A regular season NFL roster maintains 53 players during the regular season, plus a 16-man practice squad.
And as the Minnesota Vikings embark on the 2024 offseason, the roster is scheduled to undergo significant turnover, perhaps the most frenzied since Mike Zimmer took over a decade ago.
The Full List of Vikings’ 25 Free Agents in 2024
The Vikings are in Year No. 3 of a competitive rebuild phase of team-building, and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah hinted this week that dropping “rebuild” from competitive rebuild is on the horizon. It could occur as soon as this September.
But a successful offseason is mandatory for Minnesota to get there — a straight-up competitive team without any rebuild adjectives. Entering the offseason, with free agency less than two months away, these are the purple team’s 25 free agents:
- RB Cam Akers
- LB Anthony Barr
- IOL Blake Brandel
- DL Jonathan Bullard
- QB Kirk Cousins
- OLB Marcus Davenport
- QB Joshua Dobbs
- LB Troy Dye
- OLB Danielle Hunter
- LB Jordan Hicks
- TE Johnny Mundt
- TE Nick Muse
- S Theo Jackson
- K Greg Joseph
- DT James Lynch
- OT Oli Udoh
- G Chris Reed
- WR K.J. Osborn
- WR Brandon Powell
- OT David Quessenberry
- IOL Dalton Risner
- IOL Austin Schlottmann
- DL T.J. Smith
- DT Khyiris Tonga
- OLB D.J. Wonnum
For context, that’s about 47% of the Vikings’ 2023 regular season roster. Change is afoot.
Of course, many men from the list will return — half or more — so it’s not quite like Minnesota will field an entirely new team. As a comparison, the Green Bay Packers have 18 free agents on the docket, the Chicago Bears with 16, and Detroit Lions at 25, too.
All eyes foremost will turn to quarterback Kirk Cousins. He’s the first and almighty free-agent domino. His reunion or departure will set the tone for Vikings football in 2024 and the future, on the whole, quite frankly. “Yeah. I’ve been pretty consistent with that. Kirk, the player, is somebody that, as we saw what he does to this team, I thought we were playing really good football before he got injured. It’s the most important position in sports,” general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah told reporters Wednesday when asked about retaining Cousins in 2024.
In theory, Cousins could hit free agency and join a team like the Atlanta Falcons.
Adofo-Mensah added, “It ultimately always comes down to can you find an agreement that works for both sides and all those things, but as a player it’s certainly my intention to have him back here.”
The young executive struck an optimistic tone about Justin Jefferson and Danielle Hunter, as well. At least per Adofo-Mensah’s preference, both men are on deck to return in 2024 and beyond (note: Jefferson won’t be a free agent, but he is moving into the final year of his rookie deal).
The men likely exiting the franchise? Marcus Davenport, K.J. Osborn, and Joshua Dobbs, for example.
The “legal tampering” phase of free agency begins on March 11th.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.