade or release.
One of the more likely players to be shown the door is defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. According to NFL reporter Jordan Schultz, he could be available in a trade.
He posted on social media on Tuesday, “Sources: The #Vikings have had trade talks with teams regarding 2x Pro Bowl DT Javon Hargrave. Hargrave started 15 games last year and had 3.5 sacks in his first season with Minnesota.”
Hargrave signed a lucrative two-year deal a year ago. The Vikings gave him $30 million for those two campaigns, with most of the cap hit pushed into 2026. A release would save about $11 million of his $21.4 million cap hit.
A trade, however, adds another $4 million to the savings, which could make a trade the more appealing option for the club. In exchange for that contract, the other party would have to send very little compensation the other way. In theory, this could even be the case of a Brock Osweiler trade. In 2017, the Texans shipped the quarterback to the Browns. They added a 2nd-rounder to the trade package, just to get rid of the contract.
This is unlikely to resemble a Brock Osweiler-style salary dump, but cap-driven trades of veteran contracts are not uncommon. Of course, Hargrave’s deal isn’t as bad. A realistic trade will likely only include late-round compensation.
Hargrave appeared in 16 games, but was fairly ineffective with 3.5 sacks and 52 tackles (four tackles for loss). His 31 QB pressures ranked sixth in Brian Flores‘ defense, behind linebackers Dallas Turner, Jonathan Greenard and Eric Wilson, as well as fellow interior defenders Allen and Jalen Redmond.
Just for context, Hargrave logged more than 60 pressures in each year from 2021 to 2023. In 2024, an injury limited him to only three games. Given his age (he turned 33 this month), it’s unlikely that he can return to the production of his Pro Bowl days. Still, a more desperate team with a lack of interior pass rush might be willing to add his contract for some help.
The Vikings, in the meantime, still have a solid interior defensive line, even without Hargrave. That group still includes Jonathan Allen, a fellow free agency addition from a year ago. Furthermore, 2025 breakout defender Jalen Redmond is expected to return for a 3rd season. Draft picks from the last two Aprils — Levi Drake Rodriguez and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins — are also in the mix.
Minnesota could still add a player or two in free agency or the draft. They have been linked to Broncos defender John Franklin-Myers this week.
While no deal is imminent, the reported trade talks signal that Hargrave’s contract and age could make him a logical cap casualty candidate as Minnesota reshapes its roster. With the Vikings prioritizing financial flexibility and younger contributors along the defensive front, the coming weeks could be pivotal in determining whether his tenure in purple extends beyond just one season.
The Vikings will be busy over the next two months as the roster undergoes major changes.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.